Those of us who have been interested in dolls for a while have seen people claiming to be journalists or academia pop up on the various forums. They say they are conducting a survey or doing a study of doll owners and those who are interested in life-sized dolls.
A lot of these people start out with pre-conceived ideas of what 'normal' is, which in turn usually invalidates any test that they might apply to doll owners. They do not want to devote that much time to learn about who we are and what we do, so their tests are flawed out-of-the-box. Some reporters know that the only way to get an accurate idea of a specialized group is to embed themselves within that group. That way, they can get a true picture of the lifestyle and preferences of that group.
One such 'study', in various incarnations, was geared to 'prove' to doll owners that they were perverts and pedophiles. The multiple-choice answers were worded to entrap people into 'admitting' that they fit the pedophile category. Other surveys and studies did not encompass the variables that led people to choose their lifestyle.
All minority groups face an uphill battle to gain acceptance. Education is the only weapon that is effective against ignorance. People tend to fear what they do not understand.
When the automobile first came on the scene (
1886), it took a while before they were accepted by the general public. Even among accepted products and ideas, there are rivalries (Ford, Chevrolet, Oldsmobile; American, imports). Books and movies have introduced the idea of household robots, but acceptance of the real thing is still a ways off. Dolls are just the precursor of these robots.
What is my point? Sooner or later, one of these journalists or academia may pop up on this website. If so, be careful what you tell them. Do not give anyone your personal information. It is neither needed nor appropriate for any legitimate study. Mostly, stay away from idiots like
Jerry Springer
