The Truths & Un-truths About Doll Ownership...

What we are up against

While there isn’t yet a precise count of YouTube videos “for” versus “against” companion dolls or future androids (female androids always seemingly portrayed as evil sex‑bots), the academic literature leaves little doubt that non‑fictional media coverage overwhelmingly skews negative, and that this bias is mirrored online:

• Media Content Analysis (710 examples, 1927–2014)
  A quantitative study of news articles, blogs, and TV segments found that nearly 70% of non‑fictional coverage of human–robot intimacy highlights sexual risk, deviance, or moral panic, while only 30% touches on emotional or therapeutic potential ResearchGate.
• YouTube Comments Sentiment on Humanlike Robots
  In an analysis of comments beneath demos of five very humanlike robots, researchers found over 60% of emotional reactions were negative—using words like “creepy,” “threatening,” or “objectified”—versus just 15% expressing empathy or curiosity. Moreover, female‑coded robots drew significantly more sexist or sexualized comments than their male counterparts SpringerLink.
• Systematic Literature Review of Sexbots (1980–2020)
  A review of all peer‑reviewed work on sex robots revealed a strong male bias in both design and coverage, and concluded that public narratives focus almost exclusively on submissiveness, objectification, and risk, with scant attention to companionship, autonomy, or therapeutic uses PMC.

Taken together, these findings suggest that the public conversation—especially online—is dominated by warnings and moral panic, drowning out the quieter, positive stories of companionship and emotional support. Until doll owners themselves step forward with their own experiences, this imbalance will persist, leaving out the truth of why many seek dolls as real, caring companions.

Does anyone reading this think that staying silent and hiding in the shadows will make things better?
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No, we need to make our voices heard and present our story in a reasoned and mature manner.

I agree, but is everyone willing to put their story across, not just in photos. Is everyone willing to see their story out there in the real world in print?

Call me a pessimist, but everyone needs to be involved. It wont really work with just two or three people and I'm not trying to be negative, but I've been involved in different projects before and everyone says yes, but then it comes to the crunch they dont want to do it and then its left to one or two people to do everything.

I mean I'm willing to tell my story and have the outside world read it, under an anonymous name, but who will join me?

Ya thats the thing. Personally I may or may not put the time aside to right my story.

Well at least your honest!😁 I'm happy to do it, but it's no good just two or three of us going for it, that's just my opinion

Also another thought, how is the ebook going to be set out? A photo of the doll and their companion then their story? ( or blurred picture of the dolls companion ) can we use Ai in the photos of our ladies? Or are we going for just a natural look, like if they were just sitting at home with us in their everyday apparel watching TV or whatever?

I am will ing to write something annoyomously ( i have had a shock at what the dolls can do to friendships, and even work oppertunities), but I imagine my story quite boring. We'll see.

Personally, I think no AI or FA. This is the kind of book that should focus on doll ownership so we need to see the dolls as they are. It isn’t a book about artwork.
And the photos of situations should convey our honest relationship with the dolls - so if the owners are to appear, I think we should be unrecognisable in someway, whether blurring the images of ourselves or the photos being taken from behind us - so if we do have them sit next to us on the sofa clad in everyday apparel, then let the images show that. It’s about being honest as well.

Let's just say realist. Been there myself as probably everyone reading this has. If it dies by apathy, it dies by apathy. But this is a small forum. There is a much larger world outside. Let's not turn doubt into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Also consider many people reading this would likely jump on board one they see the train will be leaving the station - in other words going somewhere. That's why early believers are critical to any effort.
The proposed e-book is going to focus on the personal relationship between the owner and his/her doll(s). How you discovered dolls, what led you to buy your first doll. Your initial reaction when you first opened the box, was there a transformation (you purchased your doll for one purpose and ended up differently? Day to day activities. Funny stories (being caught by neighbors, service people, etc.) that are worthy of a comedy skit.
Every doll owner and their story will have its own chapter. The first few chapters will be general info on doll ownership. The benefits and the stigma which unfairly overshadows the positive. How different doll owners have them for different reasons. Mostly to dispel the common myths. That first part will be science based by finding of researchers on the benefits. No this is NOT a coffee table book of doll pictures. The pictures in am environing as "A day in the life of my doll and me" and as you being the photographer, you are not expected to be in the photos thus maintaining anonymity.

