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Original poster

Julian is a mermaid

39 replies

2in2022twoyearson · 28/02/2025 15:58

I'll admit, I've not read the book, but my DD (6yo) is reading it at school. Is it a good one? Anything to be wary of...if the message is, he's a boy, who dresses up as a mermaid, but still a boy, that's ok. I think I won't ask about it, just see if she brings it up.

I think it's the wider cultural context that makes me uncomfortable.

OP posts:
DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe · 28/02/2025 17:36

Chersfrozenface · 28/02/2025 17:32

Now they usually have a single fish tail, like mermaids, though in the past it depended on the specific folklore or illustration in a bestiary.

And a young one would be a merlad or merboy.

Show quote history

So would his family members be his merkin?

Zippidydoodah · 28/02/2025 17:33

Merminology is absolutely genius!! 👏

Chersfrozenface · 28/02/2025 17:32

DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe · 28/02/2025 17:18

Do mermen also have the tail thing, or do they get the privilege of having practical bifurcated legs?

Now they usually have a single fish tail, like mermaids, though in the past it depended on the specific folklore or illustration in a bestiary.

And a young one would be a merlad or merboy.

DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe · 28/02/2025 17:18

Do mermen also have the tail thing, or do they get the privilege of having practical bifurcated legs?

misscockerspaniel · 28/02/2025 17:03

Check reviews of the book on Amazon.

Redfred00 · 28/02/2025 17:02

I didn't consider it to be drag or pride parade. I thought it was Carnival.

Redfred00 · 28/02/2025 17:00

We have it. My kids are 4 and 6. The story is fine. It's a boy who likes mermaids. He dresses up as a mermaid and goes to carnival. My kids didn't read anything into it and nor did I. It's a kid that likes something and dresses up. My kids dress up all the time.

teentantrums · 28/02/2025 16:58

It is on Youtube if you want to see what it is like.

Original poster
2in2022twoyearson · 28/02/2025 16:58

Had a good laugh thanks. I do think boys should be able to play princess, unicorns and mermaids as my DDs friends are boys and she is getting the idea that unicorns are too girly for her. But princesses and mermaids are female inherently aren't they. Should be Julian is a merman. I will have to find the actual book, or watch it on YouTube, I think I'm overthinking dressing up and sexulsaising little boys after reading a horrible headline from the Taliban. 😞 But the message of little boys can play dress up is a good one. Encouraging them into drag and pride parades not good.

OP posts:
DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe · 28/02/2025 16:50

Yep, surely he'd be a merman and not a mermaid if they're genuinely trying to tell a little fantasy tale and are not seeking to use such a pretext as an excuse to shoehorn their genderist ideology in under false pretences.

No boy can be a mermaid (even if they existed); just as no girl can be merman, except Ethel.

DalzielOrNoDalzielAndDontPascoe · 28/02/2025 16:46

@MarieDeGournay

Merminology Grin Grin Grin

MarieDeGournay · 28/02/2025 16:39

I googled it: Julián Is a Mermaid - Wikipedia
It says it was originally going to be about drag queens not mermaids, so... phew!

If he remains a boy-mermaid [let's not get hung up on the merminology] you could use it to emphasise that boys can do anything, and girls can do anything, any child can dress up as a mermaid, of course it's just dressing up isn't it? they are still a little boy or a little girl, but didn't they have fun pretending to be a
mermaid for a little while?

Gosh I didn't realise I could be so Machiavellian!😄

frenchnoodle · 28/02/2025 16:15

The biggest issue is that he's not a merman, but otherwise it's fine.

Rightsraptor · 28/02/2025 16:10

I think the best thing would be for you to read it and form your own opinion.