Do you hide your hobby from certain people?

Yep! Well, sort of. I tell people I collect dolls, and let them fill in the blanks (which aren't always incorrect because I've got a few barbies too).

Most of my dolls are dudes, which I feel is a bit further out there than lady dolls (which can be interpreted as porcelain dolls). I've never had a negative reaction to my dolls though, I just don't like explaining things, and I'm pretty private. The cost is also... a factor 'i dropped five hundy on a doll' is not something I go sharing (except to my friends who I know also have weird expensive hobbies like collecting swords lololol)

 

@Lady_addiction Sorry you've got to hear the "creepy" thing from someone, it never makes me feel very good either, even if people don't really mean it in a super negative way. I've noticed with some of my friends that the term seems to be a socially acceptable thing to say to indicate that dolls aren't really their thing. At first I kinda made light of it, but the more I hear it, the more it is getting to me.

I've literally quit mentioning all the wonderful art and craft work I do for my dolls to a few specific people at this point for that reason. They'd be like "oh wow that's a cute outfit you're so talented.. your doll looks like a heroin addict though!" And I just couldn't take it. Yeah... my beautiful Alchemic Labo doll has some creases under her eyes so she looks a little tired So do I!! lol. I do think in my case it's just highlighted who I have associated with in many cases that are actually pretty judgmental upon reflection. So as much as it's hurtful, maybe it's also kind of enlightening as to whether those people are/were supportive of me in general all along.

Regarding hiding in another form, while I do share a few images of my face up work with my mom because she likes art stuff, I'd never dare let her know how many dolls I have or the cost of them. We were pretty poor when I was growing up and additionally my dad was really one of those "mature adults don't have toys so no one in this house is gonna have toys" kinda people.. so my mom had maybe one or two dolls, I think. It's tough because I think she might appreciate how pretty they are, but like, it's just hard to imagine any conversation about the breadth of my collection actually being totally positive.

On the contrary, and to end this on a positive note, I managed to marry someone who is a major creative-type and figure collector/painter. So he "gets it." And that is suuuuuuuper relieving. I work from home on my own business and sometimes will talk about being a bit lonely, and sometimes he'll say something like "well why don't you just talk to your coworkers?" .. meaning my dolls .. and it's just nice to know he means that lovingly, and as an acknowledgement of the fact that he knows they bring me joy and comfort.

 

@maxxxamillion, it is super shocking to me how at first it's easy not to mind the 'creepy' comments but over time, the repetition can get on one's nerves. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue!

Your comment about how people misinterpret your dolls do make me wonder about my dolls. Currently, most of my dolls are not really finished, per se - like they're not really dressed properly or have wigs or faceups. So my family who know about them look at them and can see that they're a work in progress. Once they're completed though, there are likely more chances of judgment occurring depending on what the dolls look like and I wonder what associations they would have with the dolls. I am surprised that they loved my Doll Chateau Margarita who is super skinny. I've noticed Doll Chateau can be a love-it or hate-it kinda of doll aesthetic, but they found her to be gorgeous.

I sympathize with hiding prices. Even though my family is aware of my hobby, I specifically refrain from mentioning price to my parents because I would likely never hear the end of it. My parents are very pragmatic people who, if they found out how much I spent on my dolls, would be upset that I didn't spend the money on something more useful, like a downpayment on a car or a house or a vacation somewhere.

Also, I refrain from sharing my hobbies in general. I keep my BJD stuff and instagram under a pseudonym. However, lately, I've been feeling more challenged to share and let people know about my hobbies. It's so great that you've found a partner who accepts you and your dolls! That's one of my life goals right there!

 

I don't especially hide them from my friends, but I don't advertise it. Though with the most judgemental ones, I usually approach it under the angle of miniatures, as in "yeah, as you know I am a super crafty person, so I got some dolls to craft in-scale stuff for them". For some reasons, miniatures collecting is more well-received than doll-collecting?

I don't really discuss my hobbies with my family, but I am "the cuckoolander" of the family, which is not very flattering, but which can also mean that my family tend to sweep a lot of things under a rug of "don't ask". XD

But I would never discuss prices with either of them. Some friends could understand, but my family definitely would not. My parents lived a life of privation. And while they want the best for me, they would not take kindly as what they would see as "wasting money". Also, my aunt was a collector, but she collected expensive imported american plushies in East Asia in the middle of a war, which was considered impractical and wasteful by my parents (understandable, as most people were starving at the time). And they kind of extended that feeling to most expensive collections. I feel like they could understand if I explain that a) we are not at war b) it's my own money c) it could be drugs XD but I like keeping the peace and what they don't know won't hurt them, sooooo...

I do hide my hobby from my family. But if my family discover my dolls I am comfortable shrugging it off and lying about the price if asked.

 

I definitely hid it from people (apart from my family) when I was in the hobby at a younger age. But now I'm a little older and I feel more comfortable with the friends I have now, so I don't mind mentioning it!! It's not something I loudly advertise, but I try not to feel shy about it either - even tho I do worry about what people may say ><

Luckily my parents are pretty comfy about it all, especially my mum!

