Do you hide your hobby from certain people?

I used to hide it but I don't any more. Initially I was embarrassed because I didn't think I deserved to have a hobby that had such a high price point, even if I could afford it. As I've gotten older, though, I've become a lot more shameless about the things I enjoy. If my hobbies are off-putting to some people, that's fine. I don't have time for people who are going to be rude to me over something as harmless as dolls!

My wife is extremely supportive of anything that delights me, and all my friends are beloved weirdos of some stripe or another, so it's a non-issue.

 

I thought going into this hobby I would be more secretive about it, my own mysterious little hobby that few know about~
but turns out I'm a loud mouth and have told almost all my friends about my incoming dolls and my plans for them. Most of them were put off by it at first, saying things like "well...you made a choice" and "I mean...I guess..." and other expressions of disinterest and/or confusion.
Now, at least my roomie let's me bounce ideas off him while I'm waiting for my dolls with little to no resistance to it. Though, I can't say what will happen when they are actually here LOL!
my work friends seem mostly open to it too, at first mostly just shocked by the costs, but they realized they really shouldn't be talking since they're hobbies are kinda out there and can get pricey too

 

I tend to keep relatively quiet about my doll hobby because I've gotten some rude reactions in the past that were rather upsetting. My mom is also into dolls, so we gush over them together, and my partner will listen to me prattle on about them even though he has no interest in them himself. Between the two of them, I don't really feel the need to talk about dolls with anyone else, so I generally don't. I'm like this with most of my hobbies, honestly. If you're extremely close to me, I'll info-dump the heck out of you, and if you're not, you get passing comments about them when you ask what I'm up to.

 

I used to hide my dolls from my previous ex who had complete opposite personally as me (sporty, social, extrovert) and he thought that my plushies were childish, so I just hid my dolls from him to prevent any mockery. I don't hide my dolls from my family because I am very close to my family and when my siblings make funny comments I just take them slightly because I know this is a hobby I enjoy and they know that too, my brother is now used to my dolls so he doesn't mind them anymore, my dad is always interested in new dolls I get and he loves seeing me happy and my mom helps with sewing them clothes sometimes. I now have a new boyfriend who has the same personality as me, he loves my dolls, follows my doll instagram, shares my love for them and has even said that he wants a doll for himself. I love that he shares similar interests as me and that he supports everything I do, it makes me incredibly happy.
So now with my current boyfriend I can be 100% myself and I am hanging out with my dolls more than ever and not being afraid of being judged or hiding my dolls. I consider myself lucky and I will never hide my dolls from anyone ever again. I don't care if they judge me

 

When I was much younger I was sort of embarrassed, but that was a long time ago. I even moved out of my bedroom into the spare room so my dolls could have the space. No one has ever said anything critical to me, but I feel like my friends don't understand the hobby even if they think my dolls look cool. I'm told I'm very charismatic in real life though, so I can count on one hand the amount of times people have been rude to me. Plus I've never been one for doing things everyone else is doing so collecting dolls is hardly one of the stranger things I can be accused of.

 

My mother doesn't "get" the hobby or what you do in it or what the fun is... She's told me so, but she usually likes dolls a lot (she sews her own cloth dolls that she sells... does she not see the irony?) so she doesn't mind and helps me with clothes for them. However I'm not telling anyone in my family about my current purchases because they were already asking why I got another doll when the last one arrived. I'll have to hide future dolls from my instagram etc for a while and wait to post box opening photos etc *sigh*. Since the pandemic started I've been told by family to stop spending much money, and save up. I understand what they mean but.... dolls....I can't D:
I also have other hobbies like art (which is also my profession) and videogames. So I tend to... spend all my money. They wouldn't understand why I'm spending it on more dolls. Oh well.
However, they have been very nice about me spending my money even though they worry about current economy. So I feel like I can't complain much really. I don't like hiding things from them but I also don't have to tell them everything I buy *shrug*

 

I try to, but sometimes it slips out
My parents know about my bjds and that they cost $150+ (USD) each, but I hide the true value of my squad. I have always been super open with my sister. She knows their full value and who I have and who is incoming. She isn't in the hobby, but is always interested and knows that it makes me happy.

