When I hear the title, it fills me with a little dread as I picture the silicone creations that are full body and face masks to allow alter ego's to act out their fantasy in the everyday world, a 'Mrs Doubtfire' meets 'Hellraiser'.
Last night like most of the UK after a long day, I relaxed in front of my TV and indulged in fiction and also dabbled in some twitter conversations. I noticed that the most popular 'Trend'coming up on my feed was #LivingDoll.
Lots of tweets where suggesting that the Channel 4 Documentary was interesting to say the least. Some where disgusted, some speechless and some just rude about the whole thing.
I decided this was as good a time as any to turn over to Channel 4 and see for myself what all the fuss was about.
The gist of the documentary was that men who have a female alter ego but are too scared to dress as women buy these silicone body suits and face masks to become women and to hide behind in confidence. These are available online and made to measure so to speak. They are near true to form with all the required parts (if you know what I mean!) and are tailored for each individual.
The documentary showed a get together of these individuals at a hotel where they met the creator in person and aired their questions and complaints about the suits and masks. They also dressed up both in the safety and comfort of the Hotel and went to a night club. Needless to say not everyone accepted them and gave them verbal abuse.
My husband and I after the initial open mouthed silence began to discuss our theories on why these individuals felt the need to hide behind these and live a separate often secret life. I have no malice towards anybody's alter ego and would not treat them any differently but cannot understand why they would put themselves through the verbal abuse and hatred. As with most things in human society, all change and difference is frowned upon initially until people get to grips with it and in their own minds come to accept.
We all like a good Drag Act and find it entertaining and have accepted that some people have two sides to them. Yet there is something most people found disturbing about donning a full silicone suit and mask, to become that alter ego in public.
Jokingly my husband announced he would purchase one (or was he?),to which my reply was "If you do, you will end up in the recycling bin".
This amused me for a moment but then I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt that these men had put themselves out there on National television knowing they and their families would be rideculed, and I was doing exactly that!
It in our eyes it is seen as strange and unnatural but, to them it is perfectly acceptable and part of who they are and need to be to live their lives fulfilled.
One of the Males who dressed up frequently was married (to a woman) with 6 children, who all knew about and mostly accepted his separate life. I couldn't help but think, as a parent myself that this had to have some impact on the children growing up.
Where do we draw the line between being completely happy and fulfilled and causing others (family and friends)distress by doing so?
The fact of the matter is that we as a collective race will never come to just accept change and difference, it's not in our conformative make up Bahhhhh!
And this is why there will always be real life documentaries to open our minds or keep them closed!
I would like to take this opportunity to than Ben Hatch(@BenHatch) the Novelist, writer of 'Road to Rouen' and 'Are We Nearly There Yet?' amongst others, for giving me the push I needed to write this and previous blogs. Your a true gent, a thrifty one at that!
Thanks for reading I would love to hear your comments/thoughts on this please!