 

I don't talk about it to my family, especially my sister, because they just complain about how stupid it is to spend that much money on dolls. ( My sister spends a small fortune on gardening, but thats her thing.) My daughter got me into the dolls when she was in her teens. I've always liked dolls and even have a small collection of artist dolls. My husband is very supportive and that's all that matters to me. My son even has a puki.

 

I tell this with proud, as I am proud to say everything else that concerns me. I respect my personality and all my interests! If someone does not share this, it is their right, but usually my self-confidence stops people from teaching me.

 

Unfortunately I do. It’s more that I don’t talk about it. I can’t imagine a single one of my coworkers finding it cool. I’m guessing most people would say it’s weird. I already have enough weird hobbies and pets.

 

I ordered my first doll at the beginning of the month and told my boyfriend about it. He wasn't necessarily mean, it was definitely somewhat playful teasing that I didn't mind, but it was persistent, telling me that dolls are creepy and that I better not be "crazy". It started to get to me and I offered to just do the face-up for it and sell it at a higher price since it would basically be brand new but with face-up, but he got upset and made me promise him that I wouldn't sell it on his account, and that he would be okay as long as it isn't really around him. I feel bad, I know people are definitely going to find dolls scary the same way some people think clowns are scary, and I appreciate that he is still encouraging me to pursue this hobby... I just wish I could share it with him more because it's something I am really interested in. He's becoming more and more accustomed to it, he doesn't react as poorly as he used to when I mention it, and I'm hoping it'll grow on him. Other than him, I don't make it public or anything, but I don't hide it from my friends or family; they're all supportive.

 

Nope, if somebody can't handle my hobbies ( or at least be polite about them) then they aren't worth my time

 

Yes. Not to my family but to my friends.. I started to hide it because I fall in love with dolls in my early teenage and I thought my friends might not understand me to spend so much money on this hobby. But later I found it somehow comfortable to have distance from my normal life and have a secret hobby world that always there for me and support me whenever I want to run away from my daily life. So.. I guess I'll keep hiding it.

 

I hide my hobby from my friends. I just don't want them to know that I spend so much money on my hobby.

 

The only people who know are my siblings and my significant other. I thought about telling other people but I'm pretty hesitant about it cause I never know how they'll react. Usually I'll get the whole "they're going to murder you in your sleep" or something along those lines. So I try to avoid that. I even thought about bringing it up in an interview (when they asked what I do for hobbies) but decided to look it over and bring up other hobbies I'm into. So in other words, I don't tell strangers, only close family.

 

Nope.
My friends think my dolls are beautiful)

 

Non-collectors can be rude and ignorant and hurtful at the worst of times, awkward at the best of times. I've learned its best to test the waters with small, pretty, normal looking dolls when introducing a non-collector to see if they'll be positive or not towards the concept of BJD, before throwing opening my doll cabinet and they see everything from a green 1/6 doll to a 70cm EID.

Anyone who says something so awful and transphobic like that to you is ignorant and not worth a second of your time, and quite frankly can stick it where the sun don't shine. There are countless of men in this hobby, both cis and trans alike. Having a hobby as creative and social as this one does not invalidate your gender, no matter what anyone else says or thinks. You are valid.

 

In the beginning I went through a phase of hiding it from people after getting some comments about it being too creepy/childish/'girly'. Whenever people would come over I would hide them in my closet until they left, and if I accidentally left one out I'd feel mortified.

Then I had one person who would always use my dolls as an excuse to call me slurs and would even call my dolls slurs?? Which was really weird to me, overall they were just really nasty. After that it was kinda like a switch flipped and I honestly haven't felt any shame about being in this hobby ever since then.

I don't really talk about this hobby to non-doll people, but I don't go out of my way to hide it anymore either.

 

Short answer: heck no. Wiishu goes pretty much everywhere with me---including things like the Pompeii exhibit---and is always out getting photographed. He helps me chronicle events in my life. If people are creeped out, that's their problem, not mine. Any negative comments they make reflects on them, not me. I'll be 70 this year. I started this less than a decade ago. This is not the strangest hobby I've had in a lifetime filled with hobbies.

With one caveat: If you're hiding it because you're embarrassed about the amount of money you're spending, you might want to take a long hard look at your collection and buying habits. I've seen too get themselves into financial trouble in this hobby. If someone who actually cares about you expresses concern over the amount of money you're spending, especially if you find yourself constantly in debt paying off dolls...you might want to let them have their say and seriously consider their input. This hobby can become an addiction, and you really have to be careful. Sometimes it takes an outside opinion to help you see it.

 

I hide my hobby from everyone except for my mom, and even she doesn't completely understand it. I like having something that is a complete secret from everyone else. Also, I know that my friends and family would be judgmental about my dolls. I just don't want to deal with the "creepy", "weird", or "aren't you too old for that?" comments, so I keep to myself. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

 

A lot of people around me don't understand why I spent so much money on hobby. So I don't share dolls with them. I'd like to make friends with the one who love dolls. This forum is kind of important

 

Nope! I enjoy sharing my interests with others, and always have -- I tend not to realize if others are weirded out, though, probably due to being autistic my other hobbies are just as weird if not stranger to others, pinning insects and raising them is one of my favorite things. That usually offsets the "strangeness" of doll collecting
I figure, if I am kind, and share that which I love with those around me, maybe they can become a bit more open minded to these sorts of things :3