Are you allowed to swim in your tail at your local YWCA/ YMCA?

[Stede Bonnet]

I just read a saddening status update on Mermaid Stephanie's Timeline on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/StephaniesMermaids/posts/548765651827689


I think I'm going to sell my tail...I haven't used it in months, and I haven't found ANYWHERE that will let me use it...

Also, I just moved, and I'm in serious need of some extra cash...

I posted this on here first to see if anyone was interested before I went and posted it on eBay...

It really pains me to have to do this, but I just can't have it sit around anymore! It's a beautiful tail, and it needs to be in the hands of someone who can use it!

P.S. This isn't the end of my mermaiding days! Maybe I can try again in a couple of years. I still plan on posting my mermaid artwork, too!


Scrolling back through her recent status updates, I found this: https://www.facebook.com/StephaniesMermaids/posts/529498857087702


Woke up early from a phone call from the YMCA. The Aquatics Director finally got back to me about using my tail in their pools, and this is what she said:

"There is absolutely, positively nothing you can say or do to make us change our mind. We, the entire group of YMCA staff, have decided against it."

So, I threw in that I would volunteer for family or fundraising events.

"Well, because we don't allow stuff like that in our pools, obviously we couldn't let you do that either. But good thought, though!"

Yeah...that makes....let's see....NOWHERE that will allow me to swim with my tail unless I spend a big load of cash...now I can do one of two things: (1) sell my tail or (2) make a pretty display case for the tail so I can stare at it and image what could have been...(I am seriously upset right now.)


Being a man of action, I contacted YWCA USA (https://www.facebook.com/ywca.org):

https://www.facebook.com/ywca.org/posts/511296592270772

(https://www.facebook.com/ywca.org?ref=stream&directed_target_id=0)
YWCA USA (https://www.facebook.com/ywca.org?ref=stream&directed_target_id=0): Thank you for all that you do. I had the pleasure to work in partnership with theYWCA St. Paul (https://www.facebook.com/YWCAStPaul?directed_target_id=0) to assist single mothers obtain and retain secure housing.

On a separate note altogether, I just read something that I found somewhat disturbing:https://www.facebook.com/StephaniesMermaids/posts/529498857087702

I do not know for sure where Mermaid Stephanie (https://www.facebook.com/StephaniesMermaids?directed_target_id=0) is located, but it seems as though her dreams are being compromised due to her interaction with her local YWCA local chapter. If you read the comment thread, you will see that the decision her local chapter has made is one that is not consistent with other locations throughout our great nation.

As you may or may not know, there is a growing community of women - and men - WORLDWIDE who purchase (or make for themselves) mermaid tails, at great personal expense.

Their personal safety is foremost on their minds. This is less about "playing mermaid" and more about physical fitness, interacting with the public, raising awareness of environmental concerns, and a host of other benefits.

I am asking you to reach out to Mermaid Stephanie and to her local YWCA chapter to see if there is an equitable arrangement that can be made for her and for hundreds of people like her nationwide.

Thank you very much.

With the utmost respect and sincerity,


~Matthew Morse (https://www.facebook.com/MatthewMorse1130?directed_target_id=0)

I let Mermaid Stephanie know about this here: https://www.facebook.com/StephaniesMermaids/posts/511297635604001

I hope that this is helpful. Do you want to lend your voice to this at all?

[AniaR]

Poor Stef. I tried to help her convince them, find alternative pools, and all sorts of things buy NOTHING we tried worked :( I think this is a case of 1 person really biased against her and the whole mermaid idea, calling and convincing everyone else. I have never been turned away from a pool ever. It breaks my heart.

[Stede Bonnet]

I think that my message on their wall will be either very helpful or catastrophically hurtful to the community (i.e., they will make it a national policy to forbid tail use, in which case everyone will HATE me.)

*fin-gers crossed*

[Christopher Chandler]

That is awful!

[MerEmma]

Our Y is very strict too. ): They don't allow any kind of swim fins unless you swim laps with them and they absolutely don't allow tails. They don't even allow swim-shorts for extra modesty. :c

[Mermaid Varshana]

Duuuuddde, that's insane. I don't think my local Y chapter cares, since it doesn't appear that anyone's ever even heard of mermaiding in these parts. They'd let me do it out of sheer befuddlement at what I was doing Oo

[Sea Pearl]

This is sad to hear :( But I found that exact same problem where I used to live. There were next to no pools within reasonable driving distance that would allow tails, making it very, very difficult for me to practice.

