Your Bad Experiences With BJD's in Public

bishie_hunter - Man I would've flipped out if someone spoke to my mother like that. My mom's the nicest lady and I get super angry if people make her upset. I'd have gotten in the rude lady's grill and made her apologize.

mxiong - I'm sorry, but uh... If I were the blond girl, I'd be pretty creeped out the kind of approach you described. I mean.. Like try to strike up a conversation first or something, just being like "hey can I go out with you and your friends sometime?" when you're a complete stranger is super pushy... And then finding out her plans and following her is kinda not that socially acceptable either, especially since you weren't invited. It doesn't sound like they were bullying you, just like they had no idea how to deal with the way you approached them.

I'm glad you still like your doll though.


Anyway, I haven't had any really bad experiences with my dolls in public, just some WEIRD ones. Once I was at the pond near my house, taking pictures of my doll during the day and some random guy walking his dog stopped and watched me for about 15 minutes while I struggled to get Ash to stand up on the uneven ground, and like after 15 minutes of staring in silence while I tried to pretend it wasn't awkward as hell, he spoke up and suggested that maybe I should tie a string to a tree and use it to hold her up. I was just like "That's a good idea. Next time I'll bring some string." And he just nodded and walked away.

The second weird one was when I was at the same lake at night trying to take pictures for my project. This time I had a friend with me, because it's not the best place to be alone at night with a $700 camera. We were setting up the shoot and a family was walking by on the little path and they all stopped and watched us for a while (similar to how the first guy did and similarly awkward) and finally asked what we were doing and what was the doll and they all seemed very fascinated when I explained I was doing a photography project for school and such. Then they just watched for a while and eventually left.

 

A couple of things, both at conventions... well, the "same" convention, different years.
The first one was last year, a cosplayer in front of me had a staff in a bag over their shoulder. I was walking several feet behind them carrying my girl Alora (an Iplehouse Benny), when SUDDENLY they started backing up with the end of the staff end pointing right at Alora's face. I turned just in time to save my girl, but I ended getting jabbed by it instead. The person said nothing when I told them to be more careful with an extra 3 feet of baggage hanging off their back.

And this year I walked by a booth carrying my girl Linde, and this old man said vary loudly as my friend and I passed "Wow, that's super creepy."
I really wanted to turn and ask him "If my doll is super creepy, then what is an 40-year-old many watching teen-aged girls trying on corsets? Call my hobby creepy, but at least I can't be mistaken for a pedophile." Apparently he says that to anyone who carries a BJD near him.

 

PandiAndi, was the convention possibly San Japan? I also attended, though I never had something like that happen

Once though, I was checking out this guys booth for some yaoi doujinshi, and he was trying to sell these cute 2$ yaoi flags. I declined, but he was a persistent vender. He noticed my Narin in my arms and said, "What about for him? He looks like a little slut!"

I was far more amused than offended, (I still laugh about it), but I imagine it could have been horribly off-putting for someone a little more sensitive.

Also I think it was interesting he decided to call my boy a slut- he was dressed up like a rock star, with tattoo sleeves, a plaid bandana, and boots. It's not like he had a skirt or anything! Still, I guess rock star boys can be considered 'slutty'

 

I've only taken my doll out in public once. It was part of my exams funnily enough - I had to talk about a hobby for about an hour straight, and the only thing I knew loads about were BJDs. It was back in the days when I just had Ces, so I packed him up nice and safe in a carrier and hauled him along. People were staring at him in the waiting room but I was way too nervous to care (they weren't good or bad stares - just 'eh?' expressions). When I got into the room the lady absolutley loved him and even started to suggest face up styles for him - using terms like 'face up' as well. She thanked me for teaching her about something she'd never heard of before and I got an A on the exam.

So I suppose I've avoided bad reactions by simply not taking them out.

 

YingYankKira, it was actually Ikkicon, but he might go to San Japan as well.

 

not that many, but in my first years in this hobby, I always bring one of my dolls at anime conventions to display at my booth table..a girl is passing by when she noticed my little boy, and suddenly turn his head 90 degrees, in a not so careful manner..I'm quite shocked to see that and kinda want to clobber her, hahah but I just stood there and watch her as she leaves, and immediately remove my boy from the table..

