A general question I’ve always been curious about:
This poll will close at noon on Fri., 08-Sep-2023.
To prevent you from being influenced by others, the results aren’t visible until after you vote.
Since some people might be embarrassed to answer this question, the identities of those voting will NOT be revealed.
Open this after you vote:
It’s valid if people don’t want to admit to it, and don’t want to discuss their sleeping arrangements in any capacity, but if you feel ashamed every night for sleeping with one, then this is for you:
You’re an adult. You define for yourself what that means. That how it works.
If you are a masculine person and feel like this contradicts your masculinity: Your masculinity should not be something that is so easily taken from you or invalidated. By choosing to ignore the convention, you are actually choosing the bold route.
If you are a feminine person, and feel like this contradicts your femininity (gosh, that is hard to spell), then same argument as above. That is not something people can take from you.
I sleep with a teddy bear. Why? Because the bear is purple and frankly adorable. Also, having something to hold while I sleep supports my shoulders, which prevents aches in the morning (woohoo the planet has allowed me to grow older!). Also, technically I could solve this by hugging a pillow at night, but I can’t give the pillow an adorable cartoon smile and a whimsical little suit vest, which honestly can ease my anxiety enough to get some actually sleep, even on my worse nights.
I’m not expecting people to do a “No, I’m Spartacus” or anything in response. But if it’s embarrassing for you, and you are reminded of it every time you go to bed, then you need to know that you are perfectly valid, and that working on unlearning the shame you’ve been carrying might even help you sleep better.
If you simply don’t want to sleep with a teddy bear, that’s also totally valid. Whatever goats your float, or however it’s said. You do you in fantastic manner.
Also, for anyone who might shame someone else over this: The world is basically on fire, and many of us get nightmare fuel every single day. Maybe get your priorities straight. 
Also, shout out to @TheGrandRascal for keeping this anonymous. Good call.
(Didn’t want to influence anyone’s voting decision by posting this.)
I asked him, and Mr. Bear told me I couldn’t trust this.
Most nights my son spends at least some time sleeping with/on me, and he usually sleeps with a stuffed animal of some description (we get an owl and dog in the mix in addition to the regulation bear) so I guess that’s a yes by the transitive property?
Note: you can change what you choose AFTER you vote and see the other opinions.
Aha! Another Spoonerizer! 
My family & I Spoonerize all the time.
Oooooooooo I hope there’s a definition for this online…!
Spoonerism is a term used to describe an occurrence in speech where corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched between two words in a phrase. It is named after Oxford don and ordained minister William Archibald Spooner, who reputedly did this.
Ah! New vocab unlocked! 
I got into the habit of this because of my partners lol
“The Lord is a Shoving Leopard!”
–The Rev. William
Archibald Spooner.
I have voted no, also re. pillows, but trust me, not few Italian males hug pillows (aside the 'fessing up, there is an actual giveaway: more than one pillow on a single bed; one for the head, another for the arms…)
Best regards from Italy,
dott. Piergiorgio.
I have a whole collection! My dad bought me a teddy when I was a little tiny baby still, because he thought it would comfort me if I ever had nightmares, having a brave knight to snuggle and have close by. I still have said bear, (even if he’s looking a little worse for wear, having endured the teething stage and being over two decades old) and added some friends for him along the way. I have ongoing and persistent night terrors, (including nights where I wake up screaming or being launched directly into a panic attack and feeling like I’m going to die) and having my plushies at hand to hold helps with grounding and soothing. Plus, they’re adorable! Most of mine are pale neutrals like grey or white, or pink.
Several, plus a number of other stuffed toys of various types and in many different colours. One, a rabbit that can turn into a pillow, travels with me on holidays.
Of course not! I sleep with a large sloth plushie. Totally different.
Interesting; it seems that about a third of us or more sleep with a Teddy Bear! 
I’m late to the party but I just had to comment on the large sloth plushie – I have one as well!
It has very long arms and gives great hugs.
Sloth buddies! 
The long arms are definitely an asset for cuddling.