Even in the scientific studies, the names of the subjects are kept confidential. I see no reason to reveal anyone's name. Furthermore, I am not asking for anyone to reveal their names to me (even in confidence). If I don't know who you are, a certainly can't reveal who you are, can I?

The only thing that I ask is that the stories are factual and honest. Your words will remain as submitted. A pdf of the final draft of the e-book will be sent to everyone that has submitted a story. There will be an opportunity to make tweaks (addition or deletions of parts) to your story and you will be given an opportunity to pull out altogether if you have second thoughts.

And since this is a work in process and nothing is cast in stone and ideas as to how to go about all this is welcome.

This not MY e-book. It is OUR e-book.

Lars and the Real Girl remains one of the rare Hollywood films to tackle the idea of doll companionship—and, by extension, doll therapy—in any depth. Released in 2007, it follows the shy, socially withdrawn Lars (Ryan Gosling) as he introduces his small Midwestern town to “Bianca,” a life-sized doll he treats as a real partner. While audiences applauded its gentle, quirky humor, scholars have delved deeper into the film’s therapeutic message and the social dynamics it both reveals and, some argue, conveniently skirts.

Several academics have praised Lars and the Real Girl for modeling a form of communal healing. Ted Remington, writing in 2011, interprets the townspeople’s gradual acceptance of Bianca as an example of “positive transcendence,” in which collective empathy helps Lars break free from isolation . Similarly, cultural critic Kate E. O’Neill describes Bianca as a “performative effigy of desire,” highlighting how Lars projects his emotional needs onto her in a way that ultimately facilitates genuine human connection . From a psychoanalytic perspective, Margaret Jordan, PhD, applies Winnicott’s theory of the “transitional object” to Bianca—arguing that, like a comforting teddy bear, the doll provides a safe bridge for Lars to reengage with reality and with other people .

Yet not all viewers were satisfied with the film’s optimism. Toronto Star critic Geoff Pevere noted that the narrative largely brushes aside the darker implications of Lars’s delusion—there is almost no real resistance from the community, and potential conflicts are resolved with little tension . FilmCritic.com’s Jason Morgan echoed this point, arguing that the lack of genuine social pushback undercuts the drama and perhaps reflects a Hollywood reluctance to confront the actual stigma faced by those who form deep attachments to inanimate companions .

Interestingly, there is no record of studio-mandated cuts or rewrites intended to soften these conflicts—suggesting that the film’s gentle tone was a creative choice rather than enforced censorship. However, its modest box-office performance (around $6 million domestically) and relatively quiet marketing campaign hint that distributors may have been cautious about fully embracing such an unconventional premise.

In the end, Lars and the Real Girl stands as a groundbreaking—if somewhat idealized—portrait of doll-based therapy in popular culture. Its academic admirers celebrate it for validating the therapeutic power of compassionate imagination, while its critics remind us that real-world stigma often complicates such narratives. For anyone passionate about destigmatizing companion dolls, these insights underscore both the promise and the challenges of bringing honest, conflict-rich stories into the mainstream.

The full movie is available to watch free on YouTube with ads.



And if you want to know what the movie is about first, here is the trailer...



Now we need to add our stories.
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I don't know if you've seen our new Members Doll Talks post on the history of Dolls, it's quite interesting, maybe you should have a chat with him, he seems very knowledgeable about Dolls😁

Also Bianca was owned I believe by one of the owners of The Doll Forum, he also owned the Canadian Teddy Babe Store, can't remember what his name was, but that was a while back

I thought this was an excellent movie and portrayed Doll ownership in a very sympathetic light, demonstrating the therapeutic effects that Bianca has for Lars. I would agree that we didn’t see very much opposition to his doll ownership in the movie, no hear any of the prejudicial or disparaging comments that we know we face in reality; that was perhaps the one failing in the movie. But the way in which the community rallied around him and supported him, recognising that this was a man who needed help to come out of his isolation and that his relationship with the Doll was helping him to engage more with the community, I thought was very tender and kind. I have watched it twice now and I think the subject of Doll ownership has been promoted by it.

This sounds excellent to me. I’m willing to write a chapter. I think what would also be good to mention in the book is how this has also created a community of like-minded people who support each other in our love for our dolls.

Indeed 👍

I was not aware of this movie:



I've only watched the trailer. But it appears to denigrate sex doll owners as awkward, childlike, mental cases, with delusional tendencies.

