*VIDEO* The mercommunity and it's approach to mers of color and cultures.

[merwandering]

Regardless of her skills, let's talk about the statement that she "most embodied the qualities of the role". of an African goddess.
an African goddess,
more than any woman of actual African descent.

and then based on looking for a makeup artist, she also most embodies the Asian role.
a message that, especially shared publicly, by someone with a high profile, through the lens of all that is going on in America, is so detrimental. There is an undercurrent of 'white is better' in America, and it is causing massive social problems

this project was a huge opportunity to promote diversity and respect world culture. This message does the opposite.

I edited my original statement, because while it did express what I meant, after thinking about it, it is not the most productive way to say it.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Agreed. Mer wandering hit all the additional points

[AniaR]

yup. you nailed it

[Mermaid Momo]

Sorry I've been so quiet, work is killing me haha. I'm so happy that the community is so welcoming to the video and are (so far from those who've spoken up) are so willing to listen to our voices and actually learn from it.

sent from my shellphone using tapatalk

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Until I came here, I didn't know yellow face was a thing. I always thought it was ignorant people doing stupid copying crap. Like how in the movies years ago, they'd get a white guy to play an Asian or African person.

[drucilla]

Yellow face/ black face is racist. Wearing someone's culture as a costume racist. But hairstyles I don't agree with, unless it is a costume and is specifically about/from one culture and meant to be a costume or derogatory towards that culture.
I have not seen the video or pictures of the specific mermaid people are talking about but I will review them for myself and then form my opinion. But like I said black face and yellow face I consider racist/ are racist.

[Merman Dan]

What if one imitates an accent? Cultural appropriation? You know after I watch Monty Pythons Flying Circus I always get stuck in an English accent. And using a thick southern drawl around here is just common courtesy.

[drucilla]

I actually have a condition called the chameleon effect and I unknowingly imitate the accent of whomever I am interacting with. It is extremely embarrassing because I will just keep talking in that accent the whole time without even thinking about it, my husband has to help me explain it to people because it can come off like I'm mimicking them on purpose. This is why I prefer typing than talking because this way I can talk to people without taking part of them in and mirroring it back basically.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Yellow face/ black face is racist. Wearing someone's culture as a costume racist. But hairstyles I don't agree with, unless it is a costume and is specifically about/from one culture and meant to be a costume or derogatory towards that culture.
I have not seen the video or pictures of the specific mermaid people are talking about but I will review them for myself and then form my opinion. But like I said black face and yellow face I consider racist/ are racist.

Ah I see your point now. I knew they were being racist, in the old movies, but just didn't know there was a name for such things.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Drucill here's where I disagree with you in the hair thing.

ill give you an example I personally dealt with.

People from my race are racist against black people simply for being black and yet will take their boxed braids and corn row hairstyles and rap music because it's "cool". We never had those styles back then and the trend is fairly recent.

How is that ok?

[SeaGlass Siren]

Don't get me wrong I'm still keeping in mind the whole Viking hair discussion and remember that merwanderings hair naturally dreads on itself. You can't help that..
I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about people who take this style and do this on purpose because it's cool all the while being racist to the people whose style belonged to in the first place.

[AniaR]

For anyone interested, Hannah gave me a reply. I honestly feel this is a generational gap thing. I am not trying to defend her, moreso come from a place of empathy on both sides. The comments she makes are what a lot of well meaning people would make without understanding of the gravity of the situation. I am hoping this is a step in the right direction - though she clearly doesn't totally get the points everyone is trying to make to her. I think she feels attacked which she shouldn't, because everyone is just trying to enlighten her. In the same way she tries to enlighten others about ocean activism.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Hannah... No. Just no.
This was never about you. In fact most of us respected you for your work in ocean activism. This was never about your work in ocean activism.

No we don't hate you. But we are angry at you.
We hate that you're appropriating cultures. We hate that you're not acknowledging your privledge. We hate that you contribute to the racism mers of colour face everyday. We hate that while you are actively promoting anti racism and one love, you're not opening up your eyes and seeing you're doing the Complete opposite.
We don't hate you. We are not hating on you because of your positive work. We're hating on your actions that affect Mers of Colour. THAT is what causes the separation.



If you want us to focus on love and for us to truly be united, then act on that love and listen to us. Act on it and stop allowing the separation to happen. Only then can everyone be united.

[Mer-Crazy]

I just want to say something here quickly and then swim away, if I offend then I apologise sincerely it was not my intention but I want to say something regardless.

If not Hannah... then do we honestly think Cirq would have picked a black mermaid if she had turned it down? Or would they have picked another talented white mermaid? Perhaps accepting the position was not the best choice, and believing it should not offend people is wrong but how are we to know the organisers would have picked a black mermaid if Hannah had turned the role down?

[SeaGlass Siren]

I think Raina and Eric already covered that point. There's so many White Sea goddesses they could've used as a character for her. Instead they chose a black goddess and casted a white person.

