Photo courtesy Merman Ryan
Our panel consists of several prominent male mers from the Mernetwork Community
MerPirate
Aquatarian
Merman Jesse
Merman Ryan
The panel interview is as followed:
1) What first attracted you to mermaids?
Mer-Pirate
The legends. I have always loved the old folklore stories of the sirens and mermaids. The other main reason I got into them was from my friend Siren and my girlfriend Star. I first saw Star as a mermaid in a photo, the look of it was amazing, this was followed closely by Siren. I got to help out at one point in a photo shoot and after that I was trapped, I have swam in bloody cold water for a good video or photo, I have become very enthralled with all of it
Aquatarian
I think being a kid, I just got caught up in different tv shows and documentaries that involved the ocean. Of course there was The Little Mermaid (which my sister and I ended up watching constantly) and eventually something just stuck. I became obsessed with sea creatures and swimming. Also living in a place without much water, it was difficult to really go swimming but when I got the chance to go to a pool it was amazing, so it actually made the water a special treat for me.
Merman Jesse
I grew up in Florida with a lake in my backyard, so I was always near water. The movie “Splash” was released in 1984, but I have no early memories of the movie. The earliest mermaid memory I have was from Weeki Wachee around 1987 - 1989, the time they were performing the shows “The Second Magic Show”, and “Mermaids Of The World”. I remember standing in the front of the theater, with my face pressed to the glass. The mermaids swam in unison to music. Between ages 8-10, my mother made my first tail out of an old pair of sweat pants and a pillow case. I would wear it in the bath tub (lol) and sing the song that I had stuck in my head. They say that when a human hears a mermaid sing, the song stick with them for the rest of their lives. It is true! From that day forth, the song replayed and replayed in my head. In 2006, I was able to swim in the spring, in a tail with that song playing over the underwater speakers. It was so surreal.
Merman Ryan
Being a hormonal teenager, I started to like mermaids purely because I was attracted to them I didn't know why at first it could have been the tails, the fantastical aspect of it, girls in water, or or it sparked my imagination. I think honestly it was a mixture of things as I got older it was the ability to build on a whole mythos on merfolk that had never been done before and just having mermaids but mermen as well.
2) What do you think is different for men in the mer-community as compared to women?
Mer-Pirate
Well for me I think is most of the women here are mermaids. The men are either tail makers, connected to tail makers or like me connected to a mermaid (I of course to think of my self as a pirate and pirates and mermaids go hand in hand to me) I haven't seen many men on here that are mermen like the woman are mermaids, we may wear a tail but it isn't quite the same.
Aquatarian
As far as I've seen men and women are valued equally within the community. Of course there is more of a demand out there for "mermaids" because of the childlike appeal that comes from movies and books, but there are places such as The Dive Bar in Sacramento that are breaching gender boundaries.
Merman Jesse
The general public only has one idea of what the fantasy should be. That fantasy does not, or, well, has not included mermen at least until most recently. The fantasy is that mermaids are sexy, alluring, and provocative beings as depicted in film, commercial, and print ad. Most of those are geared toward the male audience. The idea of a merman is, in their eyes, not sexy, alluring, and provocative.
The difference is acceptance. It is acceptable for women to wear tails. It is viewed as strange for men to wear tails.
Merman Ryan
For me it's less about the Disney or Mermaid Melody version of mers and building on a epic stories similar to Lord of the Rings or Dungeons and Dragons so I take that approach with my role. I try to be the bad ass merman of the forum for some it is hard to except outside of the mer-community or geek culture some guys and even women can't comprehend the thought of a man putting on a tail. While I think it's becoming more common I think it's still hard for many mermen to escape the cuteness and princess stereotypes of mers. I'm also a male fan of the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series which that show has produced a new movement called "Bronies" I'm sure if My Little Pony can break the rules about girl shows the mer-community can make mermen more common.
3) How do you feel men are represented and observed in the mer-community?
