The Boy With Barbies! My Doll Collecting Story

[@brentonjoseph]

Shout out to all the parents who were brave enough to buy dolls for their little boys, especially back in the 90's. The shame is real. Asking for the girl toy at McDonald's really messed me up as a kid. Thank you for making this video. 💜

[@92jakg]

I remember full grown adults working in MD laughing at me at the age of 8 when asking for the barbie toy.. really messed with me..

[@kasaneteto4904]

@@92jakg same happened to my bother when he asked for a pony toy

[@cassieoliveira13]

i relate... now my mom encourage me to buy dolls and collect it but when I was a kid my father didn't let me even touch dolls because he thought it would make me gay lmao

[@annikahoffmann5220]

My mom bought my brother who Was 2 in 1991 a Babydoll because she wanted to explain that He becomes a big brother and He plaied with my old Red dolls pram. I was 7 at this time and well for the 80's and 90's in germany my mom was quiet far. Like my brother played with dolls I played with cars at 2-3. My sister by the way, hates dolls That are bigger than barbie. And I let my children play with what ever they like. My nephew does this, too. And He Just became 2 this year. I remember that lately children Psychologes say it is better to let the child choose what is his/her toy. I Do not collect dolls but my doughter age 8 started and asks for dolls she like. At the Moment she collects Na! Na! Na! Suprise, because of the animal theme. But if she would be more into cars I would still keep her back.

[@ginoongbughaw3223]

Hugs for you. ♥

[@fruitpuff9388]

That teacher who said you were “asking for it” as a response to you getting bullied for wearing floral doc martens is ridiculous. What an awful victim blamer.

[@ginoongbughaw3223]

Legit!

[@agoogleuser6902]

That was the mindset back then. I know, I lived it here in the states. So sad.

[@NenadlPopovic]

I got that all the time during growing up from bassicly everyone 🥺😱😢😭

[@wetsockz3001]

@@agoogleuser6902 yeah that’s why sexual assaults were so underreported back then because nobody cared

[@myyoutube3022]

@A Google User I was about to say the same thing, it was certainly the mentality back then. People thought you were asking to be made fun of if you dared to be different, especially when it came to things like boys wearing pink or playing with dolls.

[@Lichtspuren]

Joey, let me tell you. My Dad was playing with Barbie dolls in the early 1960's when he was young. He always has been very confident and just did his thing. One time he lost interest but he never made a secret out of it. But maybe it was the time, the people were more open minded. I am so sorry you've been bullied. 😔 But look at where you're now! You did everything right! 🌺💜

[@BeautyInsideABox]

Your dad sounds very cool! Thank you for the support. It means a lot! ❤️❤️❤️

[@keybyss98]

That’s actually really cool! Good for the people around him that didn’t give him crap for it. More people need to be like that. Curious: Did he also play with GI Joes? Like the old 1960’s-70’s 12-inch ones? Or was he just a Barbie kid?

[@FrenkTheJoy]

I don't know if people were really more open-minded in the *60s*. Sometimes there are just pockets of really accepting people no matter what time period it is.

[@josephrowe849]

It made me think of a line in a Brady Bunch episode that had aged horribly. It was where Mike Brady was asked what would he do if one of his boys wanted to play with a dollhouse, he said something like he would send them to a loony bin. Back then nobody would care but nowadays, gender rights people would say Mike needs to be in the loony bin for saying hateful crap like that. It also counts as horrible in hindsight because the actor Robert Reed was a closeted gay man who was self-loathing and very frustrated about having to hide it from the general public out of fear of what that could do to his career and well-being if word got out.

[@Hellosidney123]

I’m glad that my freinds don’t judge me because i like barbies and Ohnestly I think that judging people because they like barbieis judging a boy for being them self isn’t fair it like girls playing with cars it’s not a boys toy it’s just a toy no gender nothing it just a toy

[@krazykittymatt]

It's so crazy, because I remember crying because of how badly I wanted a Pocahontas and John Smith doll from a department store and was so scared to ask my mom. But my mom said it was okay and even the lady who checked me out said that boys can play with anything they want. This was when the movie came out, and I wish I had the toys I had then, but now I'm a doll collector too.

[@NenadlPopovic]

I was a 90s boy too, thats why I love your channel cuz we are so similar. I grew up in Serbia, then torn-apart-by-war ex Yugoslavia, pressure on boys to be interested in cars & army was more harsh than anywhere else. Still, from the day I knew for myself, I loved dolls way more than boys stuff. Especially fairytale & fantasy.... My parents were supportive (my dad even more than mom) but at the age of 4 (basically toddler) I noticed odd things. Neighbors, relatives & other kids started to mock me. I didn't know anything about lgbt+, neither who I am attracted too, I only heard word "faggot" which was the most offensive adjective back then. Constant feeling I would have was shame - but I surpassed it. I didn't want to feel it - but I had to hide, cuz otherwise I would get beaten by bullies. As school started, things got worse & worse each day and to this date 12 yrs of schooling were most traumatizing for me. I only had 2 girls who would play with me, as most of time I was playing alone. A top of that, my parents were poor, so I didn't even have much dolls, mostly bootleg or paper ones... still I had sticker albums & nothing stopped me from dreaming that one day I will own all Barbies out there. My top 3 dreams were Jewel Hair, Songbird & Bubbling Mermaid As an adult, I finally got almost all dolls I wanted as a kid + I became lgbt activist. I will never stop fighting homophobia & femiphobia, until we reach gender-neutrality all across the globe & defeat toxic masculinity forever.

[@jach2811]

So do you want to eliminate all genders in the world?

[@NicolasPetrosLanning]

And also defeat toxic femininity

[@PrincessPowerranger]

sending you so much love and light, thank you for sharing your story

[@Wishfull171]

Hurt a lot hearing this but do touching, I’m embarrassed to admit even as a woman I had these hobbies as an adult to avoid judgement. I can’t imagine being a man. We might be far, but know someone on the world wish they could see your whole collection ❤

[@FrenkTheJoy]

You showed more genuine emotion in this 16 minute video than dozens of youtubers have shown in their combined several hours' worth of apology videos.

[@KateChanOfficialChannel]

Indeed😢😢😢

[@KateChanOfficialChannel]

But otherwise, you have 69 likes 😏🤣

[@BarbaraHaggerty]

When you said that I’m not weird for collecting dolls that hit me right in the heart and brought me to tears. Thank you for putting out this video for me and everyone else who share similar stories. These were words I had to hear.

[@nessierey6721]

Same

[@myyoutube3022]

One thing good about the internet is that it’s normalized having hobbies, interests and collections that are outside of the typical things like watching and playing sports. Growing up where I lived you were ridiculed if you were passionate or interested in anything it her than football or cheerleading. From what I’ve seen from my nephews, kids today find it cool when someone has a hobby like playing video games or being in theater productions.

[@myyoutube3022]

So there’s hope. For example, I’m subscribed to this channel even though I don’t own or collect dolls. I just find it interesting to hear someone describe something that they’re so passionate about. It makes me see the appeal to doll collecting even though it’s not for me.

[@AlfredSurenyan]

There is nothing weird about collecting dolls. I really was happy to see this video too, because I share the same experience as a child in the 70s. Sadly, it didn't end by the 90s or even to this day. I have a client who said to me "My 3. year old daughter is not interested in girly toys. I give her dolls and she ignores them. What does this mean? Is there something wrong with my daughter?" I replied "She does not seem to like dolls. Let her play with what she likes."

[@jonah3334]

Im 25 straight married and a massive doll collector. Im so happy that my parents were so supportive and my wife as well. Your story literally made me cry. Its so sad that toys even these days are so gender oriented. The reason I liked barbie dolls as boy was they were more realistic than boys toys like action man or gi joe or heman. I sometimes bought some of them only to put their clothes on ken dolls.