[Ayla of Duluth]

The Y in Superior WI was happy to have me when I was hired for a birthday party. All the lifeguards wanted me to come back. Now of course they lifeguards aren't the authority of the Y, they're mostly high school kids, but I was allowed to swim there nonetheless. The pool seemed as though it was made for mermaiding too. It's one of those pools that gets shallower and shallower so it makes a beach. It also had a mushroom fountain thing to play in. I'm not sure about the Y here in Duluth though, I haven't much tried asking very many venues about it.

I know that there are a few places that will not under any circumstances allow me to swim for reasons such as insurance not covering it, my costume creating a safety hazard to myself and those around me, (think water parks with swarms of little children) or there just not being any adequate place for me to swim. Best you can do then is just try somewhere else.

[Lotus]

I've never had issues at my local pools- this really BLOWS.
Ill write them too, this is bogus.

[AniaR]

I wrote them under your comment

[WavyMermaidy]

Geez, it makes me feel really lucky that I live in a place with natural springs (and the ocean) so nearby...haven't had to deal with a pool yet. What hateful people that's Stephanie is dealing with! :(

[MerAnthony]

Something very similar happened to me. This was during the winter an early spring months. I took my children an I to the local YMCA. Now when I called them before they said it was fine that I use my tail an monofin. Now on the 3rd or 4th time I went with my tail, I was putting it on an they came up to me a told me to take it off. They never gave a reason why an left me with all types of questions. Still to this day I still don't know why or howcome. I said after we left to my girlfriend that I plan on NEVER going back there again. I tried to contact somebody to get answers, but everytime I called all I got was the answering machine an nobody has returned my calls. An I have left a few an I had asked them to return my calls. They never did.

[Mermaid Tula]

This sucks! My college pool is okay with me using a monofin, and the other pools I've contacted say it's up to lifegaurds (community center) and the other one (city pool) says as long as my monofin is 'coast guard' ok, it's all good.

[Ayla of Duluth]

Something very similar happened to me. This was during the winter an early spring months. I took my children an I to the local YMCA. Now when I called them before they said it was fine that I use my tail an monofin. Now on the 3rd or 4th time I went with my tail, I was putting it on an they came up to me a told me to take it off. They never gave a reason why an left me with all types of questions. Still to this day I still don't know why or howcome. I said after we left to my girlfriend that I plan on NEVER going back there again. I tried to contact somebody to get answers, but everytime I called all I got was the answering machine an nobody has returned my calls. An I have left a few an I had asked them to return my calls. They never did.

and*

and* and* and* and* and* and*
:p

[Mermaid Fenicia]

Most public pools here in Antwerp (Belgium) you aren't aloud to swim with fins (not even duo-fins). I was lucky to find a (3m50 deep) pool where I can practice with my monofin. Just before New Year I asked the head-lifeguard if I could swim in a tail as nothing in fabric (or neoprene) is aloud to come below the knee. He answered that If I stay in the deep end or in the lane for fast swimmers it's ok to swim in a tail. :) Most of my clips of me swimming is or in a private pool (Lakonia or HDE) or in a hotelpool when I was staying there at a convention).

[Echidna]

I just wonder how the UK mers manage :/
So far, I've been to several public pools with my smaller tails and/or wetsuits, and nobody has said a word or looked at me twice (yet)-
apart from a certain kind of clientele who were complaining when I came near, because I was swimming dolphin.
WITHOUT tail, I'd like to add :p

However, I'm a bit worried what will happen when I show up there with my competitor fin.
It's about 3 times as big and noticeable as my others :<

[spottedcatfish]

There are two YMCA pools in my area, and I actually have yet to go to any of them. However, with these ban being put in place, I'm not sure I'd want to. The pool I swim in now, is at a local gym, and it may not be as big, shallow or deep as those YMCA pools, but at least I can swim in a monofin, and maybe after I finish making it, my tail. However there is no lifeguard at this pool, at least there is unrestricted swimming.

[devilkitten1]

This makes me think i should locate every pool in my area and find out if i can use my tail when it's done. Otherwise I'll have to take it to conventions and hope for hotel pools.

[AniaR]

I remember Dr Seaweed use his tail in the Y where he lived with no issue. So did Adam MArtyn back in the daaaay

[Echidna]

I was allowed into my usual pool with all sorts of tails and monofins (small and large), and wetsuits.
They were swarming around to make sure I didn't misbehave in the beginning, but quickly saw I disturbed no one, then they left me alone.

However!
When I was showering, there came a bunch of very sick people, some of them could barely walk.
They had big, black, fibrose warts and pustules and large bumps all over their bodies;
seriously, some looked as if they had either bubonic plague, and/or leprosy.

