Dolls vs. your Culture/ethnicity

Where I live in America, it seems like acceptance of dolls really just varies from person to person, but Chucky and Annabelle certainly don't help matters, lol. One of my best friends told me that he loves me and is proud of my work, but my dolls scare him. Another friend gradually stopped being so apprehensive about dolls the more she saw mine. My dad told me to buy all the dolls I want so long as I don't go broke or bring a possessed doll into the house.

Now that I think of it, I guess the west really is more paranoid about dolls being evil... Though weebs seem more accepting of them.

 

This is a very interesting thread indeed. I always believed dolls were seeing as a bit of a creepy thing for most people to collect, regardless of culture. I've read that in Japan collecting anything in excess is seen as bad, and are referred to as "otaku," which many people in the west confuse as something positive, but really isn't meant like that. If I recall correctly, it literally means "obsessive," which isn't see as good in Japanese culture.

I'm another person from the USA, I was born and grew up in the western regions in very small touristy towns due to my father's jobs, but I don't usually socialize with the town's folk or go around with my dolls in hand, so I never experienced any negativity from people that live near me. Most of my extended family moved pretty far away from home long ago, so I don't see them often. However, most know that I am a weirdo (my parents and I are known as the family oddballs because we are a vegan while everyone else isn't, and I'm into skulls, vampires, monsters, and collect toys and anime). I have a lot of young nieces and nephews who are into anime and video games, so most collect a type of toy/doll or another, thusly I don't really get any negativity from anyone in my family (because most have kids that collect "creepy dolls" as well). My parents used to care a bit when I was still in college; mainly they didn't want me spending all my tuition or book/software money on toys, which is understandable. However, I've started part-time jobs when I was around fourteen or fifteen-years-old so I could afford my anime/video game collecting hobbies, because of that I never really got a lot of critique from anyone that mattered to me. I am a very quiet person, and outside of my family, close friends and doll/toy forums (where I am an anonyms person on the internet) people don't normally know about my private life, which include my hobbies. Simply because I don't feel the need to share that sort of info, with people who I don't know and who probably don't care about my hobbies. I guess this is probably something that mainly affects those who socialize like normal people, and have lots of friends that are not likeminded. However, as a vegan, when I was very young I got bullied for my lifestyle choices by the other children, so I decided then and there to only be friends with people who were vegan as well -- that lead to only having weirdo friends who are pretty much just like me. Although none collect BJD, all collect anime and toys/dolls of some sort. We do joke around about what the others spends on their hobbies, or how weird the others' tastes are but it's always in good fun.

I'm pretty boring person. The cultural thing is very interesting however; I wonder if there is really a culture out there that has historically seeing collecting dolls as a good thing. (:

 

This is very interesting observation. I think you are looking the right direction.

I'm from central Europe, not exactly the "east" but we don't feel to be part of the "west" culture either. Doll collecting is videly accepted hobby. People here collect various items, dolls, action figures, bears, realistic animal figures are quite frequent, too. BJDs aren't well knowen here, but doll colectors usually know about them. Tonner dolls are more frequent. Dolls aren't considered creepy as long as I know, unless they are gory.

Of course, there are these who consider it childish or waste of money, but these are usually individuals who have no hobby or aren't creative.

Personally, I got positive and neutral reactions so far. And some -- It must have been so expensive -- ones. That was expected.

 

As a Chinese, I'd say it depends since my mother thinks dolls are creepy and spiritual creatures, and lots of people here believe it, too. For example, the terracotta soldiers you've mentioned, were used to replace real humans so that the ancient emperor didn't need to actually kill lots of people to bury with him after he died. Thus the terracotta soldiers are a little bit "spiritual" tbh. =P

Are dolls a part of our culture? Yes. Are dolls accepted by the majority of people? Not quite. There are many talented doll creators in China, yet by looking at the whole picture, it's still a very small market, and most people could still consider us doll collectors as weirdos haha.

Realistic dolls = creepy, while barbies/plushies = kid toys seems like a universally approved opinion. o.0

 

I'm an American, and I actually got into collecting dolls because of their reputation for being creepy. I'm actually really thankful for films like Chucky and Puppet Master and Annabelle because without them I never would have considered the possibility of liking dolls. Seeing that dolls could be something other than cute or pretty totally changed my opinion on them.