[@AlfredSurenyan]

I liked both Ken and GI Joe. I think I made Ken and GI Joe buddies, but I also had the Donny and Marie dolls and a few others. I mixed them with my Six Million Dollar Man and Bionic Woman. yes I just gave away my age LOL

[@cherryr9285]

I'm a 25 year old trans guy, and sometimes it's really hard to ignore the social shaming that comes with being an adult doll collector. I've had my dolls and toys ever since I was a child, and all through primary and highschool I was bullied for enjoying dolls, or bringing my ponies to school with me, even when I didn't present as masculine. I adore dolls, I love them and they make me so happy, I have hundreds of G1 - G3 my little ponies, both from when I was a kid and recent purchases, and I've recently started collecting LOL OMGs... but sometimes I still get a twinge of shame, that I need to "grow up" or stop "wasting my money" on dolls... but I realised that it's not a waste if it makes me happy, and a lot of those words come from other people, and not my feelings at all. it's hard sometimes to remind myself of that, but the happiness I get from adding a new doll to my collection makes those mean voices go away 💖

[@Cesares_Atelier]

Hello! I am also a trans guy doll collector! I constantly accused for being not manly enough and “why you play with dolls if you transitioned to male”. 😑 But I am lucky I have few friends who collect dolls as me.

[@kumachan9311]

My Mum used to say "She rather I spent my money on stuff than waste it on Cigarettes and alcohol"

[@oliverhummel156]

Hang in there, Cherry. I am the vice president of a women of transgender clothing bank in NYC. Of course your dolls help. However there are people who care as well.

[@federicatrevisan3767]

Hey darling you are fab the way you are, don't let anyone to say otherwise!💝 Furthermore I think that you're brave and have the right attitude about this thing. Especially since life is already hard enough the way it is, and if we are so lucky to find something that make us happy (whereas others people can't even reach that solace) why being ashamed of it indeed?!🤗🍀

[@cherryr9285]

@@oliverhummel156 thank you so much, that's such an amazing service that you do :') thank you for helping keep NYC trans women safe and clothed. fortunately, I have found a very supportive boyfriend and best friend (who are both also transgender), and they encourage my collection and even collect dolls too! it's so nice to finally have people in my life who understand, and don't think it's weird for me to enjoy the things I love to do 🥺

[@parvulocc]

As a boy who collects dolls, this video just fills in an empty space in my heart this video is just very special to me😊

[@daydream6606]

You’re parents are the sweetest and shout out for your dad for getting his 5 year old son a doll, that story gave me hope, he’s an amazing father. Thank you for sharing this lovely story. By the way, you have the cutest childhood pictures… and the video at the beginning was so wholesome ♥️♥️

[@BeautyInsideABox]

Thank you for the kind words. I’m gonna tell my parents you said that. They’ll be very pleased. Thanks for watching

[@LeeDee5]

We still have long ways to go but I think it's wonderful that we've reached a level where men in particular can talk about dolls and post about them on social media, and still have hundreds and thousands of followers that understand and love dolls as well. This is also when I leave a review on Amazon and other places about a doll I always write things like "this is a great doll for any child". Instead of writing "this is a great doll for little girls".

[@rodrigosurget3305]

I really love people who don't refer to Barbie for a female audience.

[@kumachan9311]

I loved that Moshino Barbie advert they did a few years ago, with a Boy in it playing too

[@janedrysdale5200]

Joey, your post has broken my heart. I'm a community education worker and ally. I started an lgbt group 11 years ago called The Glitter Cannons and also introduced the third Pride in Scotland, after Edinburgh and Glasgow. Every day I advocate for young people like you, lonely, excluded and bullied. We have such a great bunch of young people come to our groups and I've shown them a few of your doll videos. I will certainly show this video too. You are an inspiration, and living proof that it DOES get better. Also, I've started collecting dolls and your fabulous videos have cost me a fortune! Much love to you and your amazing family. Jane xxx

[@purplepancakes620]

You are such a beautiful human being Jane. As a gay person, seeing you stand up for young people and give them a home when they may not have a stable one is such an amazing thing. 💙

[@BeautyInsideABox]

That’s absolutely amazing! Your work with young people and the lgbt+ community sounds incredibly inspiring and powerful! I would have loved to have a group like that as a child. I’m so glad that you enjoy my videos and show them at your group meetings! Thank you so much for watching and supporting! ❤️❤️❤️

[@chloesweeney6016]

Gosh even as a little girl bringing my dolls into school whenever I was allowed I would get laughed at and everyone would go to grab the doll and try to play with it, take her clothes and shoes off too! I was very protective of my dolls! I must've been about 8. So I can only imagine as a young boy how much you had to deal with growing up. So proud of you for just being yourself Joey!

[@lauriegentry7764]

It seems like childhood pain never leaves one. And, whatever made that child happy, still brings comfort and happiness to the adult.

[@arianafox365]

As someone who is LGBTQ and has struggled with bullying, thank you for telling your story! You’re beautiful

[@SisterWomen]

I heard you tell about your mom in the last video. Later I watched a video of you opening a Little Mermaid collector doll with your mom filming and I just wept because I knew the journey your mom had made from not being supportive to holding the camera. It just floored me. I wish every parent who has misgivings about supporting their child could experience her change of heart. And just see how support and belief in someone, especially by a guardian, means so much in this world. I admire and respect you so much, Joey. Xoxo.

[@wdbreezy]

I’m in my sixties and still remember wanting a mini bike more than anything in the world when I was in fifth or sixth grade. I’d dream about riding a mini bike, although I never had. I distinctly remember my parents saying mini bikes were for boys, which I didn’t understand because a girl in the neighborhood had one. Riding Harley Davidsons as an adult was probably a revenge of sorts. ☺️ I was a soap maker for seven years. I was laughed at with an eye roll once and asked if I was a witch stirring a cauldron of soap despite having product in a local art gallery. My point is there will always be something that others will criticize or just not understand. The older you get the easier it is to not care and just do what brings joy. Hugs to your family and to you, Joey.

[@kseniyamorein5481]

Dear Joey, you were describing yourself as a "flamboyant" boy with "long hair" as a negative factor during secondary school days and I felt like "O. My. Goodness. Such a gorgeous, handsome young man!!! I would adore you!":) You ARE amazing, handsome person. Such big eyes and beatiful voice. Be proud of yourself, outer beauty in most of cases is reflection of inner uniqueness. Thanks A LOT for sincerity and sharing. You ARE inspiring one. ✨

[@danielledejong710]

So good that your parents bought barbies for you. So much respect for you, that you do what you love and don't listen what other people expect from you. Love this video. Thank you so much for your open heart story. I hope it inspires a lot of people to do what they love.

[@enochnox7852]

I am 25, and I'm a girl. I started my collection at 20. My mother does not like that I spend my money in dolls because I'm not a child anymore so I have to hide them from her and my friends. But they make me happy, It's a coping mechanism, I know. But I felt so lonely, and they help me a lot

[@juliav.mcclelland2415]

I'm so glad that every time you show us your dolls, they're not in the box. Toys want to play, not be trapped in a box or case for eternity.

[@mtblaho]

This video needs to be shared with so many people. It is such a beautiful empowering story.

[@The_dimple_girl_]

Children are cruel joey when they don't understand what they don't know. The problem is when adults dont adress this cruelty and let it continue. It's so great that you continued your passion

[@rodrigosurget3305]

When I was a child I loved Barbie and I remember how much I watched her movies (especially "princess school" and "Fashion Fairytale") played with my sister's Barbies because they gave them to her (although she didn't even like them) and I was happy but now I can have my own Barbies and that makes me happier. In December I finally got my Cool Blue Barbie and I have never been so happy.

[@caitlinpenny7412]

As a not terribly traditional woman who was relentlessly bullied as a child for not being feminine enough I completely understand everything you’ve been through. Im glad you have been able to surround yourself with supportive people who like you for yourself! It really makes all the difference.