They were accosted by the guards, and (of course) claimed, "naaah, it's not contagious :)",
and then they were let in (despite having bones so badly deformed from the disease they were in real danger even with help).

Now, I have a chronic illness myself, and am very understanding of all kinds of stuff, but this actually was very off-putting,
considering I'll get that water in my eyes and ears and sinuses.

I'm not sure whether I dare go there again (and it's practically the only place where I can swim).
Imo, people with open blisters and such should NOT be let into a public pool.

[Mermaid Varshana]

When I was showering, there came a bunch of very sick people, some of them could barely walk.
They had big, black, fibrose warts and pustules and large bumps all over their bodies;
seriously, some looked as if they had either bubonic plague, and/or leprosy.


http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/face.gif

[Echidna]

^^that's how we looked inwardly lol.

I could've posted a pic of the stuff too, but I didn't want to give you bad dreams (I'm gonna have them :< )

[AniaR]

omg that gif....

[spottedcatfish]

EWW I hope you can find another place, somewhat close to swim at.

[Mermaid Kalliope]

That's... That's kind of gross... ><

I haven't had the chance to push the rules of any pools seeing as I can't find any public ones. :-( I usually go to the beach and, of course, they don't care there. Hrm. I hope your letter to the YWCA helps!!!

[Stede Bonnet]

... I hope your letter to the YWCA helps!!!

Kailani - Well, I had hoped so too, but so far? Crickets.

I sent this e-mail on Tuesday evening (06/11):

From: Matthew Morse
To: "info@ywca.org" <info@ywca.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:50 PM
Subject: Follow-up to Facebook Post

To Whom It May Concern,

On June 5, I posted this on your Facebook wall (https://www.facebook.com/ywca.org)

https://www.facebook.com/ywca.org/posts/511296592270772

(I then included the wording, as well as Mermaid Stephanie’s status update.)

and have not as of yet received a response, nor (to the best of my knowledge) has Mermaid Stephanie.

I have run into similar silence in the past, when I asked the Sea Life Aquarium about the Mall of America about the possibility of hiring someone to be a mermaid, as is the case at the Portland Aquarium, the Denver Aquarium, and numerous other venues throughout the country.

Perhaps you think I am joking. Perhaps you "don't have time" to be talking about mermaids. Perhaps... any number of things. Unfortunately, I don't know, because you have not extended me the courtesy of a response.

So, I appeal to you again.

I look forward to your well-considered and detailed response.

Thank you very much.


Very sincerely and respectfully,

Matthew Morse

mm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I feel somewhat disrespected, to tell you the truth; however, my fear is that my personally pushing this matter with the YWCA will have negative results.

Maybe a phone call sometime next week will be my next course of action.

[MerAnthony]

Matt I was wondering if they respond what repercussions they might take? I know some but not many allow monofins an that is about it I hope they respond for the better.

[Stede Bonnet]

Matt I was wondering if they respond what repercussions they might take? I know some but not many allow monofins an that is about it I hope they respond for the better.

I understand that there are some risks involved. Maybe I am applying a bandage, maybe I am tearing one off - and perhaps even opening a wound in the process. If that is the case, you know that I will be very sorry.

I guess this is just something that needs to be addressed once and for all, and that people should eb able to expect consistency at a YWCA , regardless of where it is located. Maybe their staff need more training. I have no idea. I am not even sure if we will find out, because their current response is silence.

[MerMarla]

I certainly know that asking permission isn't the same as having it carved in stone (or at least initialed on your membership form) ... but i asked anyway!

While I was looking for another gym with a pool near my new home, I went to two relatively local YMCA's in Nashua, NH and Merrimack, NH, 20 and 30 minute drives from my new home. During the tours, because I was ONLY interested in using the pool, I asked lots of questions about the it, the hours... then my guide and I walked into the pool area and spoke with the lifeguards about using fins... yada. They were fine with that. I also brought up that I was buying a monofin. Only one lifeguard knew what it was, and said it wasn't a problem, then explained it to the other two lifeguards on duty. The other Y was basically the same, as they are part of the same network. One membership gets you both facilities. I said I was beginning my workout in fins, then working up to a monofin, then will be coming in my mermaid tail. It didn't seem to bother them, BUT, I didn't get an out-right "no" for an answer either.