That said, I would say a large majority of people here think dolls are extremely creepy or extremely sad... if they're not associated with horror movies they're associated with elderly hoarders or depressing thrift shops. Especially anything outside of play dolls- I would guess the average person wouldn't really see any "art dolls" or collectors' dolls in any context but a goodwill.

 

American here, originally from the south but now live in a large city in the northeast. Older people where I’m from tended to find my doll collecting charming, possibly because that’s considered a “traditional women’s hobby” in parts of the south. (Never mind that I’m anything but traditional in other ways). So the worst I get from that demographic is patronization.

People my own age sometimes get creeped out by it, but I get that reaction more to my antique dolls than my BJDs. BJDs seem to fall under the category of Nerd Stuff, which young adults up here can be a bit more willing to accept.

 

Im japanese and grew up in japan but i now live in canada so i got a taste on both sides of the spectrum, honestly in japan as stated dolls are embedded in our culture, we have a whole festivals for them and so on but i feel the topic changes when it comes to bjd, one thing is having a traditional doll or a decorative doll most house holds back home have them,my family has over 50 due to traditions,girls day and my grandmas love for hina dolls but bjds are regarded differently, its a doll you can actually play with and do things with,it's still seen as childish for someone in their 20s to be playing with dolls even in japan,its more normal with teenage girls but once you hit the 20 mark of age your supposed to have your shit together and just caring around a doll is still seen as weird and uncommon which ironic given japan has stores for these things and theres more bjd owners there then here i feel, though compared to canada it's still more accepted. while in japan if you see a 20yr old+ walking around with a doll no one really stares everyone keeps to them selves but here in canada oh god it's awkward, people will stare at you for as long as it takes for you to pass, they say things at times and it's just really uncomfortable,i take my girls downtown a lot and it's less weird when it's me alone but it seems that when i have my boyfriend caring his doll everyone needs to stare its like a mini side show, so north america definitely views it as weird while japan its just bordering odd for us.

 

I live in a pretty artsy, culturally diverse city in the Midwest, and haven't had too many negative experiences or comments from people when I've mentioned, or introduced, my bjds to them.

Mind you, I tend to explain them as art dolls---muses/composite models for [graphic] novels I eventually intend to write and publish (I'm still feeling art burnout after graduation with a Graphic Design degree, something I'm taking time to creatively recover from). People seem to react more positively when I use this response, thinking of them as more than just creepy collector's dolls. It gives them this sense of a back story and character that makes them more than just mere dolls to people I introduce my bjds to. Also, they see them more as the works of art and creativity that they are than that creepy Chucky stereotype.

I've lived in a few different places, and the attitude can really depend on region/mindset. When I lived in a more conservative leaning city in California, I got more mixed reactions with my collection of Pullips. Some people were fine with them, while others seemed off-put by them. I remember one guy at a college anime club back there being downright frightened of them when I brought a couple anime character based ones with me to a meet (I felt bad when a couple other members tried torturing him with the dolls).

From my perspective, it seems that—unless it's a collection of porcelain dolls like the ones old ladies are expected to collect, or kids with their Barbies/America Girl dolls/etc.—more traditional, conservative circles tend to be more critical about doll collecting. It comes with that mindset of being family-focused—when to put aside toys and get into adult-appropriate things to conform within the community, get married, raise kids, etc. In places that are more open and creatively driven, people tend to be more open and accepting of quirky, artistic hobbies on the whole.

I'm certain that some cultural aspects do come into play with whether certain places are more accepting of bjds or not, but I feel like it comes with the type of community established in different regions as well. Places where dolls have become more integrated into the culture probably still have some circles/communities that see collecting dolls as childish behavior, while other places that usually would be thought of having culturally critical views on dolls will have communities/cities where people are more accepting of the hobby. Considering how much the world has become such a cultural melting pot in many regions over the past few decades, it's probably an ever-evolving and changing landscape for the concept of collecting in general in many places that used to hold certain standards for it in the past.

I didn't intend to go into this creating a novel, but there you go—my two cents.

 

I live in the United States and typically people relate my dolls to Chucky. Honestly this really annoys me and I do not tend to tell people about my dolls because of this. Also people have a bad habit of telling everyone that you like dolls. I get mostly shamed for having dolls by people I know in real life.

