Dolly androgyny -why do we like it?

I actually find masculine or tomboyish women/girls endearing. I wouldn't mind dressing up a female doll in male clothes at all, or even making a girl with a strong male personality [which I am sure has been done already. Hopefully]. It's rather attractive, honestly! *A*

Perhaps I haven't been in the loop long enough, or maybe I haven't been exposed to BJD androgynous preferences in person, but I simply adore boyish women.

Femmy boys are nice as well, but usually tend to be overdone. It doesn't make them less lovely, however. It could have to do with society frowning upon fashionably effeminate men which is incredibly understanding. Girls can get away with wearing masculine attire, while men are "scolded" when seen wearing dresses and makeup. Dolls could just be an outlet for this..?

Still, I would love to see more manly girls.

 

Frankly, I think androgyny in men got a reputation for being more for stylish reasons, rather than an attempt at getting ahead in the world. This might be just my pop-psychology crap kicking in, but when men were pretty much the ruling class, a man choosing to act in a way more typically given to women was really revolutionary. It was choosing to give some of that up. Whereas, a masculine woman can be seen as trying to usurp a role that isn't hers, rather than choosing to set one aside. Androgyny of either gender appeals to me because most people who intentionally adopt it are being very daring by doing so, and it shows a lot of confidence. Also for stylistic reasons- the sort of features that appeal to me, appeal to me regardless of the gender they're belonging to at the moment.

Some androgyny is deliberately playing with gender roles and I've got to say, that's really cute for me. I'd love to see more daring, gentlemanly girl dolls out there- in fact I hope to own one some day. Androgyny besides just being generically cute, or prettyboy/moé moé- imagine young David Bowie, not like, a Final Fantasy character- would be lovely represented in doll forms. Very attractive. I can't say I'm particularly androgynous in feature or in form- women in our family tend towards chubby or curvy, which I am, and I can't say I've never wished I was male just for the advantage of height- but the attributes my friends perceive as masculine are as often as not the ones they like. If your friends and family can't accept you for the way you are, they don't deserve to be your friends or your family.

 

I don't judge I beleive society has stupidly made up sex roles and stereotypes. I like to mix and match everything I don't even class myself as androgeny anymore or my doll. We just "are" ^_^ thats all.

Why be girlie or boyish or even androgenis when you can just be human. Sorry I hate labels... and call myself androgeny in order to get my thoughts across.

Though Theo my doll is just Theo... lolz

 

Androgyny supports carlessness of sexual standards. It's about breaking what's conventional, and moving forward to the new beauty or strange beauty. I like androgyny, although, many do not because they would prefer tradition and being able to understand sex easily. But the truth is, sex is a really complex subject because everyone is different and attracted to different features of the human form. Androgny is also a great way to support LGBT community because there are no standards and there is an open way of thinking which makes the world a better place to live in. I'm all for world peace though, I'm not sure about everyone else.

 

I agree , totally.

And I want to add that , it's easy, they look pretty because they're an asian creation *originally* and asia based their ' beauty ' on some femenine characteristics >_< . If you know about visual-kei sure you will understand it so weell XD &#9829; we love androgynyyy [for me too ^.^ I 'll say , that is too funny when people look at you and ask: Oh..are you a girl or boy ? I need to know it! x_D omg, that's so funny &#9829; &#9829; &#9829;]


PD: Muggy! don't worry! Ò_O shime will have a lot of mannly girls...! X_D &#9829; and girly boys~~of course ^u^

 

I also agree that androgyny is a way in which we can explore gender roles and sexual preferences. As far as beauty goes, I think that androgyny represents that perfect place 'between' both genders that most of us have wanted to explore at least once. To be strong and hard-willed without being male, to be elegant and peaceful without being female. Both seem to be exclusive of each other, but androgyny presents a way to combine these traits and reconcile both genders into one. In essence, androgyny through dolls gives us a way to obtain our ideal personality, even though we may not be able to do so for ourselves. At least, that's what I get out of it.