[@rose5602]

I can't say that I was ever judged for playing with barbies based on my gender, but my age. I have to keep it a secret from literally everyone, or they see me as an incompetent, lazy, wannabe child instead of living life as an adult. It takes a lot to hide a huge part of your life, so that I understand. Although I've never dealt with gender bias based on barbies, my brother for sure has and I had to keep it a secret for years that we used to play together. We were very close in age, so we did everything together. So we played pirate Legos, cars and racetracks, dolls, down to barbies and we weren't really used to boy or girl toys, we just played with whatever. Both my brothers are very strong men now and if people know they've played with barbies, they'd be seen differently so I don't say anything but always support and buy things like dolls for them. They are honestly such strong men to be themselves with me.

[@joelfajardo1647]

The opening videoclip's so cute, happy.. and then you introduced yourself like you were in an intervention. Love hearing your story. Sesame Street had a musical segment called 'Guys and Dolls' back in the 80s, already addressing this gender discrimination over toys. It's fun, you might want to watch it. I myself had been bullied over my feminineness when I was very young. You seem to be already a millenial?? You'd think society would have grown.

[@BeautyInsideABox]

I will definitely look up that Sesame Street clip. Thanks so much for watching

[@noahbossier1131]

Exactly

[@dorkinwithdolls1425]

Thanks so much for sharing, Joey!! The clip at the beginning was precious too! When I was a little girl I wanted to have all the army soldiers, tanks, monster trucks etc. because I knew my older brother would play with me. My mom would buy me the Betty spaghetti, really beautiful baby dolls, etc. I didn’t really start loving/collecting dolls until I was supposed to be “growing out” of them. I think I was trying to hang on to my childhood. My mom would say that you should always try to be a kid at heart. I had a baby at 17. My mom passed away two weeks after he was born. My son’s dad thought he had claims to my own money. I had wanted a Lalaloopsy for years. When I went to buy one he started making fun of me, calling me names, telling me that I shouldn’t spend money on that, etc. I was so humiliated. Fast forward a few years, dolls are something I enjoy with my kids (I added a little girl to our family so sometimes I gotta fight to keep them in tact 😆) My husband was the one who suggested I get a lalaloopsy with the re-release. I collect dolls that remind me of the ones my mom would buy for me. I think about how much she loved me to surprise me with pretty things so often. Now, my family is supportive and I proudly show my collection because I think it’s damn cool ☺️

[@laurastitanic]

so relateable on so many levels, I was so introverted as a child & loved Barbie I was bullied in secondary school too and I retreated inwards even more, even as an adult, I find it hard to truly trust a certain type of person (you know the ones with profile photos of themselves about to go on a night out - no judgement but they all fit into that mold) I gravitate to people who just do their own things & are just authentically themselves, I have a small collection of Barbies that I've turned into characters or people I want to have dolls of.

[@ethandemarest3386]

You and I share some very similar childhood moments! I got massively bullied by kids in my elementary school for being flamboyant and “different.” I was fortunate enough to have a nice circle of girlfriends who accepted me and let me play dolls with them as well. Eventually I stopped telling people about my dolls, but I still got bullied for being feminine. I was fortunate enough to go to a more liberal high school, but even then I didn’t really tell many people about my dolls. I really resonated with you when you started getting choked up about feeling alone. I just wanted to reach through the screen and give you a hug ❤️

[@noahbossier1131]

Makes sense

[@denaknox]

Aww I want to go sit with little Joey in school at lunch and be his friend and play dolls. It makes me upset how lonely and sad you were. I’m glad you can share your love of dolls now with the world. 🥰 Edited to add: I love your Grandma!

[@myyoutube3022]

I thought the same thing. We’re the same age and I was thinking it would’ve been nice if we went to school together so I could’ve been his friend. Also I know how he felt, I used to skip lunch because I had no one to sit with. Still to this day I eat lunch alone at work, even though I have friendly coworkers. I’ve just grown to be more comfortable eating alone.

[@08andylee]

I feel you! I was about 17 in 1992! When I was a boy in the late 70's to the mid 80's, I never got a new Barbie at all. I was lucky that I did end up getting some used thrifted 70's Barbies that my older sister who was 10 years older than I was would get for me, but she moved out to Wyoming. But by then I had discovered my cousins' old dolls in the attic so really, I was pretty lucky. Also, I liked playing Star Wars or GI Joe, so I could assimilate. But still, I know where you are coming from. At least you have them now, but I bet like me there are dolls you wanted that are too expensive now. Good thing there is TLC deals. Just thought I would share.

[@08andylee]

Joey you would love living in the eighties as boys where I lived had a wide variety of colors and patterns. My problem was though that I was poor, so I had a very limited wardrobe. Lot of 70's clothes, when 70's clothes were not in fashion.

[@kumachan9311]

@@08andylee Same, I lived in the middle of nowhere too, so even when I could afford 'Cool' stuff it was near impossible to get [Not like now where its just click on the internet and buy]

[@natd2330]

I'm sorry you had to go through what you did as a child (and I'm sure sometimes as an adult too). Our society has some bizarre social norms that effectively don't serve any purpose other than to cause harm to people. Although we are improving on this front, they do still exist and there are many people who are still being bullied and psychologically harmed, so I am deeply grateful to you for sharing your story so that those who are still experiencing this can know that they are not alone and that they are just fine as who they are. In cases like this, it is not you or them that is the problem, it is our society's idea of what is normal and you and they are changing it by being who you are.

[@berticechepyha7728]

Doll collecting is like collecting art. Each doll has unique qualities that are represented in a 3-dimensional way. No one should ever be shamed for doll collecting. It is a harmless way of expressing our love of beauty. Joey, I am so happy that you are who you are. You share your love of dolls and your delightful personality with us when you create your videos. I am in my sixth decade and I collect dolls. I use this now as a way to keep sane as I take care of my 92-year-old mother who has dementia. It is a lonely life, especially during the pandemic. Doll collecting is, as you said, a lot less harmful than other things people can do to navigate challenges in one’s life. I remember a boy in my elementary school who jumped rope and played with the girls. He asked me in high school to be his prom date. I accepted. It wasn’t romantic, but it was a way that we both got to dress up and have a nice time. He got married and had five daughters. The marriage didn’t last. Later in life he married a man and was tremendously happy. I got together with him, his husband, and a group of friends for dinner and a reunion before the pandemic. I am so glad I did. He passed this last year from cancer. He was finally able to come out to the world after a lifetime of pretending. No one should ever be shamed or think they have to pretend to be someone or something they are not. Our time on this earth is too precious.

[@HayleeFox15]

As a 25 year old girl growing up and loving barbies, Bratz, Polly pockets ETC ETC ETC... This made me emotional!!😭😭 feeling lonely & outcasted is a feeling i wouldn't wish on anyone... RECENTLY FOUND YOUR CHANNEL AND HAVE BEEN BINGE WATCHING U SINCE🥰

[@graxis1993]

I can totally relate to this. When things in my life got a little bit sad and a lot of untrustworthy people are around me, dolls helps me to revitalize and rekindle my childhood days. I always felt less sad when I see my dolls everyday.

[@bettinadreier6808]

Sweet Joe! ❤️ Sending love from Denmark. I was also bullied as a kid. Not for the same reasons, but it hurt anyways. I don't understand why people can't just accept other people for who they are regardless of sexuality or color or whatever. I bet your childhood has made you a stronger, deeper and more interesting person... I know mine has. And a lot of empathy. 🤗 Love your channel, one of the reasons simply because you are you. ❤️ Bettina

[@kellysmith8269]

My son is 7 and goes antiquing with me.. loves our doll collection (over 3000) and has his own collection of Victorian doll houses. He Loves dance class, and talks about growing up to be a husband and have a wife all the time. Allowing boys to play with dolls, creates nurturing humans.

