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Spain Opens First Sex Doll Brothel for Men Who Like Shagging Silicone

In Barcelona, four sex dolls and a hopefully well-compensated receptionist await the socially awkward nerds of their dreams.
Photo by Vera Lair via Stocksy

Europe's first brothel staffed entirely by sex dolls has opened, for men who like to fuck women who don't talk, move, or even breathe. Lumidolls—which bills itself as "the world's first sex dolls agency"—opened this week in the historic Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, Spain. Its staff? A foursome of sex dolls called Lili, Katy, Leiza, and Aki.

Lumidolls' employees—who it's safe to assume meet stringent European Union safety regulations—are described on its website as "totally realistic dolls, both in the movement of their joints and in the touch, that will allow you to fulfil your fantasies without any limit." Guests checking into the brothel will be met by a "discreet" (and hopefully well-compensated) receptionist who'll lead them to their candlelit room. Awaiting them will be the doll of their choice, pre-arranged in a suitable position and freshly disinfected by a hopefully well-compensated staffer.

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Just like real-life women, Lumidolls are easily reduced to the sum of their parts by misogynists with neither the inclination nor ability to seduce a flesh-and-blood person. "Our dolls, like all women, have an oral cavity, vaginal, and anal," the website helpfully explains in Spanish, before exhorting users to lubricate appropriately. Fans of big-breasted blondes can opt for the amply bosomed Katy, or anime fans can go for Asian-featured Aki, who has blue hair and optional headphones.

Read more: 'We Sell a Lot of Dicks': Inside a Factory Making Male Sex Dolls for Women

Coincidentally, Lumidolls' launch this week coincides with a major European tech festival, Mobile World Congress, currently being held in Barcelona. While it's impossible to prove that Lumidolls was launched to take advantage of a horde of tech bros descending on the city, it certainly seems likely.

Sex dolls at a German sex expo. Photo by Lisa Ludwig

Broadly called up Lumidolls' Barcelona headquarters to find out more, but a polite receptionist was unable to give comment. Sex dolls brothels are relatively unheard of in Europe or America, but so-called love doll brothels, pioneered by sex doll manufacturer Orient Industry, have been around for years. But what makes someone want to fuck a human-shaped inanimate object made out of high-grade silicon?

Speaking to Broadly in 2016, Dr. Peter Kanaris, a psychologist specializing in sexuality, explained that sex dolls "provide an opportunity for the person to project feelings onto." Emphasizing that sexual relationships with dolls are akin to "fantasy play," Dr. Kanaris described how humanlike sex dolls could "provide relief and mitigate feelings of isolation."

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For cash-rich, socially awkward dudes, fucking silicon might be the closest they get to a meaningful sexual interaction with someone they can pretend cares for them. "Lack of access to others, shyness or social anxiety, inexperience and self-consciousness, or perhaps having a partner who is unwilling to participate in certain sexual preferences" are all listed as reasons why adults might use sex dolls by Dr. Kanaris.

And tech bros wanting an hour with the Lumidoll of their choice will pay €80 for an hour, although that's an introductory offer—get in quick, boys.