When People Mock Adult Doll Collectors

When these people think about a doll, they immediately relate it to a child's toy. They are unaware that dolls are not just toys for Christmas or special occasions for children.

Their inability to comprehend that artist dolls and art dolls exist—dolls made strictly for adults—results in silliness that prompts ignorant remarks, stupid questions, or belittling and childish comments to spew from their mouths.

Recently, the dolls in my virtual black doll museum were referred to as toys. They are not toys. They are dolls (three-dimensional inanimate representations of people), many of which are highly sought-after by adult collectors. Others of which are one-of-a-kind that no one else will ever own except me. 

Just this week, I was asked by a woman I had not seen in several years, "Are you still doing the dolls?" (Doing? I thought.) I answered, "Yes," and did not elaborate further. (In my head, I thought, I founded the first and only virtual black doll museum that celebrates antique, vintage, modern, and one-of-a-kind black dolls 24/7; I was recently interviewed by NBC-4 in Washington, D.C., I have been interviewed by the New York Times, two of my dolls are currently on display in the New-York Historical Society's Black Dolls Exhibition, I have revised and republished my third book about black dolls, and so on), but I did not share any of this with her. I don't need to impress her or anyone else. I collect dolls for my enjoyment, for no one else's, and if they do not understand, that is their problem, not mine. However, when snide remarks spread to other collectors, I go into defense mode.

I drafted this post after viewing the ABC News video at this link where Stanley Colorite is referred to as a "grown-up" (who collects Barbies) and in which other similar subtle criticisms about him were made along with laughter.

Here are some things I would like for non-plangonologists (non-doll collectors) to know and to remember forever.