Mer-Pirate
I think we are represented here as fans mostly or a aid to mermaids in general. Of course I don't mean every single male but as a general I think it is true. I myself help out two of the mermaids here pretty often with underwater photos and videos or as a sounding board for the ideas they have. I would like to see some Selkies on here at one point though (similar to mermaids in some ways but have been in stores as men http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selkie)
Aquatarian
I think that because men aren't as much in "demand" for swimming and preforming, a lot of us take the form of tail-makers or make different accessories as part of a service to the mer-community. I mean if you look at all the major tail-makers; Thom Shouse, Eric Ducharme, Mike VanDaal, they all love mermaids and swimming but I suppose have found more of a calling in creating custom tails more so than swimming in them.
Merman Jesse
I feel that men aren’t very well represented in the community, there are so few of us. NONE of which are REALLY in the public eye. By which I mean a merman equally known as say Hannah Fraser. I think if there was a merman with similar qualities of someone like Hannah who could represent the idea of a male in a tail.
As far as being observed by an outsider of the community, I think we are looked at as “perverts”, “gay” (big news flash there with some of us), and just down right weird.
At Mercon 2011, I felt as an outsider. The press snapped thousands of pictures of the “mermaids”, and probably 4 of the “mermen”. Not one reporter asked about my tail, where I got it, or why I was there. Now that I have had time to reflect on the event and my feelings about it, I honestly felt like I did not belong in that pool.
Merman Ryan
I think us guys on the boards and forums are more then well respected on the forum. There is always drama but hey thats just life. LOL or least thats my experience.
4) What would you like the female community of mers to know about the male community?
Mer-Pirate
That even if we don't do it as often that we love mermaids as much as they do. Most mermen or pirates are like me I think and enjoy the entire thing how the water feels around us, how the tail looks as it glides through the water, when we swim in a tail we smile just as much as and cherish it as deeply
Aquatarian
We are here! Haha! We may seem scarce but we are nonetheless here and I'm sure there are some of us out there who would love to get some more attention as far as better recognition of their mer-selves. I would be more than willing to go for a swim, give advice, or just talk with anyone who wants or needs to.
Merman Jesse
We are just like you, we believe in the fantasy, and are living it. “Live the dream. Be the fantasy.” - Merman Jesse
Merman Ryan
I sincerely think that most of the guys on the forum are well respected, I can't speak for everyone though. I will say my keep my personal politics out of my merman cosplay. Yes my personal politics are radically different from most of the board (I'm a Libertarian) but I keep it out of my merman cosplay. This is because I escape in all my fandoms to get away from the real world, I just want to bring that escapism to others so that they can get away from politics, government and life for a day and just be what they want to be not just a mer but a anime, video game, superhero, or other cosplay.
5) Any other thoughts on being a merman?
Mer-Pirate
Honestly I would like to see some shark versions of mermen at one point, I would love to make a tiger tail and fangs and see how it turned out. But beyond that, I would to say to any guys who want to be a part of your world (Sorry had to make the pun) to not be ashamed by it because it is a beautiful, powerful, physical experience to even try to swim like a mermaid. and when you swim in the water and get to see some one smile at the magical creature you have become that it is worth it.
Aquatarian
While we are all different we all have found a place here. I personal have fallen in love with the ocean environment and being a mer just amplifies and exemplifies everything I hold dear. It means the world that there are other people to share my fascination with regardless of gender, so in short being a merman is freakin' awesome!
Merman Jesse
I have been blessed to have gotten to meet so many wonderful people throughout the years since I have been a merman. I am grateful to all who encourage, support, and live the fantasy with me.
I have gotten to travel to places I would never think of going. Las Vegas for crying out loud! I would have never gone if there wasn’t something there that I was passionate about.
The freedom that comes with being underwater in a tail is just overpowering, and completely overwhelming.
I do have to say though, wearing a tail does not make a person a mermaid or merman. Anyone can put on a tail and say "I'm a mermaid." For me there is a deeper connection to the whole world of mers. It is in my heart, my soul, my life.
Merman Ryan
If you're a guy and nervous about getting a tail,,,,,don't be. If your friends respect you they will still be your friends. Your not gay, feminine, or a wuss (not saying these are bad things just examples of name calling) for putting on a tail. MY merman fandom has made me feel better about myself, helped my loose 25 pounds and allow me to truly live out and escape my only fault is that I wish I could be a merman more often.
Photo courtesy Merman Jesse
