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People’s feelings may run the gamut, but there’s one thing we can all agree on: the term “doll” is having a moment in pop culture. In April, on the red carpet for the U.K. premiere of the Marvel movie Thunderbolts, the internet’s babygirl Pedro Pascal rocked a white slogan T-shirt that reads, “Protect The Dolls.”
The Last of Us star previously wore the shirt — an offering from queer fashion designer Conner Ives, with all proceeds going to the organization Trans Lifeline — at his star-studded 50th birthday party this March. It wasn’t Pascal’s first time unambiguously supporting trans people, either. Between condemning J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tirades and backing up his younger sister Lux Pascal (a doll herself!), he’s a well-known ally.
Several other celebrities, including Troye Sivan, Lisa Rinna, and Tilda Swinton, have also donned the tee. It’s now become emblematic of the fight to protect trans women during a politically perilous time. As the design continues to make the rounds, let’s break down exactly what the term “doll” means, who can use it, and why the dolls need protection in the first place.
What does “doll” mean, and who can use it?
“Doll” is another word for a trans woman or a transfeminine person that’s commonly used as a term of endearment within trans communities. A doll is typically feminine-presenting or even hyperfeminine, though not strictly. The word’s modern-day popularization is more expansive and can be interpreted solely based on a person’s gender identity. It exclusively refers to people who are transfeminine, but in many cases, it can be used respectfully by people who aren’t transfeminine themselves.
As with many in-group terms, it’s best for outsiders to use “doll” as an expression of support, praise, and affection. (e.g. “Protect the Dolls,” “She is that doll,” etc.)
A University of Kentucky article from 2023 notes that the label plays with the social construction of femininity, which hinges on beauty, spectacle, and a degree of intention — all themes that may resonate with trans women. “This aspirational model of femininity is best summarized by the recurrent ‘doll’ figure,” writes scholar Quinn J. Troia, explaining that the symbol of a doll is “something perfect to be seen and valued for its beauty and intentional construction.”
Though the term can be expansive, its important to note that some trans women and transfeminine people reject the label for themselves or from their lexicon entirely, and for valid reasons. Since it’s often used to describe hyperfeminine trans women — particularly those who've undergone HRT or gender-affirming surgeries — it can be a loaded word for folks who feel like they don’t look feminized enough to qualify as a doll. Sara Andrews, best known for her drag persona Bitter Betty, took to TikTok to explain that trans women in her community use “doll” to refer to one another “because we’re made out of plastic.” While many trans people disagree with transmedicalism — the notion that trans identity only applies if one medically transitions — there are some like Andrews who use the term as an explicit nod to trans women who've had feminizing surgeries.
In a now-deleted Reddit thread, one trans woman explained why the term “doll” makes her uncomfortable. “A doll is a simulacrum. A replica, but not an actual person. An imitation. A toy you dress up and make pretend with,” she wrote. At a time when trans people seek to be humanized, it’s easy to see why a label evoking an inanimate object might not sound so appealing.
TL;DR, if you’re kindly referring to trans women or the transfeminine community as a monolith, you’re probably okay to say “dolls.” It’s not a slur, and it’s widely accepted as affectionate. But if you’re wondering if you can call an individual a doll, it depends on their level of comfort. Pay attention to how they refer to themselves, or better yet, just ask.
When and where did the term “doll” originate?
Like so much terminology that gets tossed around in contemporary LGBTQ+ circles and eventually expands beyond them, “doll” is believed to have originated in the 1980s ballroom scene in New York City. The classic ballroom documentary Paris is Burning helped the world understand just how much Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ people within this community have made a direct impact on culture with minimal credit, be it via terms like “shade,” “fierce,” “reading,” or Madonna’s household hit, “Vogue.”
The ballroom community also introduced the term “Femme Queen,” which, akin to “doll,” refers to trans women participants, so much so that “Femme Queen” became its own category.