I've yet to tell one of my best friends, as I'm worried that she will be super judgemental about it. I have told a couple of other close friends that I have bjds, but my wider friend group still thinks I am into play line dolls and customising them.

 

Some of my family knows about it. I just try not to tell them how much I spend on it! I've only felt comfortable telling one of my coworkers about this hobby, she admits she does not understand about it even when I try to explain it to the best of my ability but she thought it sounded neat. But yeah depending on how comfortable with certain people I will tell them about it and to a certain amount depending on how well I know them.

 

I only share it with online communities, my immediate family knows the extent of my collection but visitors and extended family do not see it. I’ve only shown one local friend my doll room and she loved it but she is the sweetest person I’ve ever met so if she had any negative thoughts she would not have said so. Then there’s my friend from high school that previously did not like dolls, I was hesitant to tell her about any of my dolls but she has come around to see the artistic aspects of them. I used to have my vintage childhood dolls in the guest room and it was my gauge to see how people reacted, if it was negative then I never told them about the doll room.

 

I'm fairly quiet but if it was ever brought up in a conversation, I would tell people. I have my dolls displayed so some of my friends know. It was one of my friends actually who encouraged me to get more dolls.

 

Me too!

I do hide my dolls from certain friends and family that aren't accepting of it. Like they would make fun of them. Anyone who would make fun of my favorites, especially Silas or Lucien, is not worthy of seeing them in person.

 

I don't share my hobby with people except if I can't do otherwise p.e. very close relatives friends who know me from years and may visit my place. Certain people I may completely avoid, and are certain people I only talk about the weather with them

 

I don't hide my dolls, since everyone knows I've always loved and collected dolls my whole life
What I do hide from everyone is the price point

 

I’m online dating now, and knowing when to mention, by the way, I have almost fifty 1/3 scale resin humans in my room who will all be staring at you when you enter is a difficult thing. All the people I’ve mentioned dolls to have thought they were cool so far! The way I explain it, they’re “1/3 scale recreations of my characters” and so it just seems like a quirky writer thing to most of the girls I date. I definitely wait until date number two to make any reference to my hobbies!

 

I don't discuss my dolls with most people (it's often a "you enjoy your weird hobby but I don't understand it), but if I know someone well enough to invite them over and they mention the dolls (no avoiding them in the little cabin I live in right now) I'll happily talk about them.
Fortunately, I have lovely irl doll friends I can discuss doll stuff with

 

I do, I wish I didn’t have to and I totally think that no one should be mean and rude about someone’s passion and hobby, but no matter what I think those rude people will still be out there. I usually test the waters and if they seem rude I will never want to bring it up again with them.

 

I am definitely careful who I share my hobby with. Especially at work! One time, my Teams "greenscreen" background slipped and I am pretty sure the person on the phone saw my dolls. They asked if I was working in my kid's room....

I do not have kids!

 

My friends accept that I have/had a host of niche hobbies and interests over the years. I don't hide anything. If someone doesn't like it and speaks unkindly behind my back I simply cut them off. No one has had the nerve to say anything to my face, even strangers. Despite how I am online, apparently I give off a very different vibe in person. I was waiting with my mom at the ER once and a little old lady looked at me then said to my mom, "everyone should have a doberman like that"

 

I usually bring up my hobby with people I’m close with. My mom knows the most about doll-related stuff because she’s forced to hear me infodump 24/7
My close friends are aware of my hobby, but I don’t talk about it as much with them. I do hide it from strangers and acquaintances though, since I know a lot of people can be judgmental.

 

Short answer: yes, I hide it.

Longer answer: Hobbies in general are extremely personal and often involve a lot of time/resources. One person's acceptable video game hobby is another person's nerd who doesn't get out enough. One person's devotion to a certain clothing brand is another person's waste of money on clout chasing. Any hobby you feel deeply enough about will be exposing you to criticism from people who don't "get it" and so this topic to me is more about how open and out there you are are a person and how trusting you are of others.

I don't share my hobby with very many people now, a few friends and family and local doll people, but I think when I first started and I didn't have a good outlet I talked with a larger variety of people about them.