[@melimila2173]

I remember even as a girl I was made fun of for liking Barbies. I love the Mattel Disney dolls from the 90’s. After discovering your channel I also started to buy back my dolls from the 90’s. People i care about tell me it’s weird. I love the Superstar face mold and the late 80’s early 90’s Barbies. Thank you for building the community.

[@Olivia-lx5id]

I’m sorry you had to endure so much from being a male doll collector, I’m so glad you stuck with it and became who you are today! When I was a little girl I never liked dolls until way later when I was closer to 8 years old, but my friends always had bratz and myscene dolls galore and we would play with them all the time. (Oh what I would give to have that tote of bratz dolls my friend had!). I naturally grew out of dolls for a while. But then one day I saw the original 2012 limited edition Disney Princess dolls (the SUPER glam ones) and I immediately fell in love, and oddly enough, the first doll I wanted was a disney store Pocahontas because I felt like she was sort of rare and so beautiful. I remember turning around and asking my mom “Can I have this Pocahontas doll?” And my mom thought I was way too old and so she said “I’m not going to buy you dolls, Olivia”. OH but what she did NOT know is that I was very serious about it. I started finding dolls at my local thrift stores and I restore them and keep them in my collection. It is definitely one of my passions and I love my dolls so much. My mom has since come around now that she understands, and she often buys me dolls when she sees them. Barbie and dolls in general also helped me with my sense of femininity in life, which I have always struggled with. I was always told I looked like a boy, I wasn’t girlish enough, and so I always pretended like I didn’t like pink or girly things. Dolls let me embrace that inner femininity and I’ve found I love girly things now. I love your channel, and I love dolls! We will always be your friends! (I don’t mind this being shared although it is long)

[@ReginaTrans_]

I always try not think of all this stuff you just talked about, I don't want to accept it affects me, cause I wanna be strong, but I started crying when you said it's our scape and how dolls can be flamboyant, I don't know why that made me emotional

[@serenecatweather5694]

I haven’t watched the whole video yet, but I just wanted to say that this is the first video where I ended up crying listening to a KZbinr’s life story. When you talked about feeling lonely and suppressing who you were, I felt so much pain. It brings me so much joy seeing you here on YT, able to share your love for dolls so freely and happily! 💕

[@LaBellesGrace]

Oh Joey, the part where you started talking about not wanting to be lonely ever again really strike me to the core and put me back into a place mentally where I can instantly remember that same feeling; kids can be *nasty* and unfortunately there is a lot of people out there that are unhappy within themselves, so when they see another just enjoying life and their passions they feel the need to destroy that just to make themselves feel better. The amount of times I’ve backtracked on myself on not just dolls, but anything I did that was conventionally “of the the norm” because I thought I was doing something that was “morally wrong” to regular people - especially “regular teenagers”. Isolation is the *worst thing* anyone can ever be subjected to: especially when your still a child and trauma can easily stunt their growth. Once you grow up however, you begin to find out that isn’t a “regular” way to exist because *none of us are regular* at all. Some people are just ridiculously good at hiding because they are afraid out discovering their true self; whomever that is. Fear of the unknown is humans’ biggest weakness. I’ve been watching you since I was around fifteen; now I’m almost twenty-one and I just want to say thank *you* Joey for sharing your passions, a huge part of yourself with us and for bringing comfort and a sense of security for a huge range of people. It’s obvious through your videos that you are an incredible soul and you deserve great things to come in life.

[@dollswithhistory3643]

I love your how kind and honest you are in these videos. Doll collector shaming is the main reason I am hesitant to post and show my face online, even though I know showing a human face is better for the algorithm and connecting with people. I want to be more a part of the doll community but I still remember being 16-years-old, going in and out of hospitals with health problems and other kids and my family making fun of me when they somehow found out I still play with dolls.

[@AemiArt]

Thank you for sharing your story! As someone who is a bit younger than you and a girl, the weird faces I got for still buying dolls as a teen and now as a 22-year old were definetly not as bad as what you had to go through. Still I cannot believe how people can get offended or 'feel the right' to insult adult or male-identifying collectors. I luckily also found a group of supportive friends. Thank you for sharing your videos with us, I really enjoy your content! Much love💕

[@wanyasworld8914]

Love your honesty and it is weird that I had a similar childhood as yours when it comes to love of dolls starting at very young age and also the bullying in school. Boys should not be shamed for playing with dolls, being different and flamboyant. I do hope times have changed when it comes to this and every child can just be themselves.

[@dolls_onthego]

Hi Joey, thank you for you beautiful story! I’m a 50 year old woman who collects dolls and trust me it doesn’t matter how old you are sadly even adults bully. I have lost many friends who told me they couldn’t deal with what they called my “ Midlife crisis” but exactly as you said I let those toxic people go because they were never truly my friends. I have an amazing family who supports me & and my IG of daily doll photos. One last thing I’m a mom of 3 and which 2 of are Transgender. My home has always been be yourself and be loved for who you are and what makes you happy and never let anyone change you….be proud…..I’m one one proud Mom and Doll collector 💕🌈

[@meggiemusic9]

I'm 16 and I own sooo many dolls and for YEARS I've hid my obsession with them and they always brought me joy so I always wanted more and I always felt they understood me bcuz they couldn't talk back lol. But then I lost all my friends and I focused more on myself and now I'm more open about my doll collecting and you really do inspire me to keep collecting and being myself. Just knowing there are other people who share the same passion like I do makes me not feel as alone as I was. Because none of my family was really interested in my dolls besides my mom. So tysm for being an inspiration 💗

[@zigzig9938]

I was also bullied in school and know how it is to be weird and alone. Luckily now I have friends, who like me the way I am. Not easy to fit in, when your personality is out of ordinary. 💜

[@marianavarrete5415]

That was such a sweet story and sad. It was the opposite for me I loved playing with boy toys but my family only bought me dolls. I would wait for everyone to be busy and not pay attention to me and I'd sneak to my brother's room and play with this beautiful castle he had with knights and horses,spears, swords and a frigging moat. I would play for hours with his toys while he was in school and made sure to not break them and put them away as I found them. Mind you I was 4 and I still remember those wonderful days. I now collect dolls but I still remember that castle 🥰🥰🥰🥰 thank you for sharing love your Nana btw because she supported what you loved. ❤❤❤

[@sammyclegg]

standing ovation 👏👏👏👏👏 I'm so glad you stuck with it, and you are an inspiration to all those who don't conform to the norm. My daughter had a similar experience in secondary school because she was really into Anime, Marvel and gaming. She and her bf called Joe (boy) would go to comicon events dressed up as their favourite characters, her's was a male character called Erwin. She was bullied and picked on all through school and like you would sit alone at lunch times eating her dinner. As a mother this used to absolutely kill me, it still brings up all sorts of emotions in me. Joe, has been her support since reception class and is into the same things as her so I am so thankful that she has someone to enjoy her hobbies with. Now aged 22 she is still into her hobbies which I am so pleased about because these bullies who target people like her and yourself are scum. She has a massive circle of online friends from all over the world that are all gamers and she enjoys life as much as she can although the experience has left her with bad anxiety which she manages with medication. Thank you so much for sharing your story. I have been a sub for over 3 years and love dolls although I only have a very small collection. Quite happy for you to share my story 😘😘😘. Sending you & your lovely family lots of love.

[@Jessica-ml6td]

I started collecting dolls back in the early 90s, back when Mattel dolls were the best. I stopped collecting when I was a teen. I got back into collecting a few years ago during a time when I was not doing well emotionally. Mostly Barbies, but now I collect Omg and Rainbow High dolls

[@stephaniemcphearghuis2124]

I love 70s,80s and 90s Barbie dolls. I collected ever after high and Bratz. I agree the 90s were better quality by far than the new lines.

