Dolls with disabilities?

I really want to get a wheelchair for one of my dolls eventually, I’ve always gotten the wheelchair version available for ot dolls growing up with my mom in a chair, maybe that can be a fun diy project to do with my folks. I do plan on adding splint rings do my mini me when I finally settle on a sculpt for her (my only “visible” trait) Dolls with visible disabilities are just so special to me, normalizing the world I grew up in

 

I have a character that I want to be deaf (I plan to make a lil hearing aid) and I would love to get a doll that uses a wheelchair

 

What type of hearing aid are you thinking of? I'm not sure how to make an over-the-ear or in-the-ear one stick to my doll, so I went with a BAHA. Depending on my ambition, I might attempt a cochlear implant in the future.

 

I have a character I'm shelling right now but that I've had for several years and over time I've used to explore my issues with chronic pain, ptsd, and physical trauma. He's got a much more physically obvious manifestation of his issues though and will have several scars, a missing eye, and be in a wheelchair.

 

i have this pet charcter with robotic legs that i intend to turn it into a doll because i am an aspiring sculptor

 

My new doll will be narcoleptic like me

 

Three of my dolls are autistic (like me!) and one has chronic fatigue. I also have many other characters with various disabilities, some visible and some not, that I would love to shell at some point in the future. Seeing disabled bodies represented in the hobby always makes me so happy

 

Disabled doll update:
-Jack is autistic, but he has no diagnosis because he lives in a D&D world, and even his 'modern AU' self is still a young man at a time when he wouldn't be given that diagnosis... It doesn't really get in the way of his day to day life, but then, in his day to day life he doesn't have to deal with anything he isn't able to (barring the odd run-in with a zombie horde). He's had to work hard to hone his charm to overcome innate social difficulties, though-- he's very sociable in small enough doses, and he cares about people, but sometimes has a hard time connecting to them, and his idea of 'friendly social gesture' can be viewed as odd. The work he pours into his social skills isn't so much to 'not look autistic', as that's not a thing to him, just to make sure people either like or ignore him. He moves his hands around a lot, sometimes fidgets with objects or drums on things.

-Deanna is also autistic-- the reason her modern AU counterpart wouldn't be diagnosed is because she puts a lot of work into consciously masking, though again in the D&D-verse, she couldn't name the thing she's masking, she's just aware she's putting up a bit of a front to hide the real her. Does a fair amount of stimming and hyperfixating, even if she hasn't got the words for it, and if it's displayed mostly in private or in a way that doesn't read as autistic. Really good foil for Jack, actually, because they're different in how they're affected by their brain chemistry and how they show or don't show it, and they have very different tastes and personalities, but they both care about and feel responsible for their loved ones in really similar ways.

 

I tend to loosely base my dolls’ characters off my friends and family as little love letters to them, and I feel that their disabilities are important elements to keep and represent.

Seth: Combat PTSD, ADHD, selective mutism. Tends to sign when overwhelmed and unable to speak.
Leslie: Mobility issues with his knee due to injury, uses a cane. Autistic, special interests include Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and navigation.
Devon: Blinded in one eye due to shenanigans. Scarring and nerve damage also due to shenanigans.
Iggy: ADHD, hearing loss; uses hearing aids.
Mercy: Undiagnosed autism. Special interests include songwriting and guitar.

 

Sorry for the double post, animals walked across the keyboard

 

My Charm Doll Rhea's foot was defective and I tied a ribbon around her leg elastic where her foot would go. I might end up leaving her like that as an amputee doll. I have an American Girl wheelchair she might look okay in.

 

Suirei, my Tianba0830 Iris, has congenital blindness. I'm still working on her white cane, but she's already utilizing its WIP version in this photoshoot.


Shinkai Inspired by Yela Gatchalian-David, on Flickr

 

My planned Maskcat Lisette is going to be congenitally blind and suffers a bit from Eldritch abomination madness, leading primarily to auditory hallucinations and disturbed sleep.

Aiyu has complex PTSD from several reincarnated lifetimes of heroism and the losses she could not prevent, the people she could not save, the suffering she endured in the name of protecting others. Her soul yearns for adventure, but her heart and brain are both very, very tired. Eden has no formal diagnosis (for the sake of not being an offensive caricature), but he is a menace to society with excruciatingly little empathy or regard for the lives of others. Phoebe has some mobility issues due to the instability of her "human" form and becomes fatigued easily trying to maintain it, but cannot be seen without it lest she cause others to go mad.

