Fighting that Doll stereotype

There's nothing wrong with learning a bit about a different culture. My hubby & I watch anime. If there's a cultural reference that we don't understand in the cartoon, we look it up. It's fun and it gives you a glimpse of another country's way of life/daily life.

I fail to understand how learning can be a bad thing?

 

Also, keep in mind that the first "dolls" or physical represtentations of the human figure were more ceremonial objects than childrens' playthings, although they have been found in Egyptian childrens' graves as early as 2000BCE.
Even now, a child's dolls are oft regarded as toys to help girls "role-play" life that they should outgrow as they mature.
IIRC, the doll collecting industry we know of today is a relatively modern thing.
Most of the people I know who are creeped out by dolls in general are creeped out by the eyes, and the slightly distorted resemblance to a person. (Most dolls have oversized heads for the body, for instance)
As a general rule, by the time someone finds out I collect dolls, I've freaked them out several times over with my other hobbies, so the dolls are an afterthought.

 

BWAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, I'm the same way! I think I actually shocked my coworkers when they found out I did something so ordinary as collect dolls!

 

this is exactly the kind of thing that is stoping me from owning my first doll...
my parents and teachers are very regilious and they see dollfies as pictured in the music videos you have shown... they are consently giving the " the devil is going to take your soul " speech to me...
i dont see anything creepy or gothic about these dolls at all. They are works of art and should be treated as such. too bad my parents dont feel that way...

 

Well, as a matter-of-fact, the stereotypes that are out there is what has been preventing me from doing photoshoots outside in the public (unless it's a dollmeet or what not). I would be lying if I said that I was a "normal" person before collecting. People have always seen me as a bit eccentric either way, though now looking back I can't really see why (aside from my pink hair...???). When it comes to my dolls though, the occasional times I've taken them outside into the public, the only "weird" thing people have seemed to see in the hobby was the expense. At least all of the people I've encountered (co-workers, friends, etc) seemed to think aside from the price tag that it was a rather nice hobby to have, and a cute one at that. I feel lucky to say I haven't had any REAL negative feedback, but I definitely see the stereotypes a lot.

 

I just wish the fad of punk for boys and lolita for girls would die down a bit as far as what companies sell. I would like to see more adult clothes and even "high fantasy" pieces along the lines of Heisejinyao and Dream of Doll. Why is it so hard to find a nice tailored suit for a girl?? Or a priest outfit for a boy?? (looking at you Luts!!)

I have gotten some flack for bringing my dolls to school (the usual comments of "it will kill you in your sleep" and "eww what a creepy doll" and "you spent way too much on that overpriced Barbie") but I try not to let it bother me. One day I hope to have my doll hobby accepted by everyone I know.

People do stereotype but it's our way of understanding "groups" of people, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

*Sigh* sad... but true...

Even my mom thinks my doll collection is very childish

For her it'd be okay to spend thousand of bucks on gadgets and videogames (which is my other hobby and interest), but not okay on dolls because she thinks that the dolls I'm collecting (BJDs) are toys and toys are for kids... and that it is not practical to spend thousands on toys. I could already imagine her reaction once she finds out I'm getting two SDs haha!

I would oftern argue with her that she's spending too much money on jewelries and what's the difference between buying jewelries and BJDs? Honestly, I hate wearing jewelries and what's the point of flashing expensive gold and getting your life in danger (i.e: getting robbed).

The main point is, what is the difference? They're both things but the difference is atleast dolls are good companions, they make me happy, I become creative with these dolls.

 

I think, when I get my doll at last, I will be more than happy to take him out with me places. He will probably get strapped into my car and ride along just so I can show him to people and so that I can take pictures of him. I have been considered 'odd' or 'strange' for so long that now-a-days, if someone says it I just smiled and tell them thank you.

If I'm enjoying what I'm doing or buying something I really like, so what do I care that someone else thinks I've gone off the deep end into the land of the crazies? I'm happy, so that's the whole point. I'm not a big fan of a lot of the things people collect, like jewelry, postcards, vases, ducks, chickens, lighthouses, santas, coins... But I don't call them names for spending thousands of dollars on an antique vase from... Iunno.... Indonesia, just because I don't get it.

