Videos of emotionally charged scenes with hyper-realistic baby dolls sparked both fascination and political debate throughout Brazil. ‘Reborn’ dolls, which are meticulously handcrafted to resemble real babies, are popular on social media, with influencers making hit videos featuring birth simulations and trips with the dolls in public areas.
In Rio de Janeiro, the city council has already passed a bill honoring the artists who make these realistic dolls, awaiting a signature from Mayor Eduardo Paes. Meanwhile, legislators across the country debated billing someone with fines for getting medical help to treat the doll after a video circulated showing a woman taking one to a hospital.
In Amazonas, state representative Joao Luiz showed up at the State House with a reborn doll to proclaim plans to prohibit such dolls from being treated in the public health system. She said, “Can we get down to what really matters? If someone wants to have a doll, let them. I have two real children and they’re more than enough work.” Legislators have gone so far as to bring the dolls into the chambers for discussion.
Community and Cultural Impact
The dolls have also earned a devoted following. Dozens of ‘reborn mothers’ met in São Paulo’s Villa Lobos Park for their 10th annual gathering, defending their community against criticism leveled against influencers but not the whole group.
Utilized most commonly as a tool for therapy or practice for parenting, the hyper-realistic dolls serve as emotional aids to many. Berenice Maria, an eight-doll collecting nursing assistant, said, “I love reborns, in spite of the hate we find outside. I want the right to go out with them… go to the mall, go to the park.”
Market and Safety Concerns
Daniela Baccan, who owns a reborn doll store in Campinas, São Paulo, said prices range from 700 reais (USD 124) to close to 10,000 reais (USD 1,800). In spite of increased safety concerns because of the controversy, demand keeps rising. “We’re locking up the store more, installing cameras. But simultaneously, online demand increased, and the store is getting a much larger stream of people,” Baccan said.
The rise in popularity of reborn dolls has elicited a combination of social, emotional, and political reactions that mirror larger debates regarding personal freedom, mental health, and public resources within Brazil.