Beloved voguer, commentator, and ballroom icon MC Debra differentiates an ordinary “doll” from a “doll baby” in a 2014 vlog video outside of a ballroom venue. The video is perhaps one of the more explicit nuances of what “doll” is, particularly within the ballroom community.
“Doll baby — that means soft, real, fresh,” she said, alluding to a trans woman who is exceptionally feminine. “Doll baby; not doll.”
The Lady Chablis, a trans performer from the 1980s who professionally referred to herself as “The Grand Empress” or “The Doll,” is another notable example from history. Best known for her role in the 1997 movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, in which she played herself, Chablis moved to Savannah, Georgia and was a regular performer in the city’s nightlife scene until her death in 2016.
“‘The Doll’ is my fantasy character, it’s my fun [name]. When I’m dressed up for my shows to entertain, then I’m ‘The Doll,’” she said in a resurfaced interview. “People would comment on the way that I looked as a female, and I liked that. It made me comfortable on the inside. And the one thing I believe in with any human being is that if your soul and your spirit says it’s the right thing, then it’s the right thing.”
How has the term’s usage evolved over time?
Today, “doll” is still popularly used within transfeminine communities, albeit in a wider range of contexts than just ballroom culture. It has infiltrated mainstream LGBTQ+ lingo — and, as proved by the spread of Conner Ives’ shirt, is entering more widespread usage.
RuPaul’s Drag Race trans icon Gia Gunn was quoted by the hilarious drag duo Trixie and Katya on their podcast in 2022 for saying, “At this point, Trix, the dolls are the dolls.” (Commenters speculated over what exactly she meant by “the dolls,” which, in this context, could also refer to established drag artists dominating the space as newer Drag Race contestants try to break through.)
Leading up to Barbie Summer in 2023, trans actress Hari Nef penned a letter to Greta Gerwig and the Barbie team on why she should be cast in the movie, writing, “We [trans women] call ourselves ‘the dolls’ in the face of everything we know we are, never will be, hope to be.” And in March 2025, trans content creator Dylan Mulvaney officially published her memoir Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer. The title tugs on the irony of Mulvaney’s three-dimensional story while playing with the two-dimensional notion of what a paper doll is.
It’s clear: Dolls are everywhere in all contexts — in lingo, in play, and throughout history.
What does it mean to “protect the dolls,” and why is that so important right now?
Popularized by designer Conner Ives’ viral slogan tee, “Protect the Dolls” means to acknowledge the reality of the political climate we are living in, which renders trans women and transfeminine people uniquely vulnerable to discrimination and hate-motivated violence. It’s also a promise for allies — meaning anyone who’s not trans — to play an active role in the fight for trans equality. After all, “life is your creation.”
In April, Ives said in a comment on Instagram that his T-shirt has already raised over $300,000 for Trans Lifeline. As the coveted tee du jour, it has also helped raise awareness for the onslaught of anti-trans policies and animus in the U.S., which has been on the rise for years, accelerating under Donald Trump’s second presidential term.
In January, on his first day back in office, Trump signed a slew of executive orders, one of them upholding a biologically essentialist sex binary, attempting to invalidate and erase gender-expansive communities. Over the next 10 days, he signed more, including orders aimed at gender-affirming care for those under 19, trans military service, and inclusive educational systems. By this March, lawmakers broke yet another year-over-year high record of anti-trans legislation at 850-plus bills introduced or in motion, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker.
The “Protect the Dolls” slogan isn’t figurative. It’s a rally cry. Though the impact of platitudes is limited, all trans people deserve protection, including those who wouldn’t call themselves dolls. (As one TikToker put it, “Now that we figured out how to protect the dolls, who’s going to save the bricks?”) But to see high-profile allies rocking “Protect the Dolls” T-shirts signifies one truth: the road to justice for all trans people continues to gain camaraderie — so much so that your faves will tell it to your face.
What Is a “Doll” and Where Does the Term Come From?
