> Jazz Jennings' fascination with mermaids began very young. She explained it later saying, "Mermaids are just the most whimsical, mystical creatures of all time. A lot of transgender individuals are attracted to mermaids and I think it's because they don't have any genitals, just a beautiful tail." She decided to make a mermaid tail the summer after sixth grade.
Aren't mermaids supposed to be cunts, though? Disney's The Little Mermaid isn't a very accurate representation of them, tbh. Peter Pan's mermaids are more akin to what mermaids are: they tried to drown Wendy because they were jealous of her. Which is what most mermaids often try to do: drown men after seducing them. The image of mermaids being cool and beautiful is very recent branding to sell little girls and basic bitches pink stuff.
I've also mentioned here how the ACTUAL tale of the Little Mermaid is more similar to what it's probably Jazz's every day life: the mermaid of the story gets her tail replaced by legs so she can try to make the Prince fall in love with her, nevertheless, every step she takes is an agony because it hurts like knives stabbing her. She takes the pain so she can be with her love. Then she dies without being able to gain the Prince's love because he marries someone else.
> The exhibit features a silicone mermaid tail that Jazz Jennings crafted when she was just 12. The exhibit also features an arrangement of her artwork. According to Jazz, art allowed her to express what being a girl trapped inside of a male body felt like when she was younger.
Yeah, I really, really doubt Jazz did that at 12 on his own, but sure, whatever. It's still very shitty to make an exhibition about "girlhood" and include Jazz and his very shallow concepts of what a girl is. When I was 12 years old I was worried about my body because I was having my period for the first time and that was a very different rush of emotions I didn't want. I practised sports and it was awkward seeing how my breasts would make me uncomfortable to pass the ball. I was also starting to like boys and I that was also confusing because I was discovering what "sex" was and I wasn't yet emotionally ready. Jazz has NEVER gone through these things that EVERY GIRL goes through, but then, he's supposed to define girlhood? because he liked mermaids? Give me a break