What does being a Mermaid/Merman mean to you?

[Mermaid Syaira]

I just finished watching Winged Mermaid's amazing video for Marshall University Women's Studies Program and after seeing what being a mermaid meant to her, I was wondering what it meant for you guys and why you became Mermaids/Mermen.

For me I always loved mermaids but slowly as I started high school it became an escape from bullying, being a mermaid meant freedom but it's also special to me because of my Aunt who has cancer, she loves mermaid as much as we do here =)

[Lucinda]

I love that video... and this is a great idea for a thread. (I'll post a proper reply as soon as I have access to a computer.)

[Lucinda]

I started identifying as a mer, after countless unrelated google searches led me to this forum. I searched for mermaid art and eventually ended up here. I was searching for info on wetsuits. Ended up here. I was doing a search for environmental issues (specifically of the aquatic variety). I ended up here. I did a search for mermaid movies. Same thing. Googled H2O: Just add water... That was when I said to myself: "Let's face it, you're a mermaid. The only thing missing is the costume."
A few years ago, my childhood passion for swimming was rekindled after seeing "Aquamarine". Merfolk have become a symbol for that passion but also a symbol for many other things such as my connection to mother nature and my desire to protect her. Merfolk inspire me to be active, to tear myself away from the computer and actually get some exercise, experience nature, see things from new angles and to find creative solutions to problems.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I'm a recreational mer, so for me, it means being totally relaxed and pure fun. I had a dream last night. I was in a deep swimming pool, there were other non mer swimmers in the water and I was there in my green Fin Fun Tail and swimmers set. I wasn't struggling with the technique, was doing barrel rolls with ease, swimming elegantly, everything about it was fantastic! Then I woke up and its back to work Monday morning.

Oh and apart from walking and butt squats, I don't do land exercises well. And this type of swimming is perfect for me, as I was searching for an exercise that makes your whole body work out, not just one part like legs, then got to do another type of exercise for body etc.

[Mermaid Adriel]

I haven't started meraiding yet but I can say that for me it means freedom and a way to escape from a bad reality :)

[Chrissy]

it just means letting myself be myself. I have been swimming for as long as I can remember and my parents tell me I was swimming before I could walk. My husband for the last 10 years has always called me a mermaid when I get in the water, he is so amazed at how at home I am in the water, I keep telling him something pulls me to bodies of water everyday! When I saw they make tails for humans, I bought a fabric one and started out there. I didn't let anyone know how much I loved mermaids fearing my friends would make fun of me. One day they came over and saw the fabric tail and begged me to swim in it. Fearing being laughed at I went ahead and did it. I took a breath went under and swam back and forth holding my breath as long as I could b/c I didn't want to see them laughing. I finally came up and their mouths had dropped to the ground. They were so amazed how pretty and fluid I looked underwater, they couldn't do anything be say what a great idea this was and I need to think about doing something more with this.
My friends and I give each other a hard time about EVERYTHING, we are really tough on one another. SO to really shock all of them is a hard task, from then on I knew that I can take on anything and make my little business happen.
Being a mermaid means excepting every part of yourself and not letting anyone judge you or what you like to do. I mean really what is so great about everyone else life, look what I get to do? How cool is that?