It’s time for a doll check-in. Whether it appears in a content creator’s catchphrase or as part of classic ballroom lingo, the term “doll” contains multitudes for every transgender woman or transfeminine person who chooses whether she wants to use it. Some wear the doll badge with honor. Others refute it, saying, “I’m real! I’m a woman!”People’s feelings may run the gamut, but there’s one thing we can all agree on: the term “doll” is having a moment in pop culture. In April, on the red carpet for the U.K. premiere of the Marvel movie Thunderbolts, the internet’s babygirl Pedro Pascal rocked a white slogan T-shirt that reads, “Protect The Dolls.”
The Last of Us star previously wore the shirt — an offering from queer fashion designer Conner Ives, with all proceeds going to the organization Trans Lifeline — at his star-studded 50th birthday party this March. It wasn’t Pascal’s first time unambiguously supporting trans people, either. Between condemning J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tirades and backing up his younger sister Lux Pascal (a doll herself!), he’s a well-known ally.
Several other celebrities, including Troye Sivan, Lisa Rinna, and Tilda Swinton, have also donned the tee. It’s now become emblematic of the fight to protect trans women during a politically perilous time. As the design continues to make the rounds, let’s break down exactly what the term “doll” means, who can use it, and why the dolls need protection in the first place.
What does “doll” mean, and who can use it?
“Doll” is another word for a trans woman or a transfeminine person that’s commonly used as a term of endearment within trans communities. A doll is typically feminine-presenting or even hyperfeminine, though not strictly. The word’s modern-day popularization is more expansive and can be interpreted solely based on a person’s gender identity. It exclusively refers to people who are transfeminine, but in many cases, it can be used respectfully by people who aren’t transfeminine themselves.
As with many in-group terms, it’s best for outsiders to use “doll” as an expression of support, praise, and affection. (e.g. “Protect the Dolls,” “She is that doll,” etc.)
A University of Kentucky article from 2023 notes that the label plays with the social construction of femininity, which hinges on beauty, spectacle, and a degree of intention — all themes that may resonate with trans women. “This aspirational model of femininity is best summarized by the recurrent ‘doll’ figure,” writes scholar Quinn J. Troia, explaining that the symbol of a doll is “something perfect to be seen and valued for its beauty and intentional construction.”
Though the term can be expansive, its important to note that some trans women and transfeminine people reject the label for themselves or from their lexicon entirely, and for valid reasons. Since it’s often used to describe hyperfeminine trans women — particularly those who've undergone HRT or gender-affirming surgeries — it can be a loaded word for folks who feel like they don’t look feminized enough to qualify as a doll. Sara Andrews, best known for her drag persona Bitter Betty, took to TikTok to explain that trans women in her community use “doll” to refer to one another “because we’re made out of plastic.” While many trans people disagree with transmedicalism — the notion that trans identity only applies if one medically transitions — there are some like Andrews who use the term as an explicit nod to trans women who've had feminizing surgeries.
In a now-deleted Reddit thread, one trans woman explained why the term “doll” makes her uncomfortable. “A doll is a simulacrum. A replica, but not an actual person. An imitation. A toy you dress up and make pretend with,” she wrote. At a time when trans people seek to be humanized, it’s easy to see why a label evoking an inanimate object might not sound so appealing.
TL;DR, if you’re kindly referring to trans women or the transfeminine community as a monolith, you’re probably okay to say “dolls.” It’s not a slur, and it’s widely accepted as affectionate. But if you’re wondering if you can call an individual a doll, it depends on their level of comfort. Pay attention to how they refer to themselves, or better yet, just ask.
When and where did the term “doll” originate?
Like so much terminology that gets tossed around in contemporary LGBTQ+ circles and eventually expands beyond them, “doll” is believed to have originated in the 1980s ballroom scene in New York City. The classic ballroom documentary Paris is Burning helped the world understand just how much Black and Latinx LGBTQ+ people within this community have made a direct impact on culture with minimal credit, be it via terms like “shade,” “fierce,” “reading,” or Madonna’s household hit, “Vogue.”