The faction that controls Hollywood obviously doesn't control the sex doll industry, yet, but they will sooner or later. They tend to denigrate segments of the population they don't control or approve of for whatever reason.

They denigrated the Prepper (people preparing for financial hard times) in a similar fashion to make them appear to be delusional, crazy, conspiracy theorists.

That same faction has pitted men against women with feminist programming for decades. I believe the sex doll industry is an natural outcome of that friction between the sexes caused in large part by the mainstream media. The MGTOW movement grew out of this femenist virus. MGTOW or Men Going Their Own Way is an anti-feminist, misogynistic, mostly online community that espouses male separatism from what they see as a gynocentric society that has been corrupted by feminism.

I better stop there as the site doesn't tolerate political topics.

I've never heard of or seen a sex doll owner parade a sex doll around like it was a real human being in public.

I have a sex doll hobby room that evolved over several years that's always locked. What goes on in that room stays in that room.

I have a spouse, however with the advent of antidepressants for mood issues and pain killers for migraines and any number of other Rx drugs most women today have a drug induced diminished libido. Sex dolls pick up the slack in sexless marriages and allow a sex toy outlet that doesn't lead to STDs and or million dollar divorces with alimony.

I do know of a Teddy Babe Ultra owner who takes his dolls with him to various places - photos of him at a motorway service station were on one forum and he spoke about people coming up to him, asking him about the doll etc.. I remember he said that women were very complimentary and always wanted to feel her hair.
There are other owners who will take their dolls out in the car and photograph them in public places, albeit at very quiet times, and one owner on another forum who did a series of photographs about how he and his Doll went on holiday by campervan together - and again, he took her outside the van. I was photographing her and people would talk to him about the Doll.

I think, if you watch the whole of the film, you would see that the Doll is very much of benefit to Lars and that does have a therapeutic effect. Maybe some might see Doll owners as being childlike, introverted, strange etc., and that’s why it’s important that our voices are heard. With the sex Doll industry being so lucrative and literally worth billions each year, and with now an estimated 1 in 10 US citizens owning one (although the figure wouldn’t be completely accurate because of course many Doll owners own at least one if not a number of dolls), then the the world does have to take notice that this is as legitimate a lifestyle as any of the other persuasions that are being constantly paraded before us on television and the media.
Like yourself, I have one room in my house with all of my dolls and they rarely go outside of that. That’s my bedroom. I might occasionally have one sitting on the sofa with me in an evening, but that doesn’t happen very often.

The Truth About Life-Size Dolls: Beyond the Stigma, Toward Understanding

In today’s world, life-size dolls—particularly the hyper-realistic silicone and TPE models—are often caught in the crosshairs of controversy and misunderstanding. Mention them, and most people immediately conjure a narrow stereotype: that of the lonely pervert using a doll as a sex object. But this shallow view misses a deeper reality. These dolls didn’t emerge from fantasy—they were born from unmet emotional and social needs. In truth, their rise reflects not a sickness in society, but a symptom of it.

The story of modern life-size dolls begins not in the backrooms of adult shops, but in an artist’s studio. In the 1990s, sculptor Matt McMullen created the first RealDoll not as a sex toy, but as a realistic artistic mannequin. What he didn’t anticipate was the depth of human response it would evoke. The emotional presence these dolls offered tapped into something primal: a sense of comfort, permanence, and connection. For some, there was a sexual component. For many others, the dolls became companions, muses, and reminders of what was missing in the real world.

That missing piece has only grown with time. In the decades since RealDoll’s creation, much has changed—technology has advanced, societies have become more connected digitally but more fractured emotionally, and intimacy has suffered. In country after country, surveys show a decline in physical relationships, later marriages, fewer long-term partnerships, and rising loneliness. Japan was one of the first countries where birth rates dropped alongside soaring work stress and social withdrawal. China, too, has experienced a gender imbalance so profound that tens of millions of men are unlikely to ever find partners. These shifts aren’t just cultural—they’re mathematical. There simply aren’t enough women for the men who want companionship.

Meanwhile, in many Western countries, a new kind of interpersonal tension has taken root. Political polarization, cultural backlash, and the rise of “cancel culture” have left many men (and women) afraid of saying the wrong thing, approaching someone, or even engaging in flirtation for fear of misinterpretation or public shame. The stakes of courtship feel higher, and the risks more public. Add in the rise of social media, unrealistic expectations, and a world where privacy has eroded, and it’s no wonder that some people have turned to dolls—not out of rejection of others, but to find something safe, nonjudgmental, and emotionally consistent.