Off topic here ---> It's just my observation, but at both of these Y's, the water clarity was horrible. You couldn't see the lane lines (3-5ft deep) at the bottom of one pool (this first Y's pool had a whitish-grey-brown tinge to it... yuck), and the other one was approaching the same murky (but whitish) condition (you could barely see the lane lines, bleury but there). Both pools were very highly chlorinated. You could smell it in the air! Also the water was way too warm at 85-87 degrees. The lifeguards said it was suppose to be set at 82... (oh geez! that's still way to warm! So, counting the problems... ill-kept filters, and mis-adjusted thermostats... wonder what else...) Also way to many children, and parents in street shoes walking around either of the pools or sitting in chairs next to the pool edge doing the lifeguards job (I was really uncomfortable with this, being a former lifeguard, the distraction was ridiculous, and noise level too high from gleeful screaming children!). I thought that neither pool was well kept, and I was at risk of ear or eye infections due to over crowding, dirty shoes and not great sanitary conditions. (My opinion only!) This wasn't the beach!

So I am interested in what the "corporate" YMCA has to say. At least here in NH, the YMCA was open to using fins and monofin, and seemed to say it was ok to swim in a tail, but I never got to that point. I didn't want to swim in either pool's water!

For not that much difference in club memberships (about $20 more a month), I joined a different fitness gym 22 minutes from home. They have three pools, one a lap pool that starts at 3.5 feet and slopes to 5.5 feet, another pool, kidney shaped, has a 1 meter board, the depth is 9 ft. and the outside pool just filled and opened, is 12 ft deep. They have no problem with me bringing my tail. The membership director I spoke to (giving me my tour) said if I wanted, they would rope off half of the 12 foot end for me to practice in my tail, and leave the dive board area for the kids! How considerate! When I feel comfortable about possibly doing kid's Mermaid birthday parties, they had no problem with that either, I would just have to get insurance and discuss details with the entertainment director... somewhat down the line yet! But at least I can still "play" in my tail!!! and be assured the water is clean and clear (they test 6-8 times a day) and at 78-80 degrees for the two indoor pools.

I wish you the best of luck! https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/B0C'z
Mermaid Marla

[Mermaid Pickles]

I think I got lucky when I joined my local YMCA. Before I signed up, I showed them pictures of my fabic tail and explained it to them, and they were a-okay with it. Given, I live between Houston and Galveston, Texas, and they have scuba classes come in, so they allow fins. A bunch of people came to watch me swim, too. The lifeguards weren't highschoolers, they were actually around their thirties, and one was even in the coast guard, he just workd lifeguard some weekends. They all thought my tail was cool. I did have to prove that I could take it off in less than twenty seconds while underwater, though. They wanted to make sure.

[Delphine]

Hm, very interesting. I was going to make a post about this directly, but will join this thread as it's exactly the same company! There's a local YMCA near my apt that I practice swimming with my monofin before I had my Delphine Tail ready. I didn't have membership, just did the day pass. They allowed me to use my monofon, though once was asked about it because they have them. Funny because their monofins are black and navy blue. Mine is a dandelion-yellow wave. =__=" Anyway, now that the Delphine Tail is completed, I'd love to swim there more often IN the tail. I'm nervous about asking for fear of being turned down flat. I REALLY want to swim there, it's a big, nice pool. Clean! The other one someone mentioned sounded gross, brown & white water?! Eeee...

Not really sure what their response might be. My tail is 7ft long, with a 3ft fluke... and I can't take it off or put it on alone. Because it's silicone. I want to ask in the best, most respectful way.. just not sure how to go about it. Thinking to bring the article I was in, in our local paper to help explain..

[Mermaid Fenicia]

The pool where I practice have new rules :( That makes that I'm not aloud to swim in a tail anymore :( , but I still can use my monofins to practice :)

[Meshy]

There are two YMCA pools in my area, and I actually have yet to go to any of them. However, with these ban being put in place, I'm not sure I'd want to. The pool I swim in now, is at a local gym, and it may not be as big, shallow or deep as those YMCA pools, but at least I can swim in a monofin, and maybe after I finish making it, my tail. However there is no lifeguard at this pool, at least there is unrestricted swimming.

Come join me at the YMCA in Santee! It's only $5 (if you're not a member, since I can only get out there about once a week anyway is cheaper than joining) PM me here and let me know what days you're available, as I've got a pretty open schedule at the moment! I've swam in full mermaid costume (minus makeup), I was told as long as there's a quick release (mine doesn't really, but I tell them it does if they ask, and they haven't questioned it yet) I tend to stick to the lanes (deeper) but if someone is waiting for a lane to open up, I'll move over to the shallow end (usually where the water aerobics classes are) and stay out of the way until a lane opens up again.

Myself and AngelStarfish (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?2561-angelstarfish) have gone together, We would both love it if another mermaid could join us! :group hug: