Raina the Mermaid

k, Im getting tired of this. I’ve been really polite about it, if someone wants to be called plus sized which is ALL of the cases I have experienced, Im going to call them plus sized. Yes, I appreciate that people are trying to take back the word “Fat”, just like people take back the word “fag” but unfortunately those words are still CONSTANTLY used. In my community, the one I am being asked about- the mermaid one- women dont like being called fat. If it’s different somewhere else, fine. but like I said, Im going to call a person what they prefer, and what these ladies prefer is plus sized. Also, plus size refers to actual sizes pre-determined (as I learned when I brought this up in the mer community and asked people their thoughts) where as “fat” is subjective. I am called fat sometimes, I am called skinny some times. But if a mermaid, chooses for her alias “..the plus sized mermaid!” then I’m going to call her plus sized.

I get the point you’re trying to make here anon, but I feel like you’re nit picking me and making assumptions. I didnt in anyway see the person who asked “can you be a fat mermaid” trying to build up someone by using that word, trying to be positive by using that word, or trying to take that word back in that sentence. I replied the same way I would reply if someone asked me “can u be a fag and be a mermaid?” I’d say, “we don’t use the word fag, if you’re asking if you have have a different identity other than straight and be a mermaid? hells yes.” because that’s the truth.

It’s a small community. Perhaps as it grows, the people who consider themselves “plus sized” (as they use that language) may see your vision and decide to take the word “fat” back. Until a person tells me that they want to be called fat and they see it as a positive, I’ll continue saying “plus sized” or whatever that person prefers. In our community, fat is NEVER used in kindness. It’s posted as a hate word all over the youtube videos of girls who just want to show their love of mermaiding and cant get away from people calling them “fat whales”. Whenever a girl who is larger than what society deems acceptable gets a bunch of media or publicity for being a mermaid you can bet that 90% of the comments are about her being fat, a whale, a walrus. Fat is not a nice empowering word in our community. And I highly doubt so long as there are idiots on the internet that it ever will be. 

So Im all done answering anon replies about “fat” which I suspect are all from the same person. Even my two degrees in child development and education have taught me the damage the word “fat” has done and does. You have a nice ideal, but you need to recognize that for the MOMENT it is still an ideal and trying to cram it down people’s throats isnt going to make it any less of an ideal. I hope you dont push girls who feel more comfortable with “plus sized” to conform to this idea of fat= positive. Just as you say people should find out what a person prefers, I hope you can respect when that person prefers “plus size” which is the case in the mermaid community.