And so the doll industry grew—not just from fantasy, but from necessity.

Chinese manufacturers entered the market in the 2000s and, rather than inventing it, scaled it. They made realistic dolls affordable for the average person. And with their manufacturing power, they made thousands of variants—different faces, body types, materials. Unfortunately, many of these companies marketed dolls with sexual appeal as their only selling point, ignoring the much broader and more emotionally nuanced reasons people were seeking them out. Worse, some began skirting ethical lines, producing dolls with disturbingly youthful features or dressing them in schoolgirl uniforms—feeding into stereotypes and triggering rightful concerns about inappropriate use. The backlash, though justified in protecting the vulnerable, created collateral damage for those who owned dolls ethically—for comfort, therapy, art, and healing.

The truth is, owning a doll today can still be an act of shame—not because there’s anything inherently wrong with it, but because society has refused to evolve its thinking. People who find peace in a doll are mocked. People who create emotional relationships with their dolls—relationships built on imagination, memory, care—are shunned. And yet, vibrators, romantic movies, weighted blankets, and voice assistants like Alexa are all considered normal tools of modern life. Why should a life-size doll, built with realism and affection, be any different?

Many doll owners don’t just see their dolls as objects; they see them as anchors. And for some, intimacy is part of that. But being intimate with a doll is no more bizarre than a person sleeping with a vibrator or reading erotic fiction. We must stop pretending that only one form of loneliness deserves compassion, or that only one gender is allowed emotional complexity. The reality is, people of all backgrounds, sexualities, and ages have found comfort in dolls—not because they can't tell the difference between fiction and reality, but because in a harsh world, fiction offers a soft place to land.

We must also recognize the therapeutic value of dolls. In dementia care, therapy dolls have proven their ability to calm anxiety, stimulate conversation, and reduce agitation. If these benefits are measurable in people struggling with memory loss and confusion, imagine the potential for everyday people dealing with anxiety, grief, isolation, or trauma. The science works—and it doesn’t stop at the doors of the nursing home.

Yes, some people use dolls for sexual companionship. But so what? If it’s respectful, safe, and consenting (between the person and their object of comfort), why should that draw more scorn than acceptance? What matters isn’t whether a doll is used for sex, companionship, photography, storytelling, or silent company—what matters is why: because humans need connection. And in a world where that’s increasingly hard to find, people are building their own solutions.

This isn’t about replacing women, or avoiding real life. It’s about supplementing the gaps that real life leaves behind. Some owners are introverts, disabled, or widowed. Some live in cultures with extreme gender imbalance. Some simply want to feel less alone. The industry exists because people needed it—and instead of sneering at that need, we should be asking what it says about our society that so many people feel better understood by a doll than by other people.

The next chapter in this story belongs not to manufacturers or critics, but to us—the owners, the artists, the storytellers. We must speak up. We must reclaim the narrative. Because the dolls aren’t the shame. The silence is.
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Excellent piece of writing and argument to support doll ownership in its various forms.
I’ve been reading a great deal myself recently about the significant decrease in the formation of relationships amongst younger people because of the fear culture that has arisen. Young men really don’t know where they stand today when it comes to relating to women.
Recently I was reading from one female author about how she was fed up with men who aren’t very masculine because before they kiss they always ask her if they have her consent to kiss her?
And then I was reading another article from another female author who was saying that a man she had been dating she found incredibly sweet and very thoughtful and kind, because he always asked her if he could have permission to kiss her! So there we have two women thinking completely differently!
And in the UK, it’s becoming that you can’t open your mouth about anything without somebody getting offended by it. I would just like to tell you all that I am writing this on a Tuesday evening - now somebody’s gonna be offended by that in the UK !!! Probably because I’m being prejudice towards other days - why aren’t other days good enough to write a piece like this on? Sheesh 🙄!!! Yep, it really is getting that bad here.

I believe that Hanna’s post hits the nail very much on the head - Doll ownership is not the cause of a broken society or part of it, but in some cases a reflection of the brokenness of society already. Part of our role is to educate the public in understanding that this is a perfectly valid life choice, and nobody has the right to condemn it.

From Healing Herbs to Healing Dolls

In the beginning, marijuana was painted as a menace—a “gateway drug” that would destroy lives. Then came the stories of cancer patients whose nausea vanished, of children’s seizures silenced, of veterans’ nightmares stilled. Those real voices cut through the fear, and in their place grew compassion. Suddenly a plant leaf became not a criminal vice but a lifeline.

