Mermaid Questions

[mermaidsmu]

Hi Mermaids/Mermen,

Can you help?

I'm in my last year at St Mary's Twickenham University in the UK and have to produce a group presentation on Mermaids as part of my final module and will get graded on it. The module is called Cult Film and TV and we decided to choose the topic of Mermaids as it is not a common community in the Uk and is also something we don't know that much about and wanted to learn about something new that we thought we would find interesting.

We've decided to do online surveys/interviews to gain greater insight into the community

Please can you answer these questions for me:

1) How would you define a Mermaid/Mermen?

2) How do you identify yourself? (do you have your own mermaid social group or do you prefer to mermaid alone?)

3) Do you participate in any Mermaid conventions/gatherings?

4) How did you become a Mermaid?

5) What activities do you do as a Mermaid?

6) How often do you identify as a Mermaid? (24/7 or every now and then?)

7) Why do you identify as a Mermaid?

Thank you for taking the time to read, and looking forward to your responses :)

[malinghi]

Can you give some context for this? Is there a reason that you're conducting this survey?

Also, I see that you just joined this forum. If you make a thread to introduce yourself, people might feel more comfortable sharing information about themselves with you.

[mermaidsmu]

Hi,

Yes sorry, I'm in my last year at university and have to produce a group presentation on Mermaids for part of my final module and will get graded on it.
We've decided to do online surveys/interviews to gain greater insight into the community

[Morticia Mermaid]

An I the only one who sees that their reason in the first post is in a different text than the rest of the post?

Sent by star fish

[Morticia Mermaid]

Also, I think he meant more of reason than what you have. Its kind of a vague reason. What class? What university? Why mermaids? Etc.

Sent by star fish

[AniaR]

yes I saw you sent me an email on this but you just sent the questions with no context, lol and honestly my answers could fill a book (they did!) you might find the digital copy of my book helpful for your project: http://www.lulu.com/shop/raina-mermaid/fishy-business-how-to-be-a-mermaid/ebook/product-21180865.html

[mermaidsmu]

I'm sorry, I just updated the post again. Hopefully it covers everything you need to know, please tell me if not

[BayouMermaid]

Unlike Raina's answers, which literally fill a book, my answers are going to be pretty darn boring.

1) How would you define a Mermaid/Mermen?

Top half human, bottom half fish

2) How do you identify yourself? (do you have your own mermaid social group or do you prefer to mermaid alone?)

I don't really understand what you are asking. I am part of an online community because of mernetwork, but I tend to swim as the only mermaid in a group of swimmers (me + friends going to the pool/beach).

3) Do you participate in any Mermaid conventions/gatherings?

I'll be going to a meetup this spring, so yes.

4) How did you become a Mermaid?

I've been snorkeling with a monofin for years and am obsessed with aquatic life. I found out about mermaiding while reading reviews for monofins. My fiance sews, so he helped me make a tail.

5) What activities do you do as a Mermaid?

Swim, tell stories to kids, go to parades.

6) How often do you identify as a Mermaid? (24/7 or every now and then?)

Umm...I guess whenever I'm in the tail?

7) Why do you identify as a Mermaid?

I feel like this question suggests that I think I'm a real mermaid. For me, it is a hobby. I like to pretend. I like to entertain. I'm only a mermaid when I'm in my tail. Besides that, I'm a human who really likes sea creatures.

[mermaidsmu]

Thank you very much :)

[PearlieMae]

Hmmmm...going to have to think about these for a while. :)

[mermaidsmu]

Cool, look forward to hearing your response :)

[Mermaid Wesley]

1) How would you define a Mermaid/Mermen?

A creature that has the tail of a fish/marine mammal and the torso and head of a human

2) How do you identify yourself? (do you have your own mermaid social group or do you prefer to mermaid alone?)

I'm a social mer, but so far i only swim alone

3) Do you participate in any Mermaid conventions/gatherings?

I will this summer.

4) How did you become a Mermaid?

Born this way! Or I guess you could say I was cast as Ariel in the school play when I was five.

5) What activities do you do as a Mermaid?

I swim, hang out on beaches and my living room floor.

6) How often do you identify as a Mermaid? (24/7 or every now and then?)

Hm.... All the time I guess.

7) Why do you identify as a Mermaid?

Because mermaids are better than people. (Sven don't you think I'm riiiight?)
Or because it's a way to escape everyday stress and it's fun.


Sent from my shellphone using Tapatalk

[mermaidsmu]

Thanks MerHopefully :)

[Echidna]

*sniff, sniff* serpent sense...tingling!

no, but really.
These kind of survey threads crop up quite often on gaming and alternate lifestyle forums, and usually the real title of the paper/presentation is something like "lunatics in society" :p

maybe I'm too suspicious, but I've seen some really underhanded actions of this kind already.

[Mermaid Wesley]

oh yeah I've seen that stuff too but eh I don't care. Its not like im going to read it ever.

[Mermaid Harmony]

1) How would you define a Mermaid/Mermen?
As a performer or as a creature? As a sea creature, I'm not sure, something with arms or a torso with a tail, and as a performer, someone who wears a tail to either fulfill dreams/entertain/etc.

2) How do you identify yourself? (do you have your own mermaid social group or do you prefer to mermaid alone?)
I identify as a human. I run a pod with a merman friend on the island and so we usually swim together in groups usually about 4-5 although we're bound to get a grouping of 8 together soon which will be exciting. I don't like mermaiding alone because I like sharing the experience with someone else because it feels more magical, although as a performer I perform alone 90% of the time.

3) Do you participate in any Mermaid conventions/gatherings? We have gatherings here in Hawaii, but I'm planning to go to the Cali one in June, and when I move to the mainland hopefully I can attend more.

4) How did you become a Mermaid? I found out about performing mermaids on my birthday a few years ago because I was searching mermaid folk lore and came across Hannah Mermaid, and realized that you can become a mermaid and get paid for it. I always wanted to be a mermaid but making a tail or buying one never even crossed my mind, I found this forum and this world of otherkin/satyrs/fairies and now I'm a performing mermaid.

5) What activities do you do as a Mermaid? Birthday parties, pod swims, story times, meet and greets, etc.

6) How often do you identify as a Mermaid? (24/7 or every now and then?) Full on mermaid, whenever I'm in a tail, but pry like half-sies when I'm out of tail just because I have the knowledge that I swim in the water and a tail is there, it's a wonderful feeling, and is fulfilling for me, and helps me feel calm and magical.

7) Why do you identify as a Mermaid? Because I want to? Because I always wanted to be a mermaid growing up, and now that I am and have a tail it's real, and through performing it's become a character which is a part of me, and so there is a part of my soul that is Harmony and Harmony is a mermaid even though I'm a human. I don't know if that makes sense, but that's the easiest way I can put it.