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

[Mermaid Momo]

There has been a lot going on recently in the mer world that has some kind of effect on the mers of color in it, and I just got fed up with it and made a video about the problems the community has when it comes to culture sensitivity and mers of color.

[SeaGlass Siren]

Bump up!

[Mermaid Aria]

Beautifully said Momo!

[Acqua Luna]

Fantastically said Mermiad Momo!

[Mermaid Kassandra]

Point one I love your voice, your hair and your headdress 😍
Point two well said dear, I saw that in those days there have been some "strange facts" but actually I never realized it was going to this awful situation...
And what shocked me is that those famous mermaids are making it worse... I really wasn't expecting this from a mermaid that should care about that.

P.S. I find something magical in seeing mermaids of other cultures I don't understand why other people are always asking for the stereotype of the white blond mermaid.... -.-

[Mermaid Aria]

Point one I love your voice, your hair and your headdress 😍
Point two well said dear, I saw that in those days there have been some "strange facts" but actually I never realized it was going to this awful situation...
And what shocked me is that those famous mermaids are making it worse... I really wasn't expecting this from a mermaid that should care about that.

P.S. I find something magical in seeing mermaids of other cultures I don't understand why other people are always asking for the stereotype of the white blond mermaid.... -.-

I agree with this 100%

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[AniaR]

I am excited to watch this

[AniaR]

Thoughts while watching:

the fans sounds like ocean water haha. Do I have you on fb? if not add me. Raina Mer.

I also agree that you have a LOVELY voice, and you look kick ass

Merman Juku also made a video about these casting calls. I wonder if that mermaid has seen these videos yet or understands how much they're upsetting people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDI8IMmG8N8

I can't believe you were asked if you have a white mermaid omfg.

Amazing points about what is and what isnt a costume, and hitting the nail on the white girl trying to be "exotic"

I am planning a celtic shoot at some point, as it's a huge part of my heritage. But I have been researching through both my family and online about symbols and what they mean and what's appropriate for me to use and what's not. I want to do it as an example of how we can use our OWN cultures for inspiration.

Do you have a FB fanpage? I was trying to tag you in sharing the video.

drowna sailor- LOL made me giggle.

I love your tumblr.

Thank you so much for addressing all of this stuff. I dont remember if I saw the Japanese slur thing. I have called out the racism around the dolphin hunt to the point I got into an argument with Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd. I would like to think I would of said something but I do think I may have totally missed that discussion. The immigrant discussion I saw after the fact (long) but it made my blood boil as do 75% of the comments I see from that person.

I went ahead and posted your video on the mernetwork facebook. I am glad you're done "being nice and tiptoing" I feel the same way about the issues I see. I try to speak up for cultural appropriation as well but I feel like I can only speak for the responsibility of being white and not appropriating others. When I posted my blog, all I got was people making excuses to allow themselves to continue. And a lot of defensiveness.

Race DOES matter and only people who dont face injustice because of theirs think it doesnt.

The having this mermaid as YEMAYAH THE AFRICAN MERMAID GODDESS was also really upsetting to a lot of people as well.

I recently had a run in with this mermaid because another mer I had issues with tried to start drama between us with a few lies, so this mermaid reached out to me. We are in an OK place, but I had to really advocate for myself, and it was sad that in all my years personally supporting this person, they would believe someone they barely knew over someone they've known for like 10 years. It was also sad that they only seemed to make time for me because of drama. Normally I'd be right up on sending a person all this stuff and saying hey you need to look at this. I know some of my friends have tried speaking to her.

I know this mermaid was raised by a family that practices a lot of cultural stuff, and literally lived in some of the places for a long time where she draws her inspiration from. I don't believe she is trying to hurt or offend anyone, but I also think because of her upbringing she doesn't understand what is so hurtful about these things.

I think it would be really good if people actually messaged her and sent her the videos and left comments etc, I do think she comes from a place of love and has the capacity to change once educated... but for the time being she doesnt understand why her stuff is wrong. And kinda like you said 'I don't always want to be the one to do it'. I think it comes better from the people directly affected. That way for those of us watching (though it IS important for bystanders to speak up) it doesn't look like we're making things up or just trying to get in on drama if that makes any sense.