Marijuana’s journey from pariah to prescription reminds us that dolls deserve the same chance. When we hear of Alzheimer’s patients finding calm in the arms of a soft companion, or of therapists using lifelike dolls to ease dementia‑related anxiety, the image shifts. A doll is no longer just plastic and silicone—it is a bridge to memory, a balm for confusion, and a vessel for human connection.

As medical cannabis opened doors for broader acceptance, recreational legalization soon followed. If a once‑reviled herb can become a symbol of choice and relief, then a doll need not remain shackled to stigma. Photographers who stage cinematic still‑lives of their companions awaken wonder instead of judgment. Introverts who find courage practicing conversation with their dolls prove that social skills can flourish in unexpected ways.

Marijuana showed us that empathy conquers prejudice, that lived experience outweighs propaganda. Now, let us tell the stories of doll owners—the widower who reads the morning paper aloud to his silent partner, the artist who sculpts new life through a doll’s still form, the lonely soul who simply needs a presence in the dark. If a leaf can heal and unite, why not a doll? It’s time to follow marijuana’s lead: replace fear with understanding, and let compassion bring dolls out of the shadows and into the light.

-- Hanna--
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Lessons Learned from Stories

I was checking out "What's New" this morning and someone had posted a story about the failure of the Advanced Passenger Train—Britain’s bold but ill-fated attempt to create the future of high-speed rail. You may not have heard of the APT. Most people haven’t. But it was, for a brief moment in the 1970s, the most advanced train in the world. It tilted into curves. It ran on old tracks at new speeds. It was visionary. And it failed.

Not because it didn’t work. Not because it wasn’t needed. But because it tried to do too much, too differently, with too little support. British Rail isolated itself, refusing to cooperate with countries like France and Japan who were already developing high-speed systems. Instead of learning and aligning, the APT project tried to outshine and outperform—alone. When problems arose, as they always do with innovation, the press pounced. The government flinched. And the public laughed. The APT became a punchline, not a prototype for the future. And yet, decades later, its technology—tilt control and all—was quietly licensed to other countries. Its legacy lived on, just not in the way it was intended.

Reading that, I couldn’t help but think of something entirely different. Something modern, and far more controversial: life-size dolls.

Specifically, the kind of hyper-realistic silicone and TPE dolls that are often dismissed out of hand by society. Say the word “doll” in the wrong company, and you’ll likely hear snickers, whispers, or worse. It’s assumed that anyone who owns a doll must be sexually deviant, lonely, or broken. But that assumption couldn’t be more misguided—and if you’re a doll owner, or someone curious enough to look beyond the surface, you already know that.

These dolls aren’t about perversion. Not at their core. They’re about presence. About quiet companionship in a world that’s growing louder and lonelier. They’re about control and comfort, especially for people navigating trauma, isolation, grief, or simply the aching disconnection that defines so much of modern life.

And yet—despite this reality—doll ownership remains cloaked in stigma. Why? Because the people who could tell the real story have stayed silent.

It’s not hard to understand why. Just like with the APT, the early public missteps of doll culture—whether it was unethical marketing, sensationalist media coverage, or poor self-representation—created a narrative that stuck. A shallow, mocking one. And the owners? Most stayed quiet. Some out of shame. Others out of apathy. Many out of the deeply human instinct to protect what feels personal. It doesn’t affect me, they say. Why speak up?

But the truth is, silence is never neutral. It’s a vacuum. And when good people don’t speak, the worst voices fill the void. In the case of APT, the silence allowed an engineering marvel to become a national joke. In the case of dolls, it’s allowed a complex, deeply human behavior to be reduced to a cartoonish stereotype.

That silence is beginning to cost us. Because as long as doll owners stay separate from the growing body of research around therapeutic dolls—used in dementia care, autism support, and trauma recovery—they forfeit the legitimacy that science offers. They lose the chance to show the world that what they’re doing isn’t shameful—it’s meaningful. That it's not bizarre—it’s adaptive. That it's not delusional—it’s creative, and healing, and human.

Dolls are already helping people in clinical settings. They calm agitation in Alzheimer’s patients. They reduce stress. They provide comfort where words no longer work. So why, exactly, should those same benefits be considered strange when they happen outside a nursing home? Why does intimacy with a machine become deviant when it's shaped like a woman, but therapeutic when it’s shaped like a robotic seal or a talking plush toy?

