Feeling defensive

I'm still kind of new, well, I've been interested for several years but I just recently got my first doll and I think that makes me kind of defensive. I know lot of people probably thinks this stupid so I'm kind of on guard, I guess. And sometimes I'm like 'think of all the clothes you could've gotten with this money' to myself but then I realize that clothes don't make as happy as dolls. So yeah. Maybe with time I'll unlearn this. Or something.

 

I don't know, I've been in the hobby for two years already and have never seen or heard any rude or inappropriate comments about my dolls. My family turned out to be quite supportive actually, they help me with craft materials and different on scale objects that I can use during photoshoots. Can't really complain.
On the other hand if I see that my friends aren't really interested in my BJD and listen only because they are polite I change the subject and don't bring it up again. To each their own, we have enough other subjects to chat about. I also tend not to mention the real price, since I doubt many will understand it.

 

It's been my experience in everything I do to take things with a grain of salt whenever possible. When I was an awkward teen, being defensive was my natural reaction to anything, and it ended up making me feel worse than better. Laughing things off is a great way to both brush the dust off your shoulder and show the people who are intentionally rude that you could care less, while still keeping civil with the people who just plain don't know better (which is the case 90% of the time). I don't care if people call my dolls creepy. Honestly? They are, and that's what I find charming about them. They are my precious, creepy little resin children.

I will say, however, I try to avoid situations that could cause disputes and unkind words to intentionally fly my way. Most of my doll chatter I keep to myself or to the groups I have, and I never talk about the price unless I know whoever I'm talking to is level headed enough to understand 'different strokes for different folks'. That isn't to say I don't talk about my dolls to the non-doll people in my life, because I love sharing pics of them on facebook, but I can't expect everyone to 100% understand what I do and why I do it.

Honestly, I can't really recall a time where I had to get defensive about them. I do get tired of being asked if my doll is from Black Butler, but eh. Such is life.

 

I only get weird looks from my friends when they come over, or nothing at all... I don't tend to mention price to them, since they most assuredly would think I'm crazy. But I have no kids and most likely won't so I need cute things to dress up. My husband doesn't care since he buys his own "toys". But so far I haven't been openly ridiculed or had any arguments. But surround yourself with good people and they won't care what you're into

 

I actually had to tell someone on a forum I run (a member not another mod) to please stop commenting on my pictures because they were being really mean about it... He was calling my dolls creepy, saying he'd break them because they had to be evil... Just really mean things... And he didn't get that he was hurting me... Or he did and he got off on it because that is one way to cut me... Insult something I hold so dear... I was really upset and I had to tell him to stop or I'd suspend him for harassment... He finally backed off but I just stuck to posting my dolls on DeviantART and here...It really bothered me...

 

Well, I don't post my dolls on Facebook. I do share pictures on Flickr and stuff, but it feels just too personal to me to just randomly share these pictures with people who might change their opinion of me because of the dolls. It's the same with my knitting.

People really close to me know about my dolls and know how much joy they bring me. Some even share into the fun - my best friend and I often collaborate on outfits for my dolls. She embroiders, I sew. It's awesome.

But just putting them out there? That's asking for discussion I think. You even see these things when someone posts online that they have a new apple macbook or playstation - where people start discussions about the brand people chose. So yes... my dolls are close to my heart and they will stay there. Only shared with gentle people who know about them.

 

Luckily for me, my friends know about my hobby and don't mind, some are just curious about it.
I never get insults or such. I know that some of my friends and family think I'm "playing with dollies" and that it's a useless way to spend money but I don't care. The important is if you are feeling good about your hobby and not shameful.
People have the right to don't like BJD and even find them creepy but there is no reason for them to be rude about it.

 

Do any of you face enough slack about dolls that it deters you from sharing?
Yes and No. I did at one point in time (when I was pretty young) post to another BJD site and totally make a "you know what" out of myself and got pretty hardcore slammed for it. The community was rude, but I was naive enough to think that there weren't elitists in the dolly world. So that put me off of my dolls for a really long time, to the point that I pretty much only post on a rare occasion and 9 times out of 10, it's because I'm buying something. I rarely share my dolls with the world as is so when that happened I pretty much gave up on doing so. Just how it is.

Or makes you defensive from the get-go?
I'm not really defensive, but I do mentally prepare for some snarky comment when first introducing my dolls to someone new.

Maybe you're family is rough on you about it or something and it makes it hard to trust that others wont be?
My Family is thankfully pretty accepting. ^^