 

Hope this stuff don't happen to me. I actually plan to take my new boy to the local convention in the bigger town over. It's not a big convention and he will be going on the last day so I'm not too worried about him sense there should not be as many people. I remember an awesome girl in a Female Ciel cosplay who was displaying a modified doll with a picture book of her work at her booth. I only had one doll at the time and was fixated on how cool he looked, it was also my first time seeing another BJD in person besides my own...still is actually (Besides my sisters YOSD) ^-^'. I was so afraid I'd mess up and say something wrong when talking with her that I didn't talk with her long and remember leaving the convention about an hour after sense we where there long enough. Wish I'd stayed to talk longer, hope she's there again this year! (:
But yah, nothing real terrible has happened yet...though about four days ago I bought an OT doll from this veryyy nice lady in the UK and she said she could only ship her out on that Friday and that gave me enough time to figure out my paypal account...which had decided to take a poo the day before while I tired to add funds to it from my bank. Apparently there is a restriction on it now but I can still pay for stuff and receive invoices...it's weird. I freaked out the day before thinking I wouldn't be able to pay to get my girl and my friend said he'd pay for her for me and that I could give him the money later after everything was sorted out if he had to. Luckily he didn't have to do that. It was kinda scary though, ya know.

 

Nothing overly bad happened..

I usually take my dolls to the movies with me ^^

But one time my niece, doll, and I were all taking pictures next to this giant beautiful fountain
in the theater's outdoor lobby. An entire family walked by LAUGHING at us >.>
My niece and I were wearing our best lolita but they were laughing at the whole scene I guess..
I usually don't give a crap but something about them just ticked me off :\

Other than that though Ei's wig or pants usually fall down XD causing whoever is looking some embarrassment
from nakkid dolly butt lmao

P.S. Ei-chan wasn't bothered at all :3 http://instagram.com/p/St6iw9ik0Z/

 

Well there was one experience when I left my doll with my friend for a few minutes while I went to the bathroom to change for our cosplays. When I came back, I found him fighting off an old man who kept trying to take it from him. Turns out he just wanted to see the body a bit, he seemed really interested in the dolls. He really liked the romantic body on my girl doll.

 

I don't see how stares, and "it's creepy" are bad experiences. Those are expect-able, I would think... Some people have legitimate pediophobia (fear of dolls) and some people probably do really think your doll is creepy... Not everyone will like something they see in public.. I would like to hope those of you who are angry at people who make negative comments about your dolls forgive those who say rude things, because they don't understand how dear the doll is to us, and they don't see the doll the way we do.

I admit, some peoples dolls scare me. And I love bjds! But I try to be respectful. Some people aren't as mindful with their comments (or hands, in those cases where people "molest" or move a doll without permission). I read an etiquette guide and it told me what I need to know (ask before touching/holding, consider how dear the item is to the individual, try to keep positive comments only)... But not everyone has access to that knowledge, nor do some people care to as much as they should.

It was not my experience, but I heard about it during a convention... A girl had her doll on a table in the seller's hall, and someone walked up really fast, and ran their hand through the doll's wig (messing up the style and removing styling wax from it), then ran off... I think they were trying to steal the wig or doll but change their mind at the last minute. She said she felt kind of violated that someone touched her doll and just took off like that. I am only glad nothing went missing for her.

 

dogmeat - Weird to be so determined? I think I just wanted so hard not to fail at something I knew I had to work on and get better with. But, yep, you're right. I've since learned that if someone really isn't initially interested in your presence, then I'm better off not to waste either of our time. Sometimes your effort is better off elsewhere.

Quetz- I realize now, years later, that I can be intimidating/abrupt/random in social situations, especially when I've spent a lot of time "revving myself up" and "preparing" to approach someone because I am so shy. I can be socially awkward in my approach, I but certainly mean no harm. But when I'm finally not nervous, or feeling like I'm about to fall over from forgetting to breathe, I am totally fine. And if the girl really didn't want to invite me anywhere at anytime, I should've taken the hint and not invited myself. Like I said above, I just really wanted to try hard at something I knew I sucked at, and sometimes do I need to realize that not everyone will like me for just being me and won't want me to be around.

I also thought that since I loved my doll so much, other people would love her just as much. Like when people walk around with a brand new puppy or a cute laughing baby. People gather and coo and want to fawn all over it. It was just not the result I expected, especially with my first time ever out in public with my Lishe. I thought I was being brave and using my doll as an attraction device, but others translated it as creepy. I have more insight now after that experience.