[@noahbossier1131]

Nice Makes sense

[@Wishfull171]

I want to recollect monster high so bad but don’t want my partner or others to know. I’ve thought of hiding a secret chest to enjoy them when alone. It’s pretty lame, but I guess I’m still not super brave 😅

[@annecourchesne205]

I am so thankful you shared your childhood stories with us. I was bullied in school cause I was a child that was sexual abused by my father. And by this I was a reserved quiet child and was bullied cause I was different. I dp understand of being mistreated by kids. I played with Barbies until I was 16. But recently started collecting and I am 52. And this brings me joy and happiness. ❤

[@candymonroe3890]

I’m so sorry you were treated this way. I think you are beautiful inside and out. Your videos are the highlight of my day. Keep up the good work!!

[@suzannebeinart4359]

Thanks so much for sharing this very personal story with us. MY younger brother had much the same experience growing up in the 1970s. He only. Played Barbies with me, so no one else knew, but just being gay was hell for him growing up. I remember having to defend him in fights when he was bullied, usually by much older and bigger boys. He moved away out of state as soon as he was old enough. He is happy now with his dogs, and owns his own interior decorating business!

[@aleshaneeeeee]

when you were talking about dolls as a coping mechanism I really felt that. I have PTSD from cancer and that's where I find a lot of my joy right now :)

[@CapitainBeefhartfanO]

Wow thank you Joey for sharing your story about doll collecting, and I can relate to you with this, I feel the loneliness and rejection from others about something you like even it doesn't hurt anyone, because I went through all of that too, and you precisely have inspired me to follow on doll collecting again, on buying dolls I always wanted as a kid but didn't have because as a boy, I wasn't allowed to have them, and having to bought them by my mom in secret from my dad... Your story has empowering me a lot more, as well as so many other male doll collectors, to not feel ashamed because of this! Thank you Joey!

[@doll_dress_swap12]

Thank you for sharing your story! Something I’ve loved about your channel is that it’s given me the opportunity to sort of catch up on learning about some of the older lines of barbies that were in stores when I was younger that I wanted but wasn’t allowed to have. My parents subscribed to very gendered roles, so as a girl I was given many wonderful dolls and feminine toys. It was also normal for my brother and I to pile all our different types of toys together and play with them as a part of our imaginary world together, so it wasn’t that they wouldn’t allow us to play with a range of toys. It was because they had a very conservative view on dress and women in general. Fashion dolls as a whole were seen as a bad influence because they thought that the modern clothing of the dolls were teaching little girls to be sexual and rebellious. Fashion dolls were also just generally slut shamed for having developed bodies. This tied into a much larger area of problematic thinking in the “purity culture” religious subculture I grew up in, which taught me and my female peers that our bodies were inherently tempting to men and something we were responsible to cover up so that we weren’t a “stumbling block that made men / boys lust and sin”. I am still in am ongoing process of learning a healthier mindset and way to view my body that isn’t based in guilt and shame, and collecting the types of dolls I wasn’t allowed as a child though buying modern Barbies, OMGs, Rainbow High etc has been wonderful for that. (No idea if you’ll read all this, but yes I’m fine having my story referenced.) thanks again for sharing your history with dolls and your lovely collection in your content!

[@thegirlleastlikelyto]

This was a very brave video, thank you for sharing your story. 💕 Children are so innocent and authentic and to make them feel ashamed of what they enjoy and play with is horrible. I remember babysitting my neighbour's little boy, he was maybe four, playing with his sister's Disney dolls. I was sat with him playing when his older brother, who was maybe 20 at the time, came home, and told him to stop because it was gay. Which is like so many levels of wrong, because obviously there's nothing wrong with being gay or playing with dolls! And the way the little boy froze and stopped just broke my heart. I always made sure to encourage him to play with whatever he wanted. But I hate that he had that kind of negativity at home. Your videos have encouraged me to restore my old dolls. I get the feeling that my mum thinks I'm a bit childish but this Christmas she gifted me a beautiful OMG doll, I hadn't until that point bought any new dolls, just restoring the old ones saved from my childhood. But that made me feel less embarrassed of my hobby; like your mum, she doesn't really ''get it" but the fact that she was supportive meant a lot. I think these past two years I've felt low, like everyone else, and have been returning to a place of comfort and nostalgia with my childhood dolls. Love your videos! ❤️

[@artchic528]

Joey, I’m glad you found confidence enough to be yourself and have had a supportive family and friends and even boyfriend (and yes, you can use my story in a video if you’d like)! My story has a lot of parallels to yours in that my mom thought dolls weren’t necessarily the most wise thing for me to spend my money on as a teenager and now as an adult. She also kept on telling me that I really should have “outgrown” this a long time ago. I even went through my teenage years super lonely and in high school I wound up either spending my lunch time in the school library or eating lunch by myself in a bathroom stall (gross, I know). I was very depressed and even had suicidal thoughts. However, I got the help I needed and am now collecting dolls again, despite how much my mom frowns upon it as “frivolous” and “childish”. I even have a great boyfriend whom I live with now in our own apartment and have even gotten back my favorite childhood Barbie, Brunette Totally Hair Barbie, from eBay (NIB of course)! The only difference between our stories besides you being in the UK and Myself being in the US is that I’m a cisgender female, but now a days that’s really becoming less and less relevant in collecting circles.

[@BrittnyShrub]

I'm so glad you made it through that lonely time in school. It honestly makes me want to buy a Bratz doll as a thank you for being there for you with their music. Your channel brings me so much joy. You sharing your perspective on dolls is so much fun. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@laurieepstein453]

I just started collecting dolls for the first time last year during the pandemic (I’m 24 years old). It never really struck me as a “weird” hobby since a friend of mine has a small collection and I had been aware of the doll collecting community for years. But then when I bought my first doll last year, I got some weird reactions from people. I knew that it was quirky but I didn’t think it’d be something that people considered “off”. So I’m still sort of struggling with not being embarrassed by it. Like I’m still hesitant to tell people about cuz I don’t know how they’ll react. Sometimes people totally get it and are aware that the adult doll collecting community is large and diverse. But sometimes I can just see people judging me. I try to make fun of myself for it but I don’t want to feel like I have to.

[@karenmcgoldrick1562]

Thank you for sharing your journey with us. I’m similar in my being a girl collecting Star Wars, always felt left out and not always accepted. So I eventually turned to Barbie, she could still go on Space Adventures with my Princess Leia doll 😉 Just know your tribe is always here for you, big hugs from K in Aust

[@viktorkouverthie2456]

You’re so lucky, I played with my cousins Barbies Once and I got beat up by my uncle. And screamed at by my parents. So now I’m 40 and I have dolls all over my house

[@christopheralex6471]

I had so much anxiety at 11:20 I thought they were going to be gone! 😂 also thank you so much for opening to us. It was so touching and heartbreaking to hear that you were alone at the fire escape. I really felt that ❤ I love your videos and really feels like someone to talk to as I don’t have any friends who collect fashion dolls 😢

[@rougeakane]

I remember once when I was little, I begged my mum for the transforming Elina doll from Mermadia. She was like “sweetie it’s $40, and you’ll forget about it in a week!” Eventually she relented and bought it for a birthday gift… Over a decade later she is still one of my favourites in my collection 😏💅

[@Ashholey]

Your mom was probably worried about how others would treat you .She was more likely thinking she was protecting you..Your doll collecting is perfectly healthy..Its like reading, writing ..drawing..watching movies being into anything..Its a shame people judge wha t they dont understand..if your hpbby was reading and you spent your money on that most parents would encourage that..Or if you drew and spent money on art supplies ..most would be accepting.. Who cares what you do with your time and money if youre supporting yourself..Its a healthy way of dealing with the stress,anxiety and depression we all face being human..I love you found a healthy coping mechanism..That seems to be helping you flourish as an adult.. Im proud of you for not turning to drugs and alchohol..For staying true to yourself and not compromising who you are because others dont understand..I 100 percent support you ..