 

I'm from the Netherlands, and honestly I know no other adults that have dolls as a hobby (besides my late grandma, who collected handmade rag dolls).
That being said, our culture is pretty accepting of most things as long as you don't bother people with it in the public sphere. This mainly goes for religion and cultural differences, but is very much extended to personal differences as well -the idea is that you can do whatever you like, as long as you do it within the confines of your own home. We also have this cultural attitude that values being pragmatic and rational, which translates to a dislike of things in excess/flamboyance.
So whether collecting dolls would be seen as a bad thing probably depends on how you practice the hobby: if you have dedicated the larger part of your house to dioramas and regularly take your dolls outside in public, people will look at you weirdly; but if you merely have a few of them displayed in the living room no-one will think badly of you.

(That being said, the kind of dolls you collect might make a difference. BJD are probably considered less creepy than, say, Blythe or traditional porcelain dolls.)

 

That's been my experience as well. Older people mostly consider my doll collection to be a mark of good, traditional breeding.

Younger people, on the other hand, tend not to have much of an opinion one way or another. I've had a few "oh no that's creepy" reactions to my antique porcelain dolls, thanks to Annabelle et al, but my BJD never seems to register with people as "that" kind of doll. Neither does my Monster High collection.

I think it might be because my only BJD at the moment is a 70cm boy. He's pretty clearly an "art doll" and I'm a musician, so the association tracks. And the Monster High collection just registers as "weird" in the "oh god look at this cringey middle-aged lady" kind of way instead of in a creepy way, lol.

 

I'm from Singapore. People here are busy earning money and hoping to afford a nice car and house. Doll collectors are very rare here. The typical impression of bjd hobby towards people here is that it is a waste of money and impractical.

 

I am from Poland and like @great-queen-morrigan we consider ourselves neither western nor eastern, just Central Europeans and the Chucky (and now also Anabelle) reference is sooo common and soo annoying. I mean, particulalry when I don't collect fantasy sculpts of werewolfs, vampires or other characters of demonic etymology. How can you see a blond doll with blue eyes, wearing a pink tulle dress and compare it to Chucky?? It's so insensitive, really. I try to avoid such people and before I tell someone of my hobby, I spend some time getting to know them to see what kind of attitude I can expect of them.

Other than this, the people around me who know, they usually appreciate it or just don't mind. I try to present them as fashion dolls where I spend much time designing outfits etc. My M-I-L also collects dolls, so I have no problem trying to fit into her taste when buying a gift. It's soo easy I've always been a black sheep in the family, so it's not a surprise to my relatives. However, I also - like some of you above mentioned - have this privilege of them not minding because I DON'T mention the prices lol

I lived in a small village for years and it was funny, when I passed some nosy neighbours. Some thought I had a little violin in my doll carrier and I just smiled, not confirming but not denying either. Once, I went to the churchyard,where there were graves and nicely trimmed, fresh green grass. It was my favourite place to shoot photos since there were no big spiders like anywhere else around my house. I didn't take any photos around the graves that were around the church, it was just the lovely grass Anyway, during one of such sessions, the door to the churchyard opened, my nosy neighbour came in and saw me kneeling down before a doll, posing it. Her surpsised face was priceless. But I felt confident, it was her who felt shy and just passed me, going toward the tombstones to tidy up and change the flowers

Surprisingly, anyway, from my own experience, the older people are, the less critical and insensitive of my dolls they are. They often associate them with porcelain figurines or antique dolls rather than youngsters fed on mass media and horror movies, exposed to peer pressure on daily basis, trying to impose it on others too, even when it comes to hobbies.

I think as with any other creative hobby - Polish people view it the way you allow them. If you present yourself as an artist, then whatever it is that you work on - they'll usually admire it. If one is a couch potato and busy themselves with onlie shopping all day long and just spending money (usually someone else's - spouse's or parents') - they'll criticise it as a waste of money. And if someone still criticises those who spend lots of money on hobbies BUT are creative with this too, then it's not a Polish feature per se. It's just being ignorant.

Lovely thread, btw and interesting to read about!

 

I find that a lot of people I interact with think of dolls as "creepy". There are so many movies about haunted dolls and evil dolls and person bought a doll and then the doll stole their soul and even creepy evil lady trying to turn the protagonist into a doll that that's the first thing anyone thinks of when they hear about an adult collecting dolls.

I showed someone at work a few pictures, and she thought they were awesome. But the first instinct is to think about the horror genre....