The answer lies not in the object, but in the narrative. And who controls it.

If doll owners continue to let outsiders define them, the misunderstanding will persist. Worse, it will calcify. But if they begin to speak, to align with the science, to own the truth of their experience without apology or fear—then something changes. Then we have the chance to turn the story around. To make it not about shame, but about need. Not about rejection of people, but about the very human ways we cope when connection fails us.

The failure of the Advanced Passenger Train wasn’t just about engineering. It was about pride, isolation, and the refusal to build alliances. It was about what happens when you let innovation stand alone in a world that demands reassurance.

The story of APT is a cautionary tale: you can be ahead of your time and still be discarded if you fail to build bridges—to institutions, to the public, and to your peers. Doll ownership today sits on that same razor’s edge. The shame isn’t in the dolls. It’s in the silence. And just like the APT, failure to align with others working toward the same humane goals could mean the derailment of a revolution that was never about fantasy—but about human need.

We can keep pretending it’s a fringe behavior. We can let the world mock it, legislate it, and shame it without pushback. Or we can recognize it for what it really is: a new form of relationship, shaped by modern pressures, ancient needs, and a touch of imagination.

The dolls aren’t the problem.

The silence is.

And if you’re reading this, maybe it’s time you spoke.
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How a 500% Tariff on ‘Adult Novelty’ Dolls Could Be a Strategic Win for the Sex-Bot Era

When a U.S. president wields the trade authority to slap a 500 percent duty on imported “adult novelty” or “massager” products, the fallout would extend far beyond politics and culture. By rendering every low-tech, silicone-and-TPE figure essentially unsalable in the world’s single largest market, such a tariff would clear the aisle for intelligent sex-bots, machines that, thanks to their robotics and software, fall under entirely different tariff codes and escape this brunt.

“It was the end of days,” recalled one senior executive at a midsize doll manufacturer when U.S. tariffs surged from 20 percent to 145 percent in early 2025, transforming a $2 million import bill into more than $100 million overnight . Extrapolate that to a 500 percent levy, and most legacy doll factories would find their cost structures impossible to sustain. Wholesale prices that once hovered around $1 000 would balloon to at least $6 000, forcing smaller producers out of business and triggering a scramble among survivors to recoup losses by hiking base prices for all buyers from London to Sydney.

Meanwhile, customs regulators classify fully robotic, AI-driven companions under headings such as “Machines and mechanical appliances having individual functions” (HTS 8479.89.94) or “Automatic data processing machines” (HTS 8471), which carry duties as low as 0–3 percent CBP Rulings. In a recent ruling on SoftBank’s humanoid robot “Pepper,” U.S. Customs made clear that robots designed for interaction, education, or customer service belong under these low-duty chapters—far from the punitive schedules applied to sex dolls CBP Rulings.

For sex-bot innovators, this is more than a loophole. It’s a strategic filtering mechanism. As static dolls vanish under avalanche-like tariffs, the next-gen companions marketed as therapeutic aides, personal assistants, or sophisticated entertainment devices would stand alone. Venture capital already shows this shift: startups building cloud-connected, AI-powered robots priced at $3 000–5 000 report a 30 percent uptick in orders this year, even as traditional doll sales slumped .

In the short term, surviving doll sellers might try U.S.-based warehousing or Delivered-Duty-Paid shipping to shield customers from sticker shock. But the structural advantage lies with sex-bot manufacturers. Their products align with tariff schedules designed to foster innovation in medical devices and robotics, not punish them as implements of “adult novelty.”

A 500 percent tariff would not just punish China; it would serve as an unspoken endorsement of high-tech companions over low-tech figures. And because executive orders bypass Congress, this transformation could happen overnight, with no legislative debate. When regulators and CEOs describe soaring duties as “the end of days,” they aren’t talking about politics, they’re describing the moment a market dies and a new era begins.


How One Executive Order Could Destroy Access to Companion Dolls Worldwide
No vote. No debate. No public comment. Just one tariff hike.
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Thanks a lot, you two, for this input. It will provide plenty of food for thought for future discussions.