Anyway I am sharing the shit out of that video. I think it's awesome. I am also going to reference it in a mermaid Monday Video.

[SeaGlass Siren]

This... Was in the comments section of Eric's video....

[AniaR]

OH MY GAWD SERIOUSLY.

I commented on that, I urge others to as well.

[Mermaid Alea]

That really is horrible that someone asked if a white mermaid would wear your tail. You know, when you said that I thought about all the effort you put into creating that beautiful tail for yourself and then to be told they don't want you in that tail you worked so hard to create!? That is really unacceptable. You know, of the other mers on Mernetwork you have always stood out to me as being someone who seems to be really good at getting into character (from what I have gathered from your previous posts around the forum) so I believe they really missed out not hiring YOU.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I haven't had a problem with racial slurs of any kind at my current pool. The lifeguards are really chill and always look out for me.

Whereas the pool where I used to live, I had one or two people outright claim there's no such thing as Chinese mermaid, which made me feel really bad, and even worse of a swimmer because at that time I was still learning the mermaid swim and hiding in a corner of the pool to practice cos I couldn't swim.

[Mermaid Kassandra]

That really is horrible that someone asked if a white mermaid would wear your tail. You know, when you said that I thought about all the effort you put into creating that beautiful tail for yourself and then to be told they don't want you in that tail you worked so hard to create!? That is really unacceptable. You know, of the other mers on Mernetwork you have always stood out to me as being someone who seems to be really good at getting into character (from what I have gathered from your previous posts around the forum) so I believe they really missed out not hiring YOU.

Definitely agree 210% whaaat!?!?! You are too kind Momo if someone would ask me something like this I think I would drown him/she!

[AniaR]

If it's OK I'm going to post the other two videos on this topic in this thread so when we tryna track it all down on mernetwork it's a bit easier to find them all in the same place:

Andrea's Video



Juku's video

[Mermaid Ankhali]

Wow, Mermaid Momo. As another African-American mermaid, I really respect this video and what you have said. Fortunately, I was never made aware of racism or cultural appropriation such as this in the mercommuntity, but obviously I am plenty aware of it in general. I have noticed, though, that it seems very difficult to find mers of color in general, and I don't think that I have ever seen one of them in the spotlight like Hannah and Melissa are. At first I just thought that there weren't a lot of us, but this video is eye-opening. This community should be a place that welcomes people of all races, colors and cultures. The oceans do not belong to any one people. I applaud you for making this video. If minorities want to see a change, we have to be the ones to push for it. Good luck to you, Sister, and all of the other Mers of color out there. Come out of the shadows!


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[Mermaid Ankhali]

You know, I really respected Hannah. And as a mer of color, this is really disappointing and disheartening to see. Smh so sad


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[Mermaid Caspiana]

I've always thought the most interesting mers were of multiple cultures. I feel like that's how natural mermaids would be, deriving from different underwater tribe type things and such, just like humans. I think th POTC movie did pretty well at this, in the mermaid scene, they included a lot of ethnicities and the main mermaid isn't the typical blonde.

[anami]

I loved what you said. Im glad every one is talking about this. Its the sitting by that allows a vocal group, who are likely now the minority, to perpetuate racism. I really believe its great that people are saying they wont put up with it and others then to say they wont either. I didnt see the posts that were derogatory and I mostly read on here and rarely post, but if I saw those posts, I would have called them out too. And that's the thing, its not all on one or some of our shoulders its on all of our shoulders and we all need to stop letting those statements and "jokes" go by...say something. I have gotten dozens of people who "meant no harm" to stop saying faggot and that's gay. Now I hear them calling other people out. And thats how it spreads. People are sheep lets move the herd in the right direction.

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[AniaR]

I think the tricky thing too is because she's a huge leader in the community people want to emulate her and think it's OK if she does something. Whether she likes it or not. I mean I get that issue too lol

[anami]

Being famous comes with responsibility...that's a fact. Your behavior becomes more important. This is a prime topic in the burlesque world too with Dita Von Tease closing her current show in yellow face sexualizing a painful part of history

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