The ballroom community also introduced the term “Femme Queen,” which, akin to “doll,” refers to trans women participants, so much so that “Femme Queen” became its own category.
Beloved voguer, commentator, and ballroom icon MC Debra differentiates an ordinary “doll” from a “doll baby” in a 2014 vlog video outside of a ballroom venue. The video is perhaps one of the more explicit nuances of what “doll” is, particularly within the ballroom community.
The Lady Chablis, a trans performer from the 1980s who professionally referred to herself as “The Grand Empress” or “The Doll,” is another notable example from history. Best known for her role in the 1997 movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, in which she played herself, Chablis moved to Savannah, Georgia and was a regular performer in the city’s nightlife scene until her death in 2016.
“‘The Doll’ is my fantasy character, it’s my fun [name]. When I’m dressed up for my shows to entertain, then I’m ‘The Doll,’” she said in a resurfaced interview. “People would comment on the way that I looked as a female, and I liked that. It made me comfortable on the inside. And the one thing I believe in with any human being is that if your soul and your spirit says it’s the right thing, then it’s the right thing.”
How has the term’s usage evolved over time?
Today, “doll” is still popularly used within transfeminine communities, albeit in a wider range of contexts than just ballroom culture. It has infiltrated mainstream LGBTQ+ lingo — and, as proved by the spread of Conner Ives’ shirt, is entering more widespread usage.
RuPaul’s Drag Race trans icon Gia Gunn was quoted by the hilarious drag duo Trixie and Katya on their podcast in 2022 for saying, “At this point, Trix, the dolls are the dolls.” (Commenters speculated over what exactly she meant by “the dolls,” which, in this context, could also refer to established drag artists dominating the space as newer Drag Race contestants try to break through.)
Leading up to Barbie Summer in 2023, trans actress Hari Nef penned a letter to Greta Gerwig and the Barbie team on why she should be cast in the movie, writing, “We [trans women] call ourselves ‘the dolls’ in the face of everything we know we are, never will be, hope to be.” And in March 2025, trans content creator Dylan Mulvaney officially published her memoir Paper Doll: Notes from a Late Bloomer. The title tugs on the irony of Mulvaney’s three-dimensional story while playing with the two-dimensional notion of what a paper doll is.
It’s clear: Dolls are everywhere in all contexts — in lingo, in play, and throughout history.
What does it mean to “protect the dolls,” and why is that so important right now?
Popularized by designer Conner Ives’ viral slogan tee, “Protect the Dolls” means to acknowledge the reality of the political climate we are living in, which renders trans women and transfeminine people uniquely vulnerable to discrimination and hate-motivated violence. It’s also a promise for allies — meaning anyone who’s not trans — to play an active role in the fight for trans equality. After all, “life is your creation.”
In April, Ives said in a comment on Instagram that his T-shirt has already raised over $300,000 for Trans Lifeline. As the coveted tee du jour, it has also helped raise awareness for the onslaught of anti-trans policies and animus in the U.S., which has been on the rise for years, accelerating under Donald Trump’s second presidential term.
In January, on his first day back in office, Trump signed a slew of executive orders, one of them upholding a biologically essentialist sex binary, attempting to invalidate and erase gender-expansive communities. Over the next 10 days, he signed more, including orders aimed at gender-affirming care for those under 19, trans military service, and inclusive educational systems. By this March, lawmakers broke yet another year-over-year high record of anti-trans legislation at 850-plus bills introduced or in motion, according to the Trans Legislation Tracker.
The “Protect the Dolls” slogan isn’t figurative. It’s a rally cry. Though the impact of platitudes is limited, all trans people deserve protection, including those who wouldn’t call themselves dolls. (As one TikToker put it, “Now that we figured out how to protect the dolls, who’s going to save the bricks?”) But to see high-profile allies rocking “Protect the Dolls” T-shirts signifies one truth: the road to justice for all trans people continues to gain camaraderie — so much so that your faves will tell it to your face.