 

I want to preface this by saying that I think it's so so important that people with disabilities are represented... This thread makes me extremely happy!

When it comes to physical disabilities, Kentarou is a double bellow the knee amputee and uses prosthesis (as well as a wheelchair on occasion, but I don't have one for my dolls yet), Leilani is deaf (can hear juuust a little using hearing aids), Shirou suffers from an extreme case of tactile sensitivity, Eaden is mute (due to having his voicebox completely removed), Ravus is a pituitary dwarf and suffers from chronic pain and insomnia due to a separate condition. Fyodor has extensive chemical burns on the entire right side of his body.

Kyrvaldis has a form of (fictional) autoimmune-like chronic illness where his immune system turns against his own body. Alto (in my pfp) has been born with chimerism, and for unrelated (fictional, again) reasons, unless medicated, his body rapidly deteriorates leading to death.

Then, for mental disabilities... Keiichi has OCD (like me, surprise!), Yuki suffers from PTSD, Durga has fully recovered from depression. Ravi and Cajah are autistic. Lafal suffers from anxiety. Unsurprisingly, Alto's condition from above leads him to be depressed but he is in intensive therapy.

Zaphiel has incredibly unstable brain chemistry due to (same fictional as above) reasons that are hard to explain in a concise manner. He has all of the feelings. Think of a volatile cocktail of bipolar and borderline disorder but with periods of rapid recovery in between 'events' as well.

 

I agree @Soenatte that showing disabilities is important. I have invisible disabilities and look "normal" so people are often surprised to learn what I deal with. I have a good number of characters in my novels that have disabilities (visible or not) and I firmly believe that it's important to have them appear as main characters with the disability simply something that's part of them and NOT who they are because we are more than our disability. All that being said, here's my list of guys with disabilities that I have as dolls. I have other characters with disabilities but do not have them as dolls (they've never demanded to be shelled).

Quinn (JeiDoll Ashford) was born blind and has zero vision. His novel is Blind Desire.
Ferrous (HZ Roro NuiNui) was born without forearms, hands, shins, feet. He is part of the Blind Desire series and has a number of short stories as well as appearing in cameos in other works. His introduction is the short story Grounded For Life.
Aischylos (RS Yao on Ming body) has PTSD from being abused in multiple ways because he is a half Satyr. His story is He Followed Me Home.
Kulfi (Impl Ziv) is albino and has extremely poor vision. He would be considered legally blind if that was a thing in the world/time period he lives in. He also has PTSD from his village nearly succeeding in stoning him to death. His novel is Wish Fulfillment (Rhyia is his husband).
Rhyia (Soom Euclase) has PTSD from being captured and tortured for weeks while serving in the military. His novel is Wish Fulfillment (Kulfi is his husband).
Enjei (Sugarable Genie on AngelleDoll body) has Developmental Apraxia of Speech and it is severe. His stories are Silent Summons and Voicing A Decision.
Deagan (FL Chicline Rou) has issues with a specific part of his body (he believed he was deformed for most of his life because he was very different from the rest of his people). His story is Serpent's Embrace.
Tyhlian (OD Il vampire) has mental issues that are not his own. He literally has the consciousness of 36 different people in his head that he killed as part of his job as a Shal-hazal Litch. They were violent, dangerous and often psychotic people who needed to be removed from the positions of power they frequently held for the good and safety of others. They constantly try to take over Tyhlian's body so they can continue their quest for power and control and they fight amongst themselves to do that as well as fighting against Tyhlian's will. His novel is Dreaming Of The Void.
Tohan (AoD Min) has eyes that are light sensitive and visible markings around his eyes due to a parasite he was infected with when he was a baby. The marking around his eyes makes it obvious to his people what happened to him and causes many to physically keep their distance from him even though he is not contagious in any way (and they know this as he wouldn't be an adult and still be infected as the parasite only attacks infants and is 100% fatal in a matter of months if not treated quickly). His novel is Escape Velocity.
Caja (DC Barbara boy) has no wings unlike the rest of his people and that is considered a deformity by them. His story is waiting in the que to be written.

I have 2 characters, Fei-Lau (DZ Edward) and Mkhai (Impl Miguel the Demon Hunter) who both lost a limb but have replacement mechanical arms. Technically it could be considered a disability however, they are gods and the replacement parts were created by the Goddess of the Forge & Metalworking and have the ability to function and feel like a real limb. Neither of them consider their missing limbs to be a disability in any way and they view the mechanical limbs as bonuses since they can do things with them that their natural limbs couldn't.