 

Eleniel & Shime-kun: That's great to hear from both of you! It seems like there is a lack in the manly-girl department... It saddens me greatly. Your comments are fantastic and give me hope~! I will hold you both to that! I am eager to witness both of your boyish/manly girls, as I may eventually do the same~. *A*

 

I can't say I'd really have a theory, I guess it's really individualistic, who likes what kind of doll molds exactly. I like those male BJDs who look manly in a beautiful way - but still manly from their faces and bodies equally. Still, my own has some clear baby fat on his body mold and very feminine curves, which simply makes him look very feminine - and good in dresses, unfortunately. Of course our own preferences really add to how we dress them and mold them, too. I'm dead set on loving Jrock, so it's easy to guess I also make my baby look that way... But why, I don't know, as he looks just as deliciously good in trousers and mens' blouses.

 

I also like tomboy-girls and women-in-suits in doll form-- probably because they're the opposite of everything that made me give up dolls in the first place once I hit puberty! Females as ornamentation, and that exaggerated burlesque of Girlness, suddenly lost its appeal to me as soon as I recognized that I didn't want to go down that same road that Barbie treads on her tiny mutant feet. So I thought I was finished with dolls altogether until 25 years later, when I discovered BJDs. And yet: I have no girl dolls! Not one. But I am friends with people who have wonderful female dolls with lots of character (and they WOULD dress their girls in suits, if there were more suits on the market that fit them).

I have 20 boys, and not all of them are androgynous, but most of them are pretty glam. To me, that's where androgyny has its most useful appeal: fashion! I'm always drawn to any far-out look where both men & women use the same style elements and the same tools to decorate themselves. It levels the playing-field, in that it makes gender irrelevant to beauty/glamour. To me, a spooky-boy in a fishnet top and leather jeans and black nailpolish-- doll or human-- he doesn't look particularly female, that's just what boys look like when they glam it up.

I do like delicacy & serenity in men, and I admire strength & initiative in women. So I'm liking the fact that I see MORE tomboy girl dolls in these Galleries than ever before... I'm seeing girls with "makeupless" faceups, jeans and t-shirts, military gear, the occasional suit. It's nice to see! If I had any girl doll, I think it'd have to be an Unoss, because she reminds me of a professional wrestler in a cocktail dress. With those massive hands and skull-crushing thighs and dainty bosom. ^^ I'd keep her in a pink Luchadora costume.

(Or: I would ask Iplehouse and Minimee to collaborate & make me a Grace Jones dolly. *swoon* Androgyny: the buck stops with thee, Grace!)

 

Actually, if you think about it, most molds can look older or younger with a different faceup, wig, or even eyes. Take Migidoll Ryu for example. If you guys have seen Hayden and Corner, then you know Hayden looks older. Thing is, it's the same mold.

So I think the question is not so much about molds of this sort, but faceups.

Anyway, I think it might have to do with our desire for eternal youth. I'm not sure, but it makes sense in a subconcious way.

 

Tomboy girls? Yes! They're the perfect balance for pretty boys.

I also see more muscular male dolls coming out - strapping 70cm lads. Are there some changes afoot?

But to answer the original question, it's not so much that I like androgynous dolls, it's that that's what is on the market. Androgynous boys are a slap in the face of the patriarchy, so I love them dearly. My first BJDs are pretty pretty, but my next ones are likely to be more manly. And the idea of a tomboy girl has suddenly taken hold!

 

Androgynous dolls? Yes, I enjoy them to the extent that one could say I'm obsessed with that. But I have little interest in child-like dolls.

I've always had a fascination with androgyny because the idea represents a balance of both gender, in my opinion. I am a person who likes seeing and creating characters/scenarios that balance out. None of my characters would be considered perfect, because I give them major flaws to even out any super qualities that they already have. (ex: A character that is exceptionally powerful has a terrible personality...)

There's also the whole curiosity of immortality and eternal youth as well. Androgyny might be the embodiment of how this concept would manifest itself.

This interest in androgyny also mirrors myself, because I've always thought that I walked a fine line between male and female. Some of my habits fall into what society categorizes as unique to males and other habits fall into what society categorizes as unique to females.