[@Wizard608]

You have a very relatable story! When I was a toddler, I remembered my mother letting me play with my sister's dolls, and the three of us would play together. When my mother passed away when I was 4, the approval for me to play with dolls died with her. After she passed, and as I got a little older (5 years old going forward), I tried to play with dolls again. However, that was also the same time when society started judging me for wanting to play with dolls. Can you imagine that? Society begins to judge you as early as 5 years old. Anyways, so I attempted to play with dolls again (in memory of my late mother), however, people began to ridicule me about it and discourage me to play with dolls and toys labelled as "for girls" because of the gender norms back then (yes I grew up at the time when society was still conforming towards cars being for boys and dolls being for girls). I even remembered attempting to play with dolls with the girls in our neighborhood, and the adults made fun of me for holding a Barbie on my hand. That same time, I also developed a love for Disney Princesses, and I remembered wanting to buy a Snow White paper doll book, and I remembered the saleslady telling me and my dad that I wasn't allowed to buy that because "it's for girls". Just to add a little more info, my dad (and my family) was accepting and okay with what I like, but society itself back in the day was not. When the gender norms got into me, I stopped playing with dolls at the age of 9 and got more invested in superheroes (Spider-Man, Justice League, etc.) However, as I got older (age 15), I have come to accept myself for who I am. I have also come to realize that I can like both Princesses and Superheroes and there's nothing wrong with that. Luckily, around the time, society was also changing their perspective towards toys and gender roles. And then when I turned 17, and finally got the opportunity to handle my own money, I began buying dolls again (Disney Princess dolls to be specific, because it's ALWAYS been my dream to have a Disney Princess doll collection). I bought the early Disney Princess dolls made by Hasbro and was fortunate enough to complete them. I'm proud of my Hasbro collection, but I knew that I wanted to collect more dolls. When the pandemic happened, I was tempted to buy Disney Store dolls. Although I didn't see any reason to actually buy them (because my mindset was 'I already have a Snow White doll, why do I need to buy another one?'). But then, Disney announced that they were selling dolls of the unofficial Disney Princesses (Wendy, Megara, Alice, etc.). When they announced that, I was finally convinced to collect Disney Store dolls, and it finally came to my senses that it's okay to buy another type of doll of the same character. Right now, I'm still completing my collection, and I'm happy and proud that I'm doing it. Anyways, this is my doll collection story! Thank you for sharing yours! It's so inspiring!

[@swagbeast7463]

I find that dolls help me in a similar way that they have helped you, they are such a great escape from life, something about their extravagant outfits and hair, the fantasy worlds they live in and the fact that they are just so CAMP always makes me feel better about life. I don't think I've ever not collected dolls, even as a child I treated my dolls like a collection - I was obsessed with maintaining their hair and outfits, and I'd make booklets where I wrote down their names and characteristics and drew a picture of them! When I was around 13 I decided I was too old to collect dolls and put them all away. That was right when I started really struggling with my mental health. Once I was around 17 I finally realised it was no point banning myself from something I love. I feel like going back to my dolls and connecting with my childhood self has really helped with my mental health. It kinda feels like a full circle moment for me. Most people I know think it's a pointless hobby, but dolls are so much more than that to me, I swear they are like my guardian angels or something.

[@carlabeaton3637]

I love that you just kept on being true to yourself despite the bullying- small minded people and I'm glad that you're strong enough to live your life how you want

[@Starbuckv]

Joey - this made me wanna cry seeing you getting emotional speaking about the bullying you went through as a child - the way this teacher behaved was horrible and just darn right ignorant - It really hit home with me as I was severely bullied at primary school all the way through to high school - I’m just a little older than what you are - I’m from Scotland and most of my friends don’t get why at 34 years old I collect dolls and I was feeling alienated until I came across your dolls channel as I’m finding it difficult to locate British doll collectors on KZbin and Instagram - but my doll collecting has been part of my journey too and something about my doll collecting resonates with my childhood, the fond memories I have playing with my barbies at my grandpas house the place I felt most safe - when I’m down that’s when I also tend to buy more dolls - but you truly are a great inspiration to the male doll community keep inspiring all of us doll collectors around the world 💜x

[@MrEEZ-ix6bj]

As a male doll collector myself, i can relate to you. Since playing with "feminine toys" are out of the norm, we do face a lot of criticism and gender stereotype with really bothers me and I hope we can have closure. I was so inspired by your channel to feel more confident and I made new friends thanks to you. I started doll collecting when I saw my aunt giving my sister a barbie doll and i felt so obsessed with that doll but im so shy of telling my aunt that i want to own it. Fast forward a couple of years, thanks to the support of my friends and family, I feel confident that I am a male doll collector. (Sory for mah Bad English 😉)

[@redwhite9832]

As a 24 yr old BiGender Doll collector (ID's as male and female) who was born male, I've had a mostly smooth experince with my doll collecting hobby. I have one or 2 very specific Doll related memories as a young kid that kinda stuck with me, and that along with various other factors like seeing my cousins dolls whenever I was at their place and the barrage of doll commercials on TV Led me to eventually wanna play with collect dolls by the time I was in middle school. I found my moms old beat up 70s barbies, played with those in secret, then they found out and were ok with it... for about a months. Then it was back to it being secret until 2013 when I got caught and the dolls were gone. A few months later I started buying my own dolls and never looking back, again keeping it secret until I eventually made a separate secret twitter account to talk about dolls, and eventually coming out about it to my Friends on twitter and making that account not secret anymore. Pretty much from that point forward every single person in my life (Except my parents still) has been accepting of it, some like my girlfriend think it's pretty cool. Now I have a ton of friends on Twitter and Discord I've met through doll collecting and it makes he happy to have friends who have the same hobby as me.

[@Iroh12345]

Beautiful story Joey, thank you for sharing

[@nikitanewman2401]

Wow this was so emotional for me to watch, I was also bullied in high school for being different, I had was overweight and suffered from severe eczema. The kids call me “flaky” or “scratchy” due to my skin. Your strength is so inspiring. Keep up the great work.

[@lynne99]

I was born in the 90's as well and Barbie was my best friend growing up. As a young child I became very self-conscious over things that I couldn't control. I would get bullied constantly for what I wore and how I looked and it felt so unfair because I felt like I was the only one getting picked on, esp because I'd try to be so nice to everyone. So naturally you isolate yourself and having my dolls and especially Barbie made me feel less lonely. loved my dolls and I learned how to sew because I wanted to make clothes for her and her doll friends, my grandma was really impressed with what I could do and got me a sewing kit and fabric and taught me how to make dresses and I'll never forget how happy I was doing that with her and I miss it a lot. I was in 5th grade when someone my sister had over came into my room and said "ugh! aren't you to old for dolls?... That's really embarrassing" and it made me so upset. It made me think that I was too old then and I didn't want to be made fun of for still enjoying dolls. That weekend I donated them thinking it was what was supposed to happen and I regret it. Many years later I had some difficult things going on in my life and I started watching doll collectors on KZbin and it sparked an interest. The dolls I have now bring me a lot of comfort and joy and it brings me back to a time where I was happy and the rest of the world didn't matter because I had my corner of the room at my grandma's house. I started collecting about 3 years ago and I don't regret a second of it because I have a supporting boyfriend and I've met so many amazing people as well. 💕 (The dolls I had was the nutcracker barbie, rapunzel, mermaid Barbie and chrissy, and a standard ballerina doll. I'm working hard trying to get them back into my life lol)

[@tynaverhoeff5124]

Thank you for this touching video.. love your mom and grandma for buying you dolls!! As a female my story is so much easier, but I could never put my dolls away.... Studying fashion gave me the boost to collect and I even wrote a graduation paper about Barbie's fashion history!! Stay as awesome as you are xxx

[@sigruneva9189]

i really needed to hear this. (sorry for any selling errors). as a girl i was accepted to be playing whit dolls up until i was 10 but after that i had some difficulty in my life. i had always been bullied alot and i moved alot as a kid because my parents devorsed and in every school i was bulled and i never had any friends (u r not alone Joey