Are they happy with the purches? Yes? Okay then, congratulations! We're good. I want to buy a doll that costs me several hundred dollars and looks very real. Differance? Not much.

Aaaaand while I'm babbling a bit when I ought to be sleeping for work tonight, on the goth/lolli front...

I like black. Its been my favorite colour for years. Am I goth? Not really. I just like it. It matches everything, so how can I screw it up? I have really bright dyed red hair. Am I punk or emo or a raver? Nope, I just really like my hair red. Will I ever wear a lolita dress? Not on your life buddy. Will I put one on my doll? Absolutly! They're cute, on dolls. On me, not so much. Does this make me goth or lolita? Not a bit. A little odd, probably.

Just because you like it and think its cute or fun doesn't mean you ARE. And I should really go back to bed but I wanted to check on some threads and this one slapped me in the face and said 'Read me!' ^-^;

 

OMG i hate the movie "Doll master". They break glass eyes in the movies.

 

Stereotypes come from common misconceptions based on an overwhelming generalized observation.

...which in real-people speak means just because someone sees five girls dressed in gothic lolita outfits with BJDS in hand mean they're going to lump everyone else with a BJD in the same category. Because it's different from what they normally see, and to them it's "weird". And "weird" is bad-- because as everyone knows, God hates freaks. *insert eye roll here* Sarcastic joking for the win.

Or they'll think we're creepy and weird for liking these "things" and think nothing of it. It's been long accepted for stamp collectors, coin collectors, rare book collectors, to spend what they do on their hobby. But BJDs have only been around ten or so years, so it's relatively new and people can't process it. In twenty years' time, maybe it'll be more "the norm" and on the same par as the stamp and art collectors.

I wear jeans and t-shirts when I have my dolls in public, but I've also been dressed up as Sha Gojyo from Saiyuki with my dolls. Point is, people will think we're freaks no matter what we do, because that's the conclusion they've come to, and there's no changing their minds unless they want to change it for themselves. So I don't generally get bothered by the stereotype. It takes too much effort to do anything other than shrug them off. It's energy I could be spending sewing a cute new outfit for Lillith.

 

Now that's just awful. I hate it when people stereotype not only the doll owners, but the dolls themselves. I just don't get how people can conclude that collectible dolls/BJDs are 'evil' or whatever it is they claim. They're dolls. They're big kid Barbies, for the love of God.
My family is Christian and so am I, devotedly so even. But I honestly don't care if you're Christian, Jewish, Wiccan, atheist, whatever... owning a simple BJD has absolutely nothing to do with personal faith and religion. And I think its just terrible when these innocent dolls, these healthy manifestations of our imaginations, are slandered and labeled by people who honestly probably know next to nothing about the true nature of the hobby. I think these hard-core 'religious' people in your life need to look at this logically: Do they honestly think your eternal soul is going to be damned to Hell for collecting dolls? I mean, really now.

I apologize for my rant; I just think its sad you have to deal with that. It makes no sense to me.

That's just where I stand: Doll collecting has nothing to do with religion. Period.

 

EDIT: Oh geeze, that's long. Lemme sum it up reaaalllyy quickly: Stereotypes aren't true, and people who judge others for what they like are people to avoid.

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I just watched Doll Master. It's kind of creepy, but I actually liked it. (All the BJDs! So pretty!~
...but wouldn't the resin-burning be kinda toxic? xD)

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I'm not faced too much with the stereotyping of BJDs/Ownership. I don't have my doll yet, but the people I sit with at lunch (who are so far convinced he's a girl xD) have grown to accept that this is what I like, and one day, I will be presenting them with a doll in real life. (Which they will not say anything rude about... xD)

However- I've learned one thing. Stereotypes aren't ever totally true. They don’t look at the person for who they are. They’re who people THINK they are, or what the media says they are.
I was a cheerleader. Was I preppy and overly happy? No.
I'm a straight-A student. Do I do NOTHING but study? No.
I go to private school. Am I a rich, spoiled-to-death brat? No.

We can’t be stereotyped as ‘shut ins’ who have no life outside of dolls. Or as ‘childish’ and don’t want to look to real people with real problems. I don’t see how I’d be ‘creepy’ because I like an inanimate object. Look at us- we're all sooo different, and can’t be lumped together as one thing, and be expected to be the same. I'm 15, and considered by my father, "a little too old to be playing with dolls," but I'm willing to bet I'm on the younger end of the collectors here. There are people from all over, and we all have other things we like to do or are interested in besides BJDs. We’re not the same, and shouldn’t be mushed together like we are.

