“That’s Creepy” – When Does it go Too Far?

We’ve all dealt with this. Taking our dolls into public places, or even within our own homes and being subject to the never ending commentary of “That’s Creepy.” We’ve all joked about it, taking our dolls places and creeping people out, sitting them waving at passerby’s at public doll meets or outings, and the like – but where do you draw the line between something you laugh a long with, and something that actually hurts.

**note: those featured in the photos know they were participating in this post**

To me, my dolls are fancy toys. They’re no different from the action figures, figmas, and gore themed pop vinyls that line my coworkers spaces, but yet my dolls – regardless of their size, are subject to negative commentary. Oddly enough I found myself playing along subconciously today. I’d brought a few of my dolls in for a coworker who was actually interested in learning about them, as she just purchased her first Azone Pure Neemo, and was curious as to what she was getting into. When I walked in this morning, I set Mo next to a work friend for a cute photo, and laughed at the “that’s creepy” that rolled off her tongue.

But then as others arrived to work and noticed my doll sitting there, she became a subject of much conversation in the office, and the comments of “Chuckie” “Amilia” and “She’s going to kill me” began. As I brushed it off laughing that she was closer similar to their action figures as she’s actually just a redressed figure of Xenosaga M.O.M.O. they continued to insist that “no, she’s different, she’s creepy.” Whether that is her eyes, her hair, the fact that she was sat with attention to posing, I’m not sure what started it.
When I pressed for reasoning as to what made her creepy, “She’s a doll” and “it’s her eyes” were common themes. But again, I don’t see much difference between her and figures we all have.

So, as I often do, I find myself sitting here wondering why do the dolls get called out. She’s not dressed outlandishly, there isn’t anything intentionally creepy about her – why the attention? – and where do I draw the line and stand up for my hobby?  What version of “That’s creepy” is going too far? or how many times can it be said?

Today I decided to laugh it off, take a silly photo with another coworker for this post and call it a day.  I know they mean no harm by saying she’s creepy, just like I know my grandmother means no harm when using certain words or phrases that were OK when she was growing up but not OK in today’s world – it’s just what she was conditioned to believe is OK.

In a day where we’re being told to hold their tongues on cruel commentary about people’s life choices even if it’s just “a harmless joke”, should we not be allowed the same graces?

Why is it OK to tell me that my choice to have a doll is creepy, but it’s taboo to tell me to consider a salad instead of a cheeseburger?

“That’s fine you have a doll, I just think it’s creepy”
“That’s fine you’re eating a cheeseburger, I just think it’s unhealthy”

I’ve heard the first many times, but never had anyone questioned my choice of a greasy Detroit food truck cheeseburger for lunch – because it’s taboo to comment on the food each-other are eating, but dolls are stereotyped as creepy, and something as simple as brush-able hair and height difference draws the line between a “figure” and a “doll.”

Don’t get me wrong, I will never expect there to be a full stop on the comments of “That’s Creepy” and similar, but I do think it’s worth noting and validating that, at times the “creepy” commentary is taken too far.

Where that line is drawn, though, depends on the individual.