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How Are People Reacting to the Popularity of Sex Dolls?
We wanted to begin this article with a simple, passing observation; that at some point in the future, sex dolls will almost certainly be a normal, regular thing. The problem is whichever way we put it, the phrasing depicts something quite odd.
We could have said sex dolls are growing in numbers, but that portrays a small erotic-looking army, poised for attack. Sex dolls are on the rise project’s similar mental imagery, while sex dolls are coming suggesting something entirely different altogether.
So, let’s just keep it simple, and begin by saying this; at some point in the future, possibly not in our lifetimes but also not too far from now, ownership of a sex doll will not be viewed as quirky, funky, or risque. Eyebrows will no longer be raised amongst peers, family, friends, and colleagues. You probably find it hard to believe at this moment in time, but owning a sex doll will likely be no different than owning an iPhone.
You might not agree, because many people don’t. But then this isn’t a subject that most people have spent too much time thinking about. If they had, they might draw the same conclusion, because history speaks for itself. Maybe we should explain.
Ancient Toys
Adult sex toys have long been around in one form or another, for thousands of years. Thankfully, adult toys have improved vastly from the original creations of 30,000 years ago, and over the last 50 years, a whole industry has spawned offering a vast array of devices used as sexual aids.
Fleshlights, when first introduced a couple of decades ago, used to be considered sexually deviant. These days, they are viewed as perfectly acceptable devices for self-pleasure. And so they should be.
Changing Sexual Zeitgeist
But that wasn’t always the collective view. As recently as the nineties, keeping a dildo in the bedroom drawer was generally considered unbelievably boundary-pushing. Going back a few decades prior, keeping a fairly regular, straightforward, plain-looking dildo would be the equivalent of having your very own sex dungeon in 2023, resplendent with chains, gags, and whips.
These days? Keeping a dildo at home is no more shocking than ownership of a bedside alarm clock.
The same case can be made with sex dolls. If you owned one 50 or 60 years ago – and this isn’t an exaggeration – there was a distinct possibility the local sheriff would yank your front door off its hinges, thunder upstairs, grab you and your plastic mistress mid-session before throwing you in jail. Seriously.
There was no law against it, but it happened a few times and the innocent party, while released and rightfully free of charge, would be forever labeled as a perverted beast by the local community.
Through the eighties and nineties, sex dolls became viewed as a harmless bit of fun, at least in the eyes of most people. Accepted might be an optimistic description of societal opinion, but the perverted beast label was a thing of the past, at the very least. You would see sex dolls making an appearance at the occasional stag or hen event, brought along for a measure of jest and joy. They became less sinister in nature and more light-hearted.
These days, sex dolls have not become as accepted as your regular dildo or flashlight, but society views this kind of thing through a more open-minded lens as each decade passes, and perception is changing. Just as with every other form of sexual aid, sex dolls are way more accepted, and will continue to be embraced as time passes.
But there is still some way to go before you can enjoy a nice Sunday afternoon picnic in a public park, with your silicon mistress of choice. We are not there yet. While society no longer views sex dolls as a perversion, there is a slight stigma attached to them, among some people. Those people are growing fewer in numbers as sex dolls become more accepted, however.
Why the Stigmatism?
There are a few reasons really, each of which stems from an antiquated, old-fashioned way of thinking. When you consider the purpose of owning a sex doll, the motivations are no different from any other legal, morally correct, sexual practice. The purpose is for gratification, without anyone harmed in the process. In that sense, having a sex doll is really no different from owning a porno magazine.
But some sections of society continue to stigmatize. While they are more accepted and certainly no longer considered as ‘weird,’ misconceptions do linger, with judgment unfairly directed at anyone who dares to own a sex doll, by some people.
Emotion
Small sections of society imagine sex doll owners forming a loving relationship with their silicon wives. This simply isn’t true, because the vast majority of sex doll owners use the product for sexual gratification, and nothing more.
A false perception still exists in the minority, where owners are imagined whispering sweet nothings to their dolls. Lovingly reciting poetry. Carefully stroking the doll’s face as deep meaningful love is declared. Again, none of this is true, but that is the image a large part of society has decided to hold on to.
Misogyny
Another unfair perception stems from a belief that sex doll ownership could lead to an increase in male chauvinism or toxic masculinity. In other words, some people incorrectly believe that sex doll owners might begin to have less respect for women, regarding silicon dolls as perfect companions while actual biological females are second-class, almost inferior in some way.
That is, of course, patently ridiculous, but there it is. This isn’t an article about gender equality, but it would be safe to say that the gender gap has decreased significantly over the last 50 years, during which time adult toys have become way more prevalent and established.
We are not suggesting a correlation, of course, but there is no causation either. Adult toys have in no way created an atmosphere of misogamy, but the more stubborn castigators use stuff like this to throw mud at the scene.
The Future
It is not beyond the realms of possibility to imagine a future in which sex dolls become walking, talking, interacting partners. We are not suggesting that you will see them prancing around WallMart in a nurse uniform, hand in hand with John Doe from down the street, but there probably is a future where sex dolls are almost android-like.
That is a long time away, and obviously not in our lives. But future generations will probably look back and find amusement in our current societies’ old-fashioned, archaic views, about what is essentially just a sex toy.
Much in the same way we look back at previous generations and find it amusing that a simple dildo could be considered disgraceful and deviant, our grandkids might have the same view about sex dolls today.
Present Day
For the time being, we are at a precipice. Sex doll ownership is still viewed as a little odd in the minority, but compared to the beastly pervert image of fifty years ago, we have thankfully moved on. This improving attitude will only continue, and there will surely come a time when having a sex doll is really quite normal.
We are almost there now, but not quite. For now, we can at least be thankful for a gradually more accepting societal opinion. Things are improving. It used to be quite difficult to even buy a sex doll. Now, it’s just a click or two away, and they are sold quite openly online, without shame, in big numbers.
It’s not even unusual to see the occasional sex doll with its own Instagram account these days. The majority of the time they look more human than your average influencer. We are kidding, of course, but the point remains the same; the idea of a sex doll Instagram account would have been unthinkable just 10 years ago. Now, it’s fine.
We applaud this changing narrative and look forward to the day when owning a sex doll is completely normal. For now, the societal school of thought is improving, slowly but surely, and that alone is something to applaud.
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