[@Wishfull171]

Thank you for sharing this. I just found your channel and also started with acting out Pocohauntas, the mermaid dolls were my favorite, etc. I’m a woman, but my brother and I were so close and I wanted someone to play with and I remember my mom yelling or getting me in trouble anytime I’d try to play dolls with him or put play make up on him etc. I remember well how much even adults were so judgmental and harsh over something like a kid playing with a doll… it’s so sad. I still know adults that think this way and I tell them proudly that if my son wants a mermaid Barbie he can have one and honestly I’d be excited that he loves them 😂 So glad you never let the world form you and fully enjoying your love of your hobby well into adulthood now. I love your content, at 28 they bring me the giddy happiness I had growing up. And embarrassingly I’ve considered maybe starting a little collection, but secretly…🤦🏻‍♀️ I guess I still care what others think. For years no one knows I still rewatch Barbie or other related movies a lot… Maybe finding channels like this can help me not feel Shane for what I enjoy ❤ Thank you 🌸

[@DJMaddzzz]

I love this video!!! I hope everyone who is self conscious about any of their interests find group of people who support them and don’t put them down. Having interests makes you interesting! If someone puts you down for liking something then they’re not worth your time.

[@bambiplantz202]

I had over 2000 barbies from 1987 into the 2000s ,dream house, salon, pet store, laundry mat, grocery store. The expensive dance and twirl barbie. But we kept moving from one bad living situation to another and my step dad keep complaining about moving my stuff. So my mom burned my doll house and gave everything to his sister kids which later i found out destroyed everything. Still to this day i get so upset when i see the now vintage barbies and playsets i used to have. And how i could never aford to buy it all again.

[@lajasnjohu5264]

I bought my son a Ken doll when he was 2. My other son got a baby doll when he was 2 1/2. He tried to breastfeed it. I got a picture. So cute. I got warned by older generations that I'd make my son's into those "gay boys". If that's the worst thing they become, I'd say I nailed this parenting gig! Those boys are 12 and 10, and will happily play dolls with their little sisters (Mr. 12 a little less now. He has video games), I've even caught them continuing to watch Barbie or MLP on TV after their sisters have gone. They include their sisters in playing video games with them, as well. They fight, but they also work together and I like to think it's because there was never a split with toys. I never said No you can't play with Barbie, play with your Hot Wheels, or vice versa with my girls (they played with Hot Wheels, watched Star Wars, Thomas, etc ...) I would have made you my best friend lol I get the boys clothes being limited. My oldest LOVES cats, but there's never cats in boys clothes so I picked him up a Xmas shirt with a cat on it. He was so chuffed until my in laws made a big deal about it being from the girls section. I was so annoyed. He changed his shirt looking upset. It was just a white shirt, with a lined cat wrapped in Xmas lights with Meowy Christmas on it. Gender neutral as far as I'm concerned. Some people are so narrow minded.

[@kkuudandere]

Honestly, the fact that your son tried to breastfeed the doll is incredibly sweet. He clearly recognized that that's a way for adults to feed and bond with a baby, from somewhere in his life. He was just trying to take care of a baby🥺 Granted, he'd have to learn about how that physically works lol😅 But obviously his heart was in the right place!

[@juliecrawford9457]

I too, like you, got rid of all of the amazing Barbie’s I had as a kid. I hugely regretted it as I have come to realize how wonderfully they were made compared to how Barbie is now a days. I started buying back all the classic Disney Princess dolls I had. It felt amazing to have them back. When the pandemic hit in 2020 I was bored and needed a hobby. Many people in my neighborhood would leave old toys out on the curb for others to have. I began to find Barbies from the 80s and 90s that needed to be restored. I made it my hobby and began selling them on Mercari for some extra income. Doing that has opened my world to the doll community of collectors that exists and I had no idea! It’s so great to connect with other collectors. I currently have about 60 dolls in my collection. It’s something I hope to pass down to my daughter. She loves playing with Barbie and is 4. I love your channel and connect so well with all the dolls you love- as I love many of the same. Feel free to share my story!

[@seanbaby7796]

The fact that you shared your story to your viewers is just really sweet

[@bizarrelovesquare]

I only found your channel today, but I really like your personality and how genuine your videos feel. It’s like listening to a friend talk. I’m a girl, so of course my struggles as a doll collector aren’t on the same scale, but I relate to that struggle of being ostracized once you get to middle/secondary school. My school friends grew out of dolls, so I ended up bonding with my younger neighbors and my little sister’s friends at that time because they still liked dolls. Throughout middle and high school, I kept it to myself that I collect dolls, but it was still obvious that there were things about me that made me not fit in with my classmates. I was quiet, I dressed more colorful and crazy than other people, and I wasn’t into boys (reached adulthood to find out that I never would be either 😅). I didn’t gain confidence to be open about my doll hobby outside of family until my 20s-in 2019 I discovered that a nearby small city hosts an annual doll convention, and I went and was the youngest person there by far! Everyone else was old ladies and a few middle aged gay guys, and it was such a welcoming environment. After that, I just didn’t care if anyone had anything negative to say. There are so many people like us who were/are in hiding, and I’m glad we’re where we are today. Thanks for sharing your story 💕

[@samannwrap]

Thank you for sharing your story! I rediscovered doll collecting about two years ago and I’m so glad I found this wonderful community who share my passion for dolls!

[@zoe.3166]

When he was explaining the summer with his grandma. Hit me hard, he seems so emotional.

[@estellecent1745]

Dear Joey, first of all let me tell you how much I love your channel and the fact that it is a doll-collecting channel for adults! Being a doll collector myself, it was quite an exciting surprise to discover that there are more people out there who share the same passion with me. In fact, I remember watching your videos with my mom last October and my mom being all "Look how tidy and organized this boy is! You should put your dolls in boxes like that too", since most of my dolls are currently in my bookshelves and she is concerned about them getting dusty. And honestly, I think you have offered me quite a solution for this matter! As for my story with dolls, well, they have always been some of my favorite toys and being able to play with them and imagine all kinds of stories meant so much to me back then when I was little, as it means so much to me now. However, things didn't go that well around the age of 11 when I was in the sixth grade of primary school. You know, it's that time when kids start to think that they got old and they should stop doing "childish" things. So, one day I brought one of my dolls with me at school, you know, just to have her with me in my bag and one of the other kids saw her and started making fun of me. And all the other girls (who BTW both loved to play with dolls until one year ago, but now they were all about teen magazines, makeup and stuff) thought it was silly of me to still love dolls. Things got even worse in junior high school, since I was bullied because of my visual impairment and although I tried, I just couldn't fit in with my fellow students. I think it was around that time when I realized that I had grown more attached to my dolls than ever before, because, as I think about it now, they represented a happier time for me, all of my fond memories and the way I viewed the world when I was younger and it was okay to be a kid among other kids. I remember vividly when I went to toy shops to buy new dolls I was like "Oh my God, all the people who work here are going to give me weird looks and think I'm too old to buy dolls" and I always had a backup plan to tell the employees that I came to shop for my sick little sister, if they happen to ask, hahaha! Thankfully, those days are over now and I'm no longer ashamed to be a doll collector! It's one of the parts of my personality that make me who I am and I'm one of a kind, so are you, so is everyone else in this world! Thank you so much for sharing your story and thank you so much for reading mine too! Love from Greece!

[@BeautyInsideABox]

Thank you for this lovely message! I remember telling people in the shop I was shopping for my little sister too lol. You’re amazing just the way you are! ❤️

[@flyerthantheg6]

I remembered when I was a boy I always felt embarrassed getting up the line to the cashier with my Bratz dolls.