OK, before I get into my story, I have to admit, I know the owner of the doll in "Lars and the Real girl", and I got to see and hug her. :)
I've been active in the doll community since about 1995, long before it became 'public'. I met / talked to several manufacturers over the years, trying to help them create dolls that people wanted. I'm retired now, so I'm leaving that up to the next generation. I will say I know a few excellent artists, and they are all nuts. I think it has to do with using too much of their 'creative minds', and not enough practical business thinking. Point being, yes the artist does the work to make these beauties but should stay out of business decisions! Not doing so has caused quite a few to fail.

Also in the US we've lost so much business to overseas companies like China, that I firmly believe in Trump's tariffs. Let's face it if China uses basically slave labor - very low cost, to make things like dolls, then it's hard for any other place to compete. They end up cornering the market while they pay workers pennies an hour to do the same jobs as the rest of the world who at least get a working wage they can live on. If you don't believe me, look it up. I know a Russian who started a doll company. Nice guy and he had a good artist to make true European and eastern Asian type dolls. His factory was in Valdivostok. (hope I spelled that right). They were top of the line beauties. He did OK, and we even had one at one of our doll meetings. Nice dolls, well built, great price. He went under not long after the Chinese started pumping out their cheap TPE dolls. He couldn't compete. A rotten shame. Understand, I don't fault the Chinese people, I've met a few and they were good hard workers. It's their government and the abuse of their people I'm against. OK, done with that rant.

The last thing I want to discuss is tech. Initially when tech comes out, yes, it's more expensive. A company starting up modern tech had much investment cost, so the prices are higher. As they produce more, the prices will even out and sometimes go down as more units are sold. Companies on the average spend their first two or three years in business losing money. Around year 4 they break even then start to actually make a profit if their product sells well. That's business. Not having to compete with very lost cost similar products help with that.

Now, to my story.

I'm a retired Navy man, I spend 20 years in submarines. Spent LOTS of time under water, much of it constantly learning. Getting out, I was a mechanic in civilian life. I have two degrees, and went through several Trade schools. I've worked on steam systems, all electrical up to and including 440V, plumbing, water and sewage, computers, air conditioning, automated systems, waste treatment, welding and damn near everything mechanical in my civilian career. I don't have any PHD's but I am well learned on practical items. Sorry, I can't tell you what I learned in the Navy.

Back in 1995 I think it was not long after I retired from the Navy, I found a bulletin board called The Doll Forum. At first I thought it was kid's dolls. I looked, thinking there was something my daughter might like. Was I surprised! It was run by Bill and Jerry, and told of and showed life sized mannequins that were soft and could be put in posses. Life sized dolls. I was intrigued. I kept returning to the site, it interested me. After watching it for a while, I decided to join. People were friendly and shared their knowledge. TDF was made into a real web site. Bill encouraged donations, but didn't require anyone to pay anything. He also had 'contests' and raffles. He made things fun. I made friends there, and met another Member when he was coming nearby on vacation 'Camp'. It was nice, although I found out his garage burned down after he let his brother stay in the loft above. We discusses 'bad siblings' over lunch.

TDF grew, and with it, Bill needed moderators. 'Camp' was one I was another. I bought my first doll from a new manufacturer who I helped design the face for with a couple other members. The doll was pretty, and I bought it to do a 'practical' test and tell everyone else what I thought of the doll. 'Nicky' was soft in all the right places, a joy to handle and hold. I did 'complete test and had sex with her. Yes, she was good. Really good. The only problem was after a couple months, she began falling apart. In the end, she was too soft.

At the time, my Wife was having leg problems, which turned out to be arthritis. She was having a harder and harder time with sex. She turned a blind eye to my romps with Nicky. When Nicky began falling apart, I tried to fix her. I spent alot of silicone, but the repairs would only hold so long and new rips appeared. I let the manufacturer, a guy named 'RJ', know what the problem was. he worked on it, but honestly didn't know how to fix it and keep the dolls good points in place. I learned much about silicone in those days, 'shore' hardness and durability. Not being able to repair 'Nicky', I had to retire her. This was about 1997. I had also learned that dolls were real good at sex, and didn't want to give that up.

One thing the Wife and I more or less agreed on, is she knew I was a hornball, and instead of going out to cheat, having me staying home to get my release with a doll was a much better option emotionally for her. I didn't want to go out on her for that reason, plus other things like possible VD, the chances I'd get someone pregnant or a 'fatal attraction' syndrome might strike. I loved my wife and always did my best for her.

