My friend is using my love for mermaid was a way to make fun of me?

[MermaidIndie]

So this "friend" I have, were not really friends anymore because she's changed a lot and has honestly become a total b**** so when she told me she wanted to get into mermaiding i didn't believe her but she honestly started really excited about it and we were talking about Merbellas and she had been on here and she told me she was ordering a monofin in the next couple days and wanted me to make her a fabric tail because she really liked the ones i had made for other friends. I was still skeptical until she showed up at my house with a homemade Monofin and tail designs, so I agreed to make her a tail, we picked a color, what it was going to look like and planned out everything we needed. We were going to go to Joann's last Thursday but she bailed that morning. I didn't really think anything was up because she said her dog had to get rushed to the vet. Which is true. But over the past few days I've had people on Facebook and Instagram calling me fish girl and saying it's weird and I need to grow up and I found out from my other friend that she had told a bunch of people from school and now I'm pretty much horrified and really hurt. What shoudk I do

[Mermaid Leira]

Never mind about this kind of bullying, fish girl, that's pretty much the lowest denominator ., silly kids will pick on anyone for anything , being and mermaid is pretty hard to critique so fish girl is the best they could do obviously chin up, you're awesome:) and have a community that will support you through thick and thin I'm sure 😘 x

[MermaidIndie]

Thank you [emoji4]


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[Scottish Mer]

Oh, I have been there before. I had a few friends who wanted to do mermaiding but later on never gave it a try after I did everything for them from getting a monofin to even accessories, instead they made fun of me, spread lies and rumors on what I did. Needless to say I felt hurt but I just dropped it and cut them off from my life and ignored them, 'fish girl' isn't so bad though, just smile and correct them that you're an 'aquatic mammal' and a fabulous one at that! The mer community will support and help you as Amy has said before hand. So, chin up and as a few of my mer friends say, 'work that tail!' :mermaid kiss:

[Chrissy]

she doesn't sound like a true friend, all my friends started to make fun of me, but when they saw me swim in my fabric tail they faces were in awe of amazement. I have now learned that I know who are my true friends when I told them about my passion and they say that is awesome and support me. I am very lucky that I haven't had to deal with "bullying" yet, but people who do that usually aren't happy in their own lives. You keep being who you are and don't let anyone ever tell you are strange and weird, if you are happy roll with that. You get one life on this earth, you better live it to the fullest!

[Mermaid Lily_Pad]

Darling, I am 35 years old and I just found mermaiding and I LOVE it. My husband looks at me like I have three heads and I knew people would think I was a tad bit off but you know what....I don't care...I was bullied through out middle school and high school..severely, as in pushed down flights of stairs, called every name in the book, had my books torn up in front of me, it was awful, and because of that I have been scared to do anything that might be seen as "off" or weird for fear that I will be picked on. It was only recently that I decided to stop listening to those voices from my past and worrying about the voices of my present. I am weird, I am different, I am shy and introverted, and I Love fantasy and mermaids and why the hell should I change because some idiot is to full of themselves to admit they secretly want the same thing but are to scared to try it. I mean seriously, what girl doesn't want to be a mermaid? Come on! Hehehe. But honestly, your beautiful, and you found a passion, and so few people can admit they have found a passion in their lives. The best way to counteract the bullies is to shrug your shoulders, smile at them, and tell them you just got paid $150.00 Bucks for one of your cloth tail designs...how much is their fast food job paying? Never show them it bothers you. Your a fishgirl! So what! Wear that moniker proudly! You have a ton of friends here and the real friends in your life will love you tail or no tail.

[MarkF]

I've got you all in age,
I can said that bad people don't need a bad past. Some people are bad. Just let them go!
Having bad friends is having no friends. Worst yet is worrying and not enjoying life because of what these people say or do is not good for you. Go have fun!
Put out an invitation to your POD to meet at a pool of your choosing. Find what days is good for the pool. Tell them to bring the goodies. You'll have a blast and get some good friends with common interests.
Your a mermaid, you bring happiness. Find the people who need it, watch them smile. Enjoy it.
PS Refuse to grow up, it really bugs dull people :dance::dance:

[Merman Dan]

I'm a 48 year old merman. Facebook keeps asking where I grew up. I figure as long as I never answer, I don't have to. ;)

[MarkF]

Still got ya beat Merman Dan, 59-

[MermaidCelesteFL]

I'm turning 27 at the end of this month, and I'm being harassed weekly by my co-workers who know about my passions for cosplay and mermaiding(as seen in my previous thread). Some people just can't handle the maturity that comes with being fascinated with the fantastic. You'll always be welcome in the giant pod of online merfolk here. Nobody is going to hurt you or make fun of you, no matter your shape, size, quality of tail, or even having a tail at all. All you need is your spirit. And honey, you have a pretty strong one to come to us. :)

[Mermaid Cecelia]

My parents (mostly my mom) do this constantly. I was swimming at my uncles pool, not in tail, just relaxing, and my mom went and told all of my extended family and family friends about my mermaiding and she was being really mocking. She kept telling me to do tricks and how I should've brought my tail to show everyone. She used to be really supportive when I was starting out, I guess she thought it was just a phase I'd grow out of because now she's gotten really hostile about it :/ my friends (I'm in high school too) are pretty supportive and tease me sometimes good-naturedly, but I'm constantly worrying that they might tell someone and word'll get out, teenagers are brutal

[Talia]

Darling, this is the response of a 38 year-old mermaid. I put on my first tail when I was 36, and I just loved it. My family thinks I'm kinda crazy, but they are supportive in the end.

