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Thread: Is mermaiding a common autistic special interest?

  1. #1

    Is mermaiding a common autistic special interest?

    Just had group therapy session with fellow autistic people trying to befriends each other, the therapist try to get us to tell about our hobbies...well we did and some stuff was very peculiar to each one example to my knowledge i was the only one to enjoy singing while other stuff seems pretty common like liking anime and games a lot especially, while explaining what mermaiding is the therapist was like "how can someone not autistic enjoy something this nerdy"...she did it not meaningly more in a joking way but i was a bit disturbed by the statement, i mean yeah i've met fellow autistic here and it's seems the mer community is very safe for autistic people but...her statement felt very restrictive to me i felt like lot of not autistic people can enjoy such a passion too. I mean sure lot of girl and women with autism and not too manly special interest go under the radar undiagnosed but still even taking that into account....such a wild statement from the therapist seems like a sweeping generalization to me it getted me unconfortable but maybe i'm clueless and she is right. What you think people?

  2. #2
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    Mermaiding like any other hobby, has no barriers. Maybe the therapist didn't know how to reply and just said whatever was in her head. I know in the past, some people have told me playing mermaids was what kids do and that hurt me alot as I don't see it that way. To me, it is another form of exercise, one that I enjoy doing and going to meetups for socialising as I'm homebody and don't go out much unless its grocery shopping, eating at Mum's and going to work.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  3. #3
    Thanks you for answering this very sweet answer . Yeah i agree with you that no hobby is for one type of person only. You're probably right that she gets to said this running out of things to say. Now technically a special interest is a bit more than a hobby to autistic people is something you're very fond of and talkative about that help you connect with other people as we can't with usual chitchat and some like video games are more frequent than others in the autistic community but yes i gues you're right it's work like hobby in the sense that probably anything can be a special interest as long as one autistic person like it a lot. Yeah people who are like "mermaiding is for kids" are annoying too, well in my country it's still an activity for a minority and not that well known and popular a leisure so there are indeed lot of little girls more than adults that do mermaiding but we're still there and it's pretty obvious in the us where it's seems the most popular and i guess it's comes from there it's a old age hobby. And in many countries mine included it's even a job for a few adults so...mermaiding is definitively compatible with every part of adulthood wages included. Yeah i get what you mean about not liking to get out all that much and mermaiding as a fun exercise helping going out i'm the same a bit. To me first i was attracted by the costume wearing side as i like cosplay and Halloween costumes a lot so i've seen pro mermaids video one day wandering on the web and was like wow it's exist cool job! And then learn on their youtube channel that it was also a hobby for fun and well that's how i ended up here. And it's fun indeed, well i guess whatever people says that is what is important

  4. #4
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Mermaid Jaffa's Avatar
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    What's most important, is that you are having fun, enjoying yourself. It doesn't matter what people think. Just do you.
    Formerly known as ireneho

  5. #5
    Yes you're right. Thanks you .

  6. #6
    Okay so “nerdy” is the issue I have with that statement. Just because something Is considered nerdy to one individual, doesnt mean other NT individuals would agree. There’s a certain negative connotation associated with that word. However I completely understand the whole anime and mermaiding thing as being associated with autism due to the exaggerated expressions ( anime) and calming/ sensory experience that water creates( many autistic individuals are drawn to water for this reason) it makes sense but I dont think it’s exclusive to NDs.


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  7. #7
    Yeah i agree. Of course what's nerdy or not isnt set in stone so perceptions will vary you're right. That said, being a big nerd/geek that part didnt offend me i dont find it negative but i can see how it can be badly percieved as a statement for someone into mermaiding while not into more geeky stuff. I've never guessed that the soothing sensory experience was part of why i love water so much but this made a lot of sense thanks never considered it glad you got me this new perspective. Ah dont know if it's exclusive to ND or not probably not but how would i know?

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