Sydney (AP) – There has been a change in Queen Panke Tabora’s life that has confused everyone: this is the moment she said she stuck her legs in the mermaid’s tail for the first time.
For a transgender Filipino woman nearing middle age, seeing her legs clad in sturdy and seemingly wobbly neoprene three years ago was a childhood dream come true. And that was the beginning of his immersion in the aquatic world where he would receive admission. A former insurance company employee described the diving experience, half human and half fish, as “medtation in motion”.
“She looks like a mermaid,” Tabora said last morning as she rests on a fiery red tail on a rocky beach south of Manila, where she now teaches mermaids and freediving full-time. “The outside world is really noisy and you can find peace under the water. “It’s a good practice in the real world, especially in a pandemic.”
Around the world, there are thousands of other similar morphologies: in the simplest, people of all shapes, genders and backgrounds, who like to wear mermaids. In recent years, an increasing number of people happily gather at mermaid conventions and competitions, form local groups called “pods” and spend their savings on the multi-million dollar mermaid tail industry.
On a planet plagued by war, disease and social unrest, many morphs have found life in water. Perhaps Sebastian, the captivating crab in the 1989 film The Little Mermaid, best said this in his warning to earth-loving mermaid Ariel: “The world of humans is a mess. Living under the sea is better than anything going up there! ”
Far from the criticisms and chaos of earthly life, the mer-world is a kinder, kinder, and funnier alternative to the real world. It is also a world, say morpholks, where you can be who you are and whatever you want.
This openness attracts some transgender who sympathize with Ariel’s suffering trapped in a body that feels wrong. Murfolk is also an inspiration, as is Che Monick, founder of the Fat Mermaid Society in Washington, DC, who promotes a positive mermaid body.
“I’m a 300-pound black mermaid in America at age 35, and I hope it tells someone they can do what they want to do,” said Monique, whose group sells t-shirts. and “Fat Mermaids Wave.” and “Sex is liquid.” . Under the sea. “Sure, on the one hand, it’s really nonsense, but I’ve seen it change people’s lives.”
After all, the ocean is huge, he observes, and most of the planet is covered with water. So why not dive in?
“I think there’s a place under the sea for all of us,” Monica said.
The beauty of the mermaid is evident from Marie Heno’s home in Montreal, with its mermaid tails. The AquaMermaid CEO sells them worldwide.
“When you put your mermaid tail on the beach or in the pool, you’re going to be a superstar,” said Heno, whose company operates mermaid schools in Canada and the United States. “Kids and adults, everyone is happy to see the mermaid!”
When the mermaid first started hunting, most of the tails sold were custom silicone creatures that weighed up to 23 pounds (50 pounds), cost more than $ 6,000, and wrestling required tremendous time and lubrication. But in recent years, the growing availability of cheaper and lighter fabric options has opened a siren to the general public.
Once the mermaid rose to prominence, glamorous pictures of mermaids with shiny tails became popular on social media, further cementing the craze. The “Little Mermaid” obsession is a common occurrence in Murfolk and in anticipation of a new wave of interest in mermaids when the live-action re-release of the film is released next year.
Murfolk, however, admits that their near -utopia sometimes explodes in stormy seas. With the growing popularity of mermaids, there has also been an increase in the number of live animals known as merverts and scammer selling non -existent queues, says Kelly Higema, founder of the Facebook group Mermaids Beware: Scammers, Merverts , & More.
“As mermaids, it’s a woman’s main hobby and a profession … so it’s clearly getting strangers on the Internet,” said Higema, who lives on the island of St. Louis. Thomas in the Caribbean.
“In most cases these are just horrible comments, like they want to see you without a tail or breathe underwater.”
Hygema advises Morfolk to always have a trusted companion, or “Mertender” when running in the queue.
“The legs are tied, you can’t really escape, so it’s important that the legs are there to make sure you’re okay,” he said.
Swimming in a queue requires practice. The dolphin’s skill at hitting the dolphin is important, along with the leveling technique to relieve ear pressure underwater.
PADI, SSI and NAUI, the largest dive certification organization in the world, now offer mermaid courses. There was also the World Mermaid Championships, last held in China in 2019, where 70 mermaids roamed and posed in front of a great jury in a giant glass tub.
Mermaid conventions (“Mercons”) are now held around the world. Last month, more than 300 Murfolk from the United States and Canada attended the California Mermaid Convention, which Congressional co-founder Rachel Smith described as “a three-day shell” “all about the mermaid.” (Note: the mermaid community is full of talk.)
For most morpholics, it’s all pretty much a language. But it is also important. Navigating the Sacramento Basin, where members of the California Congress have gathered, Merman Maui sums up the importance of community: “I have a new family with all these people.”
“Life is better when you learn a little bit of fun, or a lot of fun, because we all believe in magic at some point,” Maui said. “Often, life can be boring and boring. So why not enjoy all the aspects you can do?”
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Associated Press reporter Sergio Roosevelt contributed to this report in Sacramento, California.
Source: Huffpost
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.