Page 23 - Fins Magazine: Fins Magazine Issue #4

I’m Mermaid Chè Monique.
I ’ m M e r m a id C hè M o n iq u e .

I sit at the intersections of being a fat, Black,
I s i t a t t h e i n t e r s e c t i o n s o f b e i n g a fa t , B l a c k ,
queer woman, in a world where having
q u e e r w o m a n , i n a w o r l d w h e r e h a v i n g
any one of those identities often results in
a n y o n e o f t h o s e i d e n t i t i e s o f t e n r e s u l t s i n
being treated as less than. People who look
b e i n g t r e a t e d a s l e s s t h a n . P e o p l e w h o l o o k
d
o
e
t
’
e
n
n
a
o
k
n
i
t
m
i
e
o
u
n
p
r
h
e
g
e
s
a
t
h
e
r
v
e
l
like me don’t have enough representation
o f o u r s e lv e s t h r iv i ng . S o m e t i m e s w e
of ourselves thriving. Sometimes we
t
t
n
p
h
t
g
o
r
h
t
e
f forget that we were not put on this earth to
r
e
r
e
i
e
s
w
w
u
a
h
e
n
a
t
o
t
t
o
t
o
struggle, we were put here to be free and
s t r u g g l e , w e w e r e p u t h e r e t o b e f r e e a n d
e
f s
z
e
n o
l
a
i
a
f
. W
s
o
s
e
l
e
i
e o
n
r b
t v
u
c
r
t
actualize our best version of self. When
u
h
y a
e
e
r
t
e
o
people see me, they are reminded of that. .
m
r
i
a
e
m
p
,
n
h
e
f t
e
e s
d
e
t
l
h
d o
p
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T
f
e
e a
i
e m
r
n
r
i
There are many different versions of
f
y d
o
r
s
fe
r
t v
h
s o
a
e
n
e
n
k
l
f
c
,
s
o
r
l
m
m
h
r
r
e
merfolk. Some mers are gothic, sparkly,
s
a
,
i
.

p
e
r
o
k
o
e
m
y
S
t
a
e
g
i
g
s
a
u
masculine, or use mermaiding as a way to
a
e
n
t
i
n
e
m
e
d
y
u
a
m
a
l
w
o
s
a
r
m
i
,
o
r
s
c
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e
e
t
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o
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d
r
m
b
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e
r
v
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t g
.
s
r a
a
I a
l
u
e
subvert gender altogether. I am glamorous
s
and femme. When people see me being
a n d fe m m e . W h e n p e o p l e s e e m e b e i n g
fat, Black and magical it can be freeing and
fa t , B l a c k a n d m a g i c a l i t c a n b e f r e e i n g a n d
cathartic. When the world tells you that
c a t h a r t i c . W h e n t h e w o r l d t e l l s y o u t h a t
you will never be enough, that you aren’t
y o u w i l l n e v e r b e e n o u g h , t h a t y o u a r e n ’ t
r
n
n
s
,
e
f
e
u
r
pretty or smart or can never be successful,
t
e
l
p
e
b
c
s
m
c
t
o
u
a
r
r
s
s
o
r
t
y
a
v
c
e
t o s e e y o u r s e l f r e fl e c t e d a s t h e u l t i m a t e
to see yourself reflected as the ultimate
m
n
d
i
e
d
o
a
i
fa
t
a
y
n
m
mermaid fantasy is a reminder that you are
e
r
a
m
u
e
r
h
a
i
s
e
r
t
r
y
t
s
a
enough and you are worthy.
e n o u g h a n d y o u a r e w o r t h y .
biweekly craft parties. We’ve started live
I started Society of Fat Mermaids (SOFM)
I s t a r t e d S o c i e t y o f F a t M e r m a i d s ( S O FM ) b i w e e k l y c r a f t p a r t i e s . W e ’ v e s t a r t e d l i v e
makeup tutorials, the first two led by Yl’luria
u
,
s
c
i
t
l
o
v
h
e
e
s
l
c
i in 2018. We sell cute, size inclusive clothes, m a k e u p t u t o r i a l s , t h e fi r s t t w o l e d b y Y l ’ l u r i a
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.
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e
on
s
a
.
ho
s
r
d

c

W
on

g
a
p
te
with a mermaid theme. We’re the home of
w i t h a m e r m a i d t h e m e . W e ’ r e t h e h o m e o f Watersong. We hosted a panel discussion
of fat professional mermaids during the
the $15 6XL tee shirt. Our leggings range
t h e $ 1 5 6 X L t e e s h i r t . O u r l e g g i n g s r a n g e o f fa t p r o fe s s i o n a l m e r m a i d s d u r i n g t h e
California Mermaid Convention.
l
u
s s
5
X
m X
L
X
s a p
g a
e
-
p
h
f from XXS-5XL. Shopping as a plus size C a li f o r ni a M e r m ai d C o n v e n t i o n .
o
p
S
i
n
. S
o
i
z
r
person can be stressful and expensive.
p e r s o n c a n b e s t r e s s f u l a n d e x p e n s i v e .
d
h
e
T
o
w
o
m
t
s
i
e
o
m
It’s my goal for Society of Fat Mermaids to
I t ’ s m y g o a l f o r S o c i e t y o f F a t M e r m a i d s t o The two most important things SOFM does
t
s
i
t
O
a
h
n
o
s
g
r
S
n
p
t
t
FM
create a pleasant and accessible experience
are community building and advocacy.
c r e a t e a p l e a s a n t a n d a c c e s s i b l e e x p e r i e n c e a r e c om m u n i t y bu i ld i n g a nd ad v o c a c y .
for as many people as possible. W e h a v e a F a c e b o o k g r o u p , S o c i e t y o f F a t
i
p
f
l
e a
l
s p
e
We have a Facebook group, Society of Fat
o
b
s
.
s
e
p
o
r
a
n
a
y
s m
o
r
M
t
e
-
s
n
h
n
Mermaids- Let’s Connect a space where
c
’
d
a
w
s
t
i
r
c
e
s
m
e
e
L
e
o
C
p
e
a
a
SO F M v e nd s a t m e r m a i d c on v e n t i on s fat mers and allies are able to support
s a
p
l
d a
e a
u
t
r
r
e
SOFM vends at mermaid conventions

o
l
p
e
s a
fa
b
l
i
e t
r
t m
n
o s
o
n
o
n
y
e
h
s t
e w
o c
t w
v
h e
i
t
r
n
e
c
e
a
each other and help each other on our
l
e
n
i
r
i
d t
and tries to connect with everyone while e a c h o t h e r a n d h e l p e a c h o t h e r o n o u r
e
e
v
’
v
b
e

e
n a
w
we’re there. We’ve been hosting virtual journeys. I have also been able to have
e
e
r
r
e
o h
t
e
h
a
’
e
b
e t
.
W
l
n
j
g
l
l
o
i
t
a
t
r
a
u
e a
v
v
i
e
h
o
n
s
e
e
y
n
. I h
s
s
o b
u
r
p
r
r
g
e
programming during quarantine. We have c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h t a i l m a k e r s a b o u t h o w
o
v
amm
i
n
n
e
r
quar
an
t
i
g
.
n
e
i
a
h
g
du
W
conversations with tail makers about how
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