A woman who
collects lifelike dolls has told how she used to document
faux-pregnancies online by sharing photos of a fake bump - until
internet trolls forced her off social media.
Kathryn
Barnes, from Chicago, who owns ten 'reborn' dolls, would entertain her
Instagram followers with pretend ultrasound photos she'd made using an
editing app, as well as snaps of her expanding 'bump.'
The
21-year-old saw it all as a bit of fun as she excitedly counted down to
each new dolls arrival – but others did not feel the same.
After receiving a torrent of abuse from those who criticised what she was doing, she has now closed her account.
She
said: 'Reborn parents use the term "reborn pregnancy", when they're
expecting a new doll and role-play the "pregnancy" by posting photos
online of tests and hospital rooms where they would go in to 'labour,''
she said.
'This
informs followers that you're expecting a new doll in the post, and it
gets you excited about your new arrival. It makes the waiting process go
quicker.
'I
learned the term when I joined the reborn community on Instagram and I
started posting photos because I decided it was a cool way to let my
followers know I was receiving a reborn.
'However, I no longer have an account due to bullying and harassment. I hope I can have another account in the future.
'People
were private messaging me criticising me and what I was doing. It
confused me as others did it too, but I didn't want a fight so I deleted
my account.'
Kathryn
was inspired to start collecting the lifelike dolls after her
grandmother Marie Romano, bought one on a family holiday back in
2002. Just aged seven at the time, she said she thought the doll was
cute.
The
aspiring learning difficulties teacher started collecting the dolls
herself and in November 2015 she purchased her first doll – a girl named
Sailor – for $500 (£346).
Since then
her collection has grown and her dolls, Harper, Ludovic, Ariel, Xavier,
Gracelynn, Kelly, Gabriela, Owen, Aurora and Jaxson, range from newborns
to three-year-olds.
She also told of how three-month-old twins Aurora and Jaxson have Down Syndrome.
Kathryn
and her wife-to-be Kelly Fitzpatrick, 30, hope to adopt children with
the condition, so she felt it important to have dolls with the Down
Syndrome so that she's able to bring awareness - and also pass the dolls
on to her future children.
Over time,
she has encountered some negative comments from people who thought she
was 'too old for dolls' but, she took these in her stride.
She continued: 'I think anyone should be allowed to collect what makes them happy, no matter what age they are.
'I love my reborn babies. Each one of them brings me joy. My family and fiancée like my dolls and support my hobby.'
Although she
previously documented the dolls' lives online, Kathryn said that, in
real life, she does not take them out in public much, preferring to keep
them at home.
She
continued: 'Once I took Harper to the hospital when I had to visit. I
have a fear of needles so I had her to hold onto in case they needed to
do blood work.
'She's
so lifelike people thought she was the one who needed medical
attention. I would like to take Kelly out too. He's a sleeping reborn
and that makes him look super realistic.'
Kathryn is sharing her story as she would like more people to know about reborns, believing them to be therapeutic.
'A
friend of mine lost her baby four years ago. I told her about reborns
and she now has them, and finds them helpful,' she explained.
'They
helped me overcome depression too. I was bullied at school from the age
of nine to 18, called names and made fun of because of my appearance.
'But my dolls comfort me when I see them. Their smiles ease my pain. People might think my dolls are strange but I adore them.'
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