[@jordanjohncarloj.8878]

Your a big inspiration to me growing up, I started watching you way back then when I was 2nd year high school and up until now I'm college, you're chanel makes me feel that my doll collecting is not odd as a "boy", even though my doll addiction is starting to slow down since I almost got all of my holy grail dolls I always love to discuss doll shinanigans with you and everyone in our community!! 💖✨

[@harrypotterchannell]

When you said that I'm not weird by being a doll Collector you made me feel better . I'm a doll Collector , i love dolls but I'm afraid to tell that to my friends that i make in the university this year . When i was younger i got bullyied a lot about everything not only dolls . So i don't know if i should keep it a secret or talk to my friends 🥺❤️

[@toykeyper8914]

I really enjoyed the story of your doll collecting and would love a follow up video! The story of how I got into collecting isn't as interesting but you are welcome to share it if you would like. As a kid I always loved toys, even more than the average kid I would say. I am a 1980s kid and loved my Barbies, Lady Lovely Locks and all my other millions of toys. I got older of course and had little interest in dolls for many years. Unfortunately I also became an alcoholic, and that lasted well over a decade until I got into some trouble with the law that forced me to get sober. That is when I rediscovered my love of toys and dolls. On a whim I bought a stuffed animal on Ebay that I used to have as a kid. Opening the package and holding something from my childhood brought out such a wonderful feeling and great memories that I wanted more. I kind of replaced my alcohol addiction with my doll/toys addiction. I began collecting all the toys and dolls I had or didn't have and wanted back than as well as some doll and Barbies from different eras. Like you said, there are worse vices to have than collecting dolls :)

[@No_Direction-99]

When I was a little kid, way before I realized I’m transgender, I always wanted the boy toys at McDonald’s but I was too afraid to ask. It was the very early 2000s. Like 2003. Videos like this are an important reminder that it’s okay to be yourself. That’s a reminder I need often. So thank you. You can mention this comment in a video if you want to. I don’t mind :)

[@oliverhummel156]

Joey, thank you for taking up the mantle and moving forward to support future generations of people who are not conformist to outdated norms. You are brave. In my heart and mind, there seems to be a million queer related stories to tell. I will share one. I was born in the early '50s. When I was five, I wanted a bride doll. That is the backdrop for the rest of my tale. My brother was four years younger and my sister was seven years younger. To this day I thank God for GI Joe. When GI Joe first came out (on the market :) ), my brother and I got the army and navy GI Joes, respectively, for Christmas. We also, respectively, got the GI Joe jeep and GI Joe space capsule. My sister, of course, got Barbie -- along with family dolls and lots of clothes. On the sly, I would take Barbie and GI Joe on "dates" in his jeep. However, the best time I had was putting Barbie in her best evening gown and sending her off to the most elegant party on the Moon in her space capsule! All of this done on the sly. However, by 1976 my parents had built a new home and most of my childhood toys were given away. Somewhere around 1998, I found a GI Joe space capsule at a garage sale. By that time I had been collecting Barbies/dolls for at least seven years. This year I got out the space capsule, put Barbie in her blue metallic evening gown with rhinestone belt and shiny gold shoes to a New Year's Eve party on the Moon. If I had known, I would have invited you to join us. To an old fag like me, you are brave. However, we can both shoot for the Moon! Thank you, Joey, for being you.

[@oliverhummel156]

Yes, you can use my story.

[@itsandrocyber]

8:42 noooooooo don’t cry you beautiful creature ! you’re not alone! Sometimes we just want to step out of society’s stereotypes and be free but guess what? We’re proud of your doll collection! Me growing as a boy I never had that opportunity of playing with dolls I remember sometimes I will hide this doll that I stole from a friend when I was 9 or something! You’re lucky your parents supported you on that!

[@GUAGA0612]

The most empowering video on KZbin

[@ScootDoot1977]

I’m 44 years old, grew up in New Zealand and am the middle of 5 children. I was really fortunate as a child that I had parents and siblings who were fine with me enjoying dolls. I was allowed to have barbies, Jem & the holograms and Sindy along with ponies and masters of the universe. I love seeing other fellow collectors stories. Thanks for sharing yours. I always enjoy your videos x

[@Tylerskcalories]

If you're ever going to do a video on our doll collecting stories, here's one. You can share it. I've enjoyed collecting dolls ever since I was 2. I don't know what it was, but I've always been into more feminine things. I got my first barbie when I was 2, which was also my first doll ever. It was a 2008 Teresa doll. I remember she included 3 outfits, all pink centered. My parents never had a problem with my dolls when I was younger. When I started primary school, I was quite well-liked. I was born in 2006, so times are a bit different now. My primary school had a toybox for when we had indoor recess, and I remember always playing with this one my little pony figurine, and this blonde barbie doll. The majority of my friends were girls, very sweet girls who were always accepting. I remember there were a few boys who bullied me for my dolls, and I don't remember what I did about it. In second grade, I met my best friend (who I am still friends with to this day), and her parents had A LOT of money. It wasn't that much for a city, but in the suburban town I grew up in, her father was probably one of the wealthiest people in town. Because of this, she had a lot of dolls. She would give me barbies and I would come home with a new barbie every 2 weeks or so. This stopped eventually, but she really upsized my doll collection. When I was 11, first year of middle school, my father barged into my room and told me i needed to "Grow the hell up" and he threw away all of my ever after high dolls, all of my monster high dolls, and almost all of my dolls besides for 3 barbies that he forgot about. I kept those barbies, playing with them secretly, until a year later when he found them and threw them away. All of my dolls were gone. The strange thing was, my dad complained about me being on the computer all the time, when I had nothing better to do. When I was 13, that same friend showed me LOL surprise. I fell in love with the dolls, and she gave me a few of them. I brought them home, ran upstairs with my backpack, and took out the dolls she gave me. I played with them for hours. My mom knew about them, but my mom has never had a problem with them. We kept the dolls a secret for a year, and she would buy them for me whenever we went shopping. This really helped me bond with my mom, and I grew out of my "Moody" phase because of this. When my dad found out, he was surprisingly okay with it. Ever since then I have been collecting dolls. I have hundreds of LOL surprise dolls, and my other main interest is rainbow high. That friend and I are still very close, and we are both in love with dolls. I also have a cousin who loves dolls. After watching this video, I feel very lucky to have grown up in the 2000s-2010s. Dolls are much more acceptable for boys, and for older people now. To anyone who read this, have a good day!

[@noahbossier1131]

Nice.

[@glynnisi]

Your parents & Grandma sound amazing. I'm so glad you had their support, especially through the most difficult years. The tears in your voice really made me wish I could give you a hug. And, you're absolutely right that you need to be accepted for who you are in order for a relationship to be real. Keep being your most authentic self. No one else can do that. I've started collecting Barbies again recently. The Barbie movie hype made me look back at my collection as a child (oh, to have that!) and realize how much time my mother spent looking at dolls with me. She passed away at age 97 this Spring and I'm struggling with grief and... who I am without her to look after. Our relationship (like most in her life) wasn't always easy. She was often unhappy and that sometimes resulted in bickering/arguments. I guess what I'm sensing in my early memories is that even though she was unhappy in other areas of her life, she enjoyed pretty dolls and beautiful fashions and got some joy from looking at them with me (and buying them for me, too). Maybe I was her "cover" for her liking dolls as an adult? I grew up in the 1970's and had some hand-me-down 1960's dolls, fashions, etc. from my sister and a family friend, too. I had so many Barbie things that it could be hard to walk in my room (townhouse, fashion shop, Karousel Kitchen, clone brand pool, camper, tent, airplane, corvette, sun fun buggy, etc etc) Regardless of the collection (Christmas ornaments, trading cards, dolls/doll fashions), my favorite aspect has always been personal connection. My fave trading cards are signed by actors I met at conventions and in some cases even had little conversations with. My fave Christmas ornaments remind me of people, family trips, or milestones. And my favorite part of collecting Barbies is when I catch a strand of a long-forgotten memory of my own happiness or my flashes of Mom seeming happy. (You may use this if you wish.)