So... because I design my own characters and come up with their backgrounds, it doesn't surprise me that I'd prefer androgynous dolls.

Though... as for people who aren't like minded... there's also the fandom of bishounen, which some may have come from. With the large amount of anime and manga that has become readily available recently, it isn't surprising that there's more chances that people are exposed to male characters with feminine appearances/qualities. After all, the most popular characters seem to be the androgynous males.

 

I'm more a fan of androgyny in people(David Bowie, Annie Lennox, Grace Jones, Siouxsie Sioux) than in dolls.

I like my dolls to be distinctly male or female.

 

I think part of it, on the part of females like myself... Is that our environmental needs as women has changed in a manner that better accommodates emotional desires.

A Large, Masculine male would have been quite desirable in the past as they were generally stronger, more able to handle hard work and in turn more likely to be able to provide in the normal working class and to handle more difficult tasks around the home. However, women still wrote of softer men.

A sentimental, romantic and soft personality of a male has been something long desired in the history of women, and Androgynous males personify that ideal. Where as Large, masculine males inspire a feeling of security, they also inspire the ideal of schovenism, machismo, intimidation and lack of romance. Ever notice in romances that have an antagonist competing for the affections of a woman... The Protagonist is nearly always a man of softer image, slighter build and sweeter disposition and the Antagonist is almost always more masculine, larger build and more... Obnoxious... As though ODing on ego and testosterone. There is always the nice guy that is the viewing females favored and the horrid ex/spouse/current SO/competing suitor placed to better magnify the desirable traits of the Protagonist.

This is even displayed in Disney movies.
Bambi vs. Huge ass aggressive buck
Black haired icky hunter dude vs. The Beast (who happens to be rather girly in his human form)

Females are more inclined to feel a connection or sympathy to the coy lover than the bumbling brawn.

 

My Bobobie Sprite elf girls have the immature body and depending on their wigs, eyes, and clothing can come across boyish, girly, youthful or more grown up. Sometimes they seem so very sweet & innocent, other times they look impish and almost devilish. I love the changability of their nature as it reflects my own. Real life is rarely black & white, but rather shades of gray.

I was a senior in high school back in 1987 - the rock stars wore eyeliner, sported long, glorious hair and shimmied up on stage in garish colored spandex, leather & lace - male or female. I've dated boys with long hair and earrings...the lines were surely blurred. I've known tough, tomboyish gals and boys too pretty to be believed.

I think I like the idea that everything has many layers, things are rarely simply what's on the surface and that there is great dimension to to everyone - be it person or doll. The many facets of the beauty in life continue to dazzle me.

 

I love androgyny in dolls and in people. Japanese VK, bands like Negative, people like David Bowie, Marilyn Manson, in every day people on the street, women with strong features and short hair in suits or otherwise traditionally 'masculine' clothing - I love it. Blurring the lines of what is traditionally thought as attractive traits only for men or only for women. I liked androgynous people a long time before I learned about BJDs and so I guess it only makes sense that I'd like androgynous dolls too.

 

Funnily enough, i really don't like male dolls that look far too feminine (round big lips for instance) and i don't like female dolls that look far to masculine (like some soom girls), what i love is androgyny in both genders, like gentle boys and girls with not that many curves. That appeals to me like it does in real life actually.

Child looking dolls tho, i'm not sure. I read once that humans are attracted to child- features because of their roundness. *shrugs*

 

Personally, part of the reason I got into dollfies and other BJDs is through anime; I've always been fond of the "bishonen" type of character, and I suppose that is visible through my preference in dolls. Also, in my opinion, the more "masculine" looking dolls I have seen seem... awkward? Personal opinions, though.

The female dolls, well, I prefer them to look female. They can be boyish, becuase I personally think girls with some boyish charm are often attractive. It is, primarily, all up to one's own taste. :3

I do prefer the "adult" looking dolls, though, explaining why the majority of my interest has alwyas been in the 45-60 cm models.