 

I was born in Poland but moved to the UK as a kid, so I don't know much about how people view adults collecting dolls there in general. I am sure it differs depending on the area and so on. From my own, small experience, few years ago I have travelled to Poland with a doll and comments I got from family members and people that observed me taking photos were pretty negative and nasty. It was mostly "a waste of money", "why so expensive", "you should have a child and stop playing with dolls", "that's ugly/creepy". I have tried to explain the difference between BJDs and play line dolls, but it seemed pointless and was getting nowhere. My family is from a small town and anything "out of norm" seems to be seen as weird.

In the UK, doll collecting in general doesn't seem very common, other than elderly ladies collecting porcelain dolls and 1/12 doll houses. The response you get will depend on the group of people you associate with and the area. I think, in general though, UK is a lot more open to quirky things and hobbies. I don't go around telling everyone that I collect dolls, but those that know or found out that I do, since I don't necessarily hide it, were pretty nice about it. Most found it interesting, quirky, creative, rather than weird or creepy. I'm sure some people in the UK thought my dolls were creepy or ugly, but unlike in Poland, nobody said it to my face. I feel that people are a bit more respectful.

 

I'm from United States. I usually get three main responses.

#1 The tons of questions response. Do you make things for them? What other crafts do you do? You must be very talented, right? Are the dolls expensive? Is it an expensive hobby? What do you make for them? Do you sculpt dolls? What do paint them with? Do you make their shoes? What other kinds of dolls do you have? etc?

#2 I collect dolls too! I have ... (goes off to list types of dolls they collect, and discuss props and clothing.)

#3 Dolls are creepy.

 

While I live in the united states, my entire family and cultural background is Russian. Doll collecting is frowned upon. It does nothing of benefit for anyone other than the collector, so it is seen as a great waste of resource. If you get one that's an artisan by trade let's say, they are still critical but a bit more intrigued by the whole concept. Lots of questions in that case. Which is better than the usual derision you'll get on a daily basis being the butt of jokes. Don't get me started on table topics during holidays..... you get pulled out like a side show freak attraction from there. It was really tiring to hear, even when you were actively trying not to listen.
Outside the family, I often get wide eyed questions by acquaintances and such. It's easier to slowly mention it to some people and see where the conversation goes from there.

 

American, but I grew up around dolls because my grandmother collected porcelain dolls and then started collecting Barbie as well. So no one in my family finds dolls strange or creepy as a rule-- though of course there are specific dolls that people might find creepy. Not all of my relatives have an equal interest in them, but at least they mostly view it as a hobby like any other.

 

I live in a tiny town in Germany and I never heard a rude or mean comment, only „how cute“. But I noticed that nobody sees a difference between my vinyl dolls and my bjds and truth to be told even for me there’s no difference but the mobility and the material. I think they are all beautiful and cute. But then my dolls are the cute child type and not mature theme dolls, so maybe the reactions then would be different. Collectors of antique dolls are the most common here and nobody thinks twice about it, other dolls are sometimes smiled upon especially Barbies but in Germany so many people are collecting so many weird things, it’s really no big thing.

 

Northern Europe here, Baltic region to be more precise. And doll collecting is not common here but not really frowned on either - especially if you like making things for them.
When I was a child Barbies where at pick popularity and there where quite a few magazines for girls that published sewing tutorials and patterns for them - often quite complected and advanced ones, most girls had no patience for sewing thous, but moms? Oh, moms loved sewing for dolls, in many ways both kids and moms got to "play" with them
Today the popularity of handicrafts fell off a bit, but most woman in the country do know how to handle a needle at least, so as part of hand crafting dolls are not particularly strange.
Outright collecting for the sake of collecting and never doing anything yourself for the dolls would be less accepted I think, especially due to the price - the economy here is getting fixed up, but not quite there yet, so people who can just "waste" that much money are not to be judged. Cheap collection of anything, dolls included are generally accepted thou.
On the other hand handcrafts promote useful skills and sense of aesthetics and as such BJDs would be considered an unusual and "high end" but valid hobby if approached from that angle - if your creativity adds value to the thing you bought it is "acceptable"
Oh, and "creepy" is not really a comment you would get - being afraid of dolls would be considered silly and borderline neurotic here, people who even so "Chucky" mostly consider it a funny movie that failed to be a horror.
It's considered right and proper for girls to play with dolls here, if you are freaked out by them than you are a bit "delicate" and not in a good way, you are not supposed to be more cowardly than your sister as well, so boys freaked out by dolls? You better not mentioned it - you'll have to change schools to stop the teasing.
I'm certain that some people are discomforted by certain type of dolls, but it is not going to be mentioned very often.