[Sapphire Mermaid]

Cultural Appropriation is a huge issue, I completely agree. And I completely agree that they shouldn't have cast a white person to play a black goddess. It's Old Hollywood all over again.

What I am about to say is in no way lessening the fact that these decisions were wrong and should never have been made. I just feel there are some issues with calling certain situations out as cultural appropriation should be done so very carefully, which I know from personal experiences, so please, hear me out here:

Where the line falls fuzzy for me is when you actually, genuinely come from a cultural background that is anything but what you look. Personally, my great Grandmother was, what people here know as, a half cast. She was half Indigenous Australian, half European Australian. Personally, I am as white as they get. My skin is pale. I burn easy, I don't tan, my hair is naturally blonde, and I have blue eyes. I use the palest of any make up brand you can find, because that's the colour I am. So many times I have been called out for cultural appropriation of Indigenous Australians, but it is in my blood. Just because I am freaking pale (seriously, I almost glow in the dark), should I not respect my cultural heritage in case people think it is cultural appropriation? Indigenous Australian hair styles included dreadlocks, but if I do that, I am called appropriator. If I paint my face in traditional ways, I am called appropriator. If I use traditional smoke ceremonies, I am called appropriator. But I am of that culture.
My great grandfather was Irish, and my grandfather was too, but I don't have the accent because my mum didn't, so should I stop enjoying my family's history and showing my respect to them with Celtic knots and symbols, even though I was raised with a Grandfather that took pride in his family history and identity? Should I not have learned Irish Dancing, worn traditional dance dresses, and shared it with the world, simply because I am not labelled as Irish because of where I was born?

I was raised with pride in my heritage, and I was raised with acceptance of other cultures, purely because I am from so many. If I share something from any of my cultures with someone, and they go away with an understanding and can use it in their every day life to help them get through this world, I don't mind. Again, when things are done ignorantly like they were with Hannah in this case, I think it is all sorts of wrong. Use another name. Use a different mer icon. They all could have applied in this situation. Pick any of the hundreds of white mermaid legends to go with. Better yet, use a black mer to portray a black goddess! Give someone else a go at the spotlight for a damn minute.

All I want anyone who has read this to take from what I have written is that not everyone you think is culturally appropriating, actually is. You don't know their family history, you don't know their identity. Please just be kind and ask nicely before you scream appropriation at them. It has happened to me, and it is hurtful. I am an open book. If you want to ask, just ask. Most people would want the same before they are called ignorant.

[AniaR]

If not Hannah... then do we honestly think Cirq would have picked a black mermaid if she had turned it down? Or would they have picked another talented white mermaid? Perhaps accepting the position was not the best choice, and believing it should not offend people is wrong but how are we to know the organisers would have picked a black mermaid if Hannah had turned the role down?

I am actually shocked it even happened to begin with TBH. Circe in Canada seems to work really hard at staying true to the roots of stories. So I was surprised. I think it's equal responsibility. Both sides.

All I want anyone who has read this to take from what I have written is that not everyone you think is culturally appropriating, actually is.

Sure, but in this instance, it is. Hannah's family is famous. Her lineage is public knowledge. This isn't a matter of nitpicking. it's fairly clear cut.

[AniaR]

I actually had a nice private conversation with Hannah and encouraged her to really listen to everyone and acknowledge that she is learning and try to do better. I hope it all works out.

I think regardless of what Hannah said, this is still a conversation that needed to happen in the community, and I applaud all the people speaking up and sharing their stories.

I honestly do believe as I said previously, it's a bit of a generational gap. I believe Hannah can do better with knowledge, information, and understanding, and I am happy to give her a chance to do so. But I am also so proud of everyone. Honestly, the mers of colour, gay mers, trans mers, non binary mers, you've all taught me so much! <3

[Sapphire Mermaid]

I completely agree, AniaR. I wrote that I agree at least twice in my piece. This is outright appropriation. Very clear cut.

And I am not nitpicking. I am stating that people need to be very careful when they say to someone they are appropriating. Just because someone doesn't look a certain way, doesn't mean they are what you assume. Stereotyping is another huge issue that goes hand in hand with appropriation and it is just as important to understand them both together as it is to understand them separately.

[AniaR]

And I am not nitpicking. I am stating that people need to be very careful when they say to someone they are appropriating. Just because someone doesn't look a certain way, doesn't mean they are what you assume. Stereotyping is another huge issue that goes hand in hand with appropriation and it is just as important to understand them both together as it is to understand them separately.

Your points are fair, but not relevant to this particular example. It's like saying "but remember, not ALL men." it's kinda undermining. I know you mean well by it, but I dont think people in this instance need to be reminded about it. We've had other threads you maybe haven't seen yet where we've discussed the things you mention at length in this instance, this is a specific example for which we know people aren't stereotyping.