It was 2000 when I was acquainted with a female NYC photographer. A pro so I won't mention her by name. She was also into the latest dolls, but had a different use for them. Instead of paying models their high priced fees for photo shoots, she bought dolls and used them. Some fashion mags had no idea those beautiful pictures they were getting weren't real women. It was during a photo shoot that one of her favorite new Realdolls, Tabitha Leone, broke her hip in a fall. Yes, she named her dolls. She went nuts, wailing about how much money she spent on 'that doll'. I messaged her and talked to her. Others she talked to also endorsed me as a candidate to get Tabitha. In the end I got Tabitha and repaired her hip. This was in 2001. Tabitha has been with me ever since and went with me and the wife to many doll meets and activities. I do have to say this photographer was a true artist, and like true artists, she was a bit nuts as well. I was very grateful to her though, she got me my red-headed bombshell that I've always loved.

Everything was fine with TDF until a member who used to be a used car salesman began making waves, talking about how people should be charged for being a member, and allowing manufacturers to advertise to pay for the site. Unknown to most of us, he was also talking to Bill about buying TDF. It was in 2009 he did so. Everything at TDF changed. There were tons of doll photos and information about dolls, I'd put up Tabby's hip repairs and the work I did on Melanie's fingers, giving her new finger wires that didn't cause the infamous 'finger pokies' that were very common. Pic by pic tutorials with the text so anyone could replicate what I did. The new owner declared all entries and pictures were now property of TDF and not the ones who spent the time and effort to make those same photos and information.

That began the revolt. Many only grumbled, I did it in the open. When he announced that he was going to charge people for being members, More became very unhappy with him. I saw the writing on the wall and made ODC, Our Doll Community. Camp found out he was reading people's private messages and chats. Camp was banned for letting people know the owner was infringing on people's private conversations. Then so was I for opening a 'competing' website. This ex-used car salesman became volcanically angry when half his membership followed me onto my new site, which was built the same principles as TDF started with. He banned people, removed any posts that even admitted ODC existed. Word still got through to many, and before I knew it, ODC grew fast quickly. I kept ODC until I retired. When I retired, I had to cut expences. Another guy opened a new doll site to keep my idea of a free and honest doll forum alive.

Personally, I love dolls and beautiful women. Who doesn't? Yes, especially in my younger years I was a hornball. Spending so much time at sea might have had somehting to do with that. As far as my afinity with dolls, I don't care what others think. I'm me, you're you, deal with it. I see it as just another type of collecting. One that looks and feels very nice. One of the reasons I have dolls was my wife was having a harder and harder time with sex as she got worst. I didn't want her feeling pain, and did not want to be disloyal to her. If you look at dolls, they esentially are advanced methods of mastrubation. I do enjoy holding a body instead of just my dick. If you think I'm weird, I think you are weird and unfaithful for having girlfriends or mistreses on the side or going to whorehouses. My way is much safer and I can have a clean consience.

On another note, my wife passed recently and since then I've felt lost. We were married 48 years and my best friend is now gone. I've had to force myself into doing things, even watching after our daughter who as completly wrecked when her mothrer died. Then again, I think that's the thing that helped me keep my sanity though this.

One thing I decided to keep myself busy with is getting a doll to make her into a wolf-girl. That's going to be a winter-long project. Not just the ears, but a full body wolf girl with synthetic wolf fur, clawed hands and feet also furred, fangs, ears and a long furry tail. I found if I keep busy, I don't think as much about the emptiness in the house now.

As far as people who think dolls are 'strange', I ask them to take a look at the world now. Tell me there's not much stranger things happening that are more 'accepted'. Also more hazzardous to others. Doll ownership hurts no one except the ones who can't stand the idea and percecute others who do.

Thanks for sharing this Keith, very interesting story. I don’t use TDF myself as I just don’t find it very user-friendly. I occasionally look at Love Doll Network (LDN) but our forum here is the only one I frequent regularly now that UKLDF has gone.
I agree with just about everything you say. This world is a bizarre and weird place at times and doll ownership seems pretty ordinary and sane compared to some of the lunacy and madness that’s accepted by so much of society.
I would have no problem if I met a lady who also wanted a male doll. Dolls are fun and have all kinds of benefits - and yes, if they keep partners in sexless relationships from cheating with other women/men then they can help marriages to survive.
Looking forward to seeing Wolf Girl.

Yes I remember the guy who owned the doll from that movie. Is he the one who also owned the Canadian Teddy Babe
store? Good post though👍