I don’t think it’s childish to love collecting dolls, but people typically think dolls are something for children. A lot of people don't understand BJDs are not like other dolls. You can't throw them against a wall multiple times and have them be fine. They aren't stuck in one specific pose, with a certain type of hair, and certain colour eyes. However, those kinds of 'play dolls' dominate the industry, and are what come to mind for most people when someone says 'doll'.

No matter what you do in life, there will be a critic for it. You'll be stereotyped as something. But I've learned not to care anymore about the people who choose to stereotype me. They’re opinions on me really don’t matter. I honestly don't think that anyone who can't accept me for who I am, isn't worth my time! ^^

Sorry if this has all been said before, I couldn't bring myself to read all 17 pages of posts. xD

 

Just a short note. I feel drawn to mystical and supernatural and go out of my way to create that aura around my dolls. To me they are the "living" personification of all the anime I ahave drawn throughout my life and therefore a reflection of my heart and soul.
Long Live BJD fans!

 

The biggest problem I have is that anything that is considered culturally to be outside of the mainstream is thought to be weird. Virtually everything seems to have a stereotype attached to it these days - whether it be collecting dolls or watching football. That said I think the stereotyping of people reflects more on the person doing the stereotyping that the person being stereotyped.

My experience shows that most stereotypes are created through ignorance or limited exposure to something. Many people just take a quick look at somebody/something and form an assumption without any further consideration, something that every interest and hobby suffers from.

 

My friends think that dolls are weird and creepy. D: I once used Amy in my stop motion clip for art class, and all my classmates were freaked out. Many of them overreacted by covering their faces and all that, and I find it pretty annoying. Because of that, they think I"M weird too.

I really don't see why they think doll lovers are weird.

 

I don't think you CAN fight a stereotype really, once it's starting to get placed onto someone. The movies/tv/media are too, influencing on the human mind for some reason.

 

Dear goddess, stereotypes...I hate them, but somehow, I manage to follow under them. So maybe I'm part of the reason we have this stereotype e.e; I mean, I'm pretty much a baby-bat in my childish goth wear, but then again, it's not like it's my entire wardrobe. One day it's goth, another it's lolita, visual kei, punk, decora, kodona, -school girl-. I'm a colorful person on most days, but I guess it's those days when I'm not at school and I tend to wear my more "gothy-loli" on outings where I usually bring my doll. On top of that, my friends like to call me the creepy asian, so I guess it affects my dolls too.
Oh, and I'm an anime lover too...and a bit of a shut in, since my friends live on the other side of the city, so we're not together as often.

I'm just one big stereotype =3=; and I can't avoid it.

 

Meh stereotypes have always been around and will continue to be around. I dont really care much for them at times they can be pretty funny, with what people actually assume about people. I used to dress as one of those silly goth kids in HS and people would ask me these redicuals questions and I found it more amusing that bothering. Especially when they ask if I liked bats (if its not a fruitbat i think its scary @w@!) But i take my dollies to my friends houses and they think their neat and pretty except like for a few people that think their 'fucking scary' because it looks so real. :3

 

ahhh sorry double post X___x

 

I know people who love dolls (like my best friend's parents) and people who freak out at dolls...and people who think dolls are kid stuff.

This post reminds me of my 7th grade Halloween party. I had a doll who had been made to look like me. I had an outfit for it that I could closely match to one of my own, and I decided, I'd go as a twin, with my doll.

I was a big hit. Except for my one friend who said the doll freaked her out.

Well, I was a little bad...I think it was towards the end of our party, and I took the doll (which my teacher put in charge of the radio) and brought it to her. She let out the most blood-curdling scream I'd ever heard! I thought it was hilarious.

But I have to admit, as much as I love dolls, they do freak me out, too. I love horror movies and books with evil dolls - like Puppet master, or Dolls... What better villain is there? But when I was 17, I saw a very scary doll movie, and I couldn't sleep that night. All my dolls are near my bed, and I was so scared they'd get up and kill me.