Rai-Sui (SD Azreal skull head) could be considered to be disfigured as half his face is literally bare bone. However, he is the God of Death & Decay and the exposed bone is what he caused to happen to himself in penance for accidentally making his twin, Mkhai, loose part of his arm to rot when they were literally minutes old. If he wanted, Rai-Sui could have his face whole but he chooses not to. Mkhai has never blamed his brother for what happened.

Warrick (SD Souloid Phiel Gold Mechanic w/Titika head) could potentially be seen as disabled since he was bred specifically to not have legs as part of a cyborg creation program by his government. Without his chassis (which he's always in for the most part), he's severely restricted in his movement/ability to get around.

 

One of mine is non-verbal, developmentally disabled, visually impaired in one eye (I haven't decided to what degree), and likely has PTSD. He also has extensive scarring and a magic stone for a heart (but he doesn't have a heart of stone; he's very sweet and affectionate if he trusts you). Another has rejection-sensitive dysphoria and is masking some CPTSD. Both were abused by faeries, so they've bonded over that. They both wind up cuddling a lot since that's one of the ways they both like to stim.

My little pocket-sized one I printed up of my D&D storm sorcerer has AuADHD, requires glasses, and I didn't know Poliosis had a name until this thread, but he was born with a white streak (inherited from his father). He also has difficulty controlling his electrical discharges. He was at the beginning of a major depressive episode at the point the campaign got interrupted and cancelled. Not a disability, but he's also ambidextrous, however I can see this leading to him getting arthritis or repetitive strain injuries in both hands/wrists when he gets older due to the fact that he does so much with his hands (gardening, grinding flowers and herbs, painting, knitting, needlepoint, professional baking and cooking, etc - the ADHD has him constantly wanting to occupy his hands).

I have another D&D character I'm thinking of making a doll of who would have sensitive eyes and require sunglasses since he's a drow, else he'd get migraines, strained eyes, etc. He also wrestles with depression. He's probably also neurodivergent (and has a major dash of that rejection-sensitive dysphoria), but I haven't had the chance to really play him and see what flavour.

 

I have a couple of dolls with assorted conditions!
- Rose (Impldoll Aurora) is under a curse impacting her mobility, causing her to walk on water as if it's land and sink in land as if it's water. Because of this, she has to have special tools made out of driftwood and shells rather than stone and metal, and special boots to let her walk. She also has poliosis, giving her a pale blonde streak near the back of her head.
- Freya (Doll Chateau Ada) has congenital blindness, and her eyes have been removed and replaced with a (non-functional for sight) clockwork pair.
- Ife (Ybeedoll Nora) is deaf in her left ear, and wears a hearing aid. The doll actually has a bear-shaped sculpt in her ear I painted over to make an ITE hearing aid!
Eventually, I would like to have a doll with narcolepsy and/or POTS, as those conditions affect my everyday life and I feel like having a companion would be soothing for the frustration chronic sleepiness and fatigue can cause.

 

I don't really have dolls with disabilities cause I don't do characters that detailed I give a name maybe imagine an age for my most important dolls and those are already too much but I have two dolls with defects in resin color or broken parts that I reglued together and those are disabled in dolly way but not less loved!!!

 

All my dolls are characters from the novels I write so I get quite detailed, lol.

Funny thing is that Kulfi was Unexpected Doll and because of what he turned out to be in looks, his character developed to have disabilities to explain him. I'd ordered a custom green Ziv from Impl and instead of the malachite green I needed, he was cast in a beautiful pistachio ice cream green (which is also why his name is Kulfi). I notified Impl immediately and they said they'd make him again in the colour I needed and that I could keep the wrong green one (I offered to ship him back to Impl at my expense). I thought about selling him for maybe 24 hours, lol.

Because the Ziv sculpt has nearly closed eyes, I went with the idea that Kulfi was born functionally blind (he can't really see well unless it's about 12"-16" in front of him, beyond that, it's a blur of colours and shapes) and he is a much, much lighter green than his people. Because of when/where he exists, he didn't know that he is an albino. Kai-Wen, the God of Healing, Plagues & Disease, told him.

I did eventually get the proper colour Ziv from Impl (the pandemic began 2 weeks after I received Kulfi so it was a loooong journey), who is the character Malachite. I was also sent a 2nd Ziv that turned out to be a half shade darker than Kulfi because of a mix up with the caster using the wrong sample (this is why you should always send a physical sample when possible, which is what I eventually did). I gave that 2nd Ziv to a dear friend for her birthday as he was perfect to be one of the characters in her novel.