 

I dont think i've had anything really bad happen to me, in a way its nice reading through these and realizing im not the only person who took my doll to school, when i did it just creeped out all of the people in my friendship group, i tried to keep Arisa hidden most of the day though out of fear of being judged, i've only taken her to school three times, the first time was just parent teacher interviews and that turned into talking about my doll to all the teachers i ran into, the 2nd time was just to show another teacher and same with the 3rd time, but nothing bad really happened just how most people in my friendship group kept saying how creepy she was.. im not really good friends with anyone in my friendship group but they're the closest to friends i have.. so it did hurt a little them just saying how creepy she was and that she should be destroyed

 

I genuinely feel bad for your mom, that something like that happened. It is part of the reason I haven't yet gone to a meetup because I'm not sure how welcomed I would be. I understand that not everybody has the same interests even in this specific hobby because some are into resin-only dolls, some are into Dollfies, etc.

But, to be left out altogether or be condescended to when you just want to belong is really sad. I guess some people have never been left out or always knew the answers to everything so they can't relate. Really, though, they can relate but they choose not to show empathy because it no longer affects them.

If your mom is showing interest again I hope she stays with it

 

No one should need an etiquette guide on BJDs to know to treat other people's property with some basic respect. That's something parents are supposed to teach their children in general.

 

Hm. No real ~horrible~ experiences, but I've had some potentially bad situations lol

- I've injured myself multiple times saving a doll from falling
- while at work, I once had a man ask me about 4 times how much I'd sell my doll to him for (I instead wrote down websites for him and his Gf and she told me she'd have one next time I see her!)
- my bf's older brother tends to try & undress my dolls when he's drunk.

 

I took my doll out for the first time today, it has snowed in Liverpool (which is pretty unusual, we're a coastal city so we rarely get snow). I made Clara a jumper out of a pair of socks and matching hat and scarf and gloves, I wanted to get a picture of her in the snow. My fiance takes the pictures because he's better with the camera than I am.
This guy pulls up in his car, opens the window and yells out "There's a name for people like you." I've laughed it off as people being weird but I know what he is implying, that my fiance and I are perverts somehow. If we had a child and were taking pictures of her they wouldn't have said anything, why is a doll any different?

I don't know if this will affect me in the future, we tried to time it that there was nobody around but obviously they managed to sneak up on us. I had hoped I could get some pictures in the future outside but I'm not sure my fiance will be as willing, who knows.

 

Only one negative experience fortunately so far. I was in a store looking around and a woman who worked there stopped me to look at my doll right? So for some reason she feels it's okay to go poking and touching his face and I was really pissed off at her and pulled my doll away, politely telling her that I had to go before I got more pissed. I can't do my own faceups so I'll be screwed if something happens to the one my boy currently has...and after reading at the time how you shouldn't touch faceups that really made me upset.

 

Only semi bad thing that happened in public with Avalon was he got his first "That's a scary doll." comment...
I'm so proud of him! XD I was hoping for a comment like that to be honest. So for me it's more of a win.

 

Catopolis: That's when you yell back "Yah, and theres one for people like you too, snoop!" I tell people if they don't know what I'm doing they shouldn't assume something before it's explained to them.
Arashi Uchiha:I think one of my goals in life now is to take one of my cutest dolls out (maybe one of my YOSDs) and wait for the "that's a creepy doll." comment. If I'm striving to get the comment then it'll feel more like a goal achieved instead of hurtful.


I have another thing bad that sort of happened about a month or two ago that I forgot about. It was not out in public but whatever. My mom was sweeping the carpet and I had one of my tinnies, a Dreaming Doll Momo, sitting on the low table. Apparently one of the sweepers cords was caught between the chair and the table, so when mom pulled the cord to release it, it flew up onto the table and between the small space of the lamp and the printer and swiped Miki off the table. It looked like she was sucked though that hole like a vacuum . I started screaming to tell my mom to turn the sweeper off (it's loud) and told her what happened while I rushed to the other side of the couch. Miki was fine but she had gotten a small dirt smudge on her little nose after she hit the floor...which I was able to rub off with my finger. It was one of my most scary experiences as of right now.

 

I've read through almost all the posts and my conclusion is this: Is it just me of the people in America rude? since you know, most of the stories shared are from people who lived there.....ok, ignore me