Remember that high school ends (even if you still cannot see it), and you have the rest of your life to be what you want to be. Don't let those so called "friends" to put you down. Next time they call you "fish girl", tell them "Thank you! That is the best compliment you could give me!". I'm telling you, they won't see that one coming, and surely they will stop when they see you enjoy it.

Regarding the growing up, my friend has this as tag line in one of her public profiles: "Don't grow up, it's a trap!". I think it is just genius ;)

Don't let others tell you how to live your life. As Chrissy says, you only get one life. Make the best of it :mermaid kiss:

[Fun123joker]

i was lucky
my parents would be the type that would judge but they support me. they love how you can give someone somthing they dont see everyday.
for school and friends however i kept it a secret. i only mention it. but my friends are cosplayers and such so they think its cool. but it took awhile because i keep it locked shut from my social life.
but im seeing that more and more. friends mocking eachother for thier intrest i have a online friend who just lost her friends because she isnt intrested in anime and she listens to a band thier not familiar of.

[Rivertee]

The ocean is a deep and vast as the land it beats against. The creatures of the land will never understand those of sea because they've killed the magic of their homeland. We are all behind you sister and as long as you carry that magic within your heart, we too shall always be with you. Listen not to the call of man nor the lure of prejudice, listen instead to the voice of sea, the giggle of the brookes, and most inportantly to the song inside yourself placed there by a deeper bond than ever there was. Love of Mother Ocean and all her children. We're with you.

[Aquarianne]

Serious post, y'all:

Everyone mocked me when I got into comic books 18 years ago. My parents complained that it was a silly thing to want to do for a living and I'd never earn a living, and to stop drawing and do my homework. But I kept doing it because I loved it.

Everyone mocked me when I first started cosplaying 15 years ago. My parents yelled that it was a waste of time and money and distracted me from school. But I kept doing it because I loved it.

Everyone mocked me when I took my first gig as a birthday party princess over 2 years ago, because I'm twice as old as the average party princess. My parents said I wouldn't make enough to live on and I looked embarrassing in public. But I kept doing it because I loved it.

Then I got a monofin and looked up the local Y to start training, and started working on my first tail. Everyone thought it was weird and my parents said I should stick to princessing, because there's no money to be had mermaiding on the east coast. But I keep doing it because I love it.

What do I have to show for all of these things people told me not to do? I have an eight-volume graphic novel series, published in over a dozen languages and countries, that allowed me to live off just doing comics for ten years. I've been on NPR, HuffPost, in the Washington Times and numerous other publications and media for my princessing work. I work closely with many charities, homeless shelters and children's hospitals and I get to see the happy, smiling faces of sick or underprivileged kids, who are SO enthralled that a Princess has come to visit them, and see the faces of the parents, who are so happy that their child is happy. I have a huge cosplay portfolio that spans over a decade and has allowed me to get jobs as a professional costumer director and wardrobe manager for different shows and attractions, and keep doing what I love for a living. I picked up tons of skills over the years just from doing my own thing (including learning to cast in latex and silicone, which will come in handy for my first tail!).

Best of all, no one makes fun of me anymore for the things I do. They tell me they're envious, and wish they could do what I do, instead of sitting in an office all day. When I decide to do new things now, like become a mermaid, no one calls me crazy, because they've seen me succeed before and they're kinda curious to see where I'm gonna go with it. And my parents brag about all my work to their friends, relatives, and anyone who will listen, because they're proud, and that's all I've ever really wanted from them.

And now that I'm starting out as a mermaid for the first time, I have no doubt that it's going to lead to something equally flippin' awesome.

Bottom line: You just keep swimming, keep being Fish Girl, and own who you are outright. You never know how many people who make fun of you now will later admit that they really kinda wanted to try what you were doing, but were too scared. I was surprised at how many people I know have told me that over the years. And don't be TOO hard on your former friend...it sounds like she genuinely was very interested in being a mermaid, but someone made fun of her for it and she just crumbled and turned on you to hide how embarrassed she was. Some people are just weak, and can't take the heat or stand up to bullies. They're too scared to swim by themselves, so they stay with the school, hiding in the group to feel safe. It sounds like she may regret it, and probably regrets it right now. But don't stop being who you are just because of what other people say! If I'd stopped when I was in high school, there are a LOT of things I never would have accomplished.

Don't let other people keep you on the beach, when you know you want to swim in the sea! :)

[SeaGlass Siren]

just keep swimming, just keep swimming.

and fuck the bullies.

[PearlieMae]

What care I for human hearts? A mermaid's heart beats fierce and free!
(Paraphrasing "Legend")

I'm a 54 year old mermaid, mermaiding since 1983, and I've always been weird. And was bullied, too, in school. Embrace your uniqueness and delete toxic people from your life! Life is too short not to follow your dreams!

As Hunter S. Thompson once said, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."

We got your back, sugar. Ignore the cowards. :mermaid kiss:

[Mermaid Wesley]

Well I've never been teased for this really, but it's because I have wonderful people around me. Some of the people in my group of friends might have been hesitant but I just owned it. They go "OMG wes you're such a weirdo" and I'm like "that's why you love me" or "just noticing now?" and they get over it. Do what YOU love. A good friend will stand by you.


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[Merman Dan]

A good friend will stand by you.
Or swim next to you. :)

[Mermaid Galene]

I echo everything these wise and good mers have said!

[MermaidIndie]

Thank all of you so much, this just made my day. I'm finding it really hard to fit into the normal flow of highschool and am so happy that I found this website because it always makes me so happy, maybe I can meet some of you at merfest 2015! I love the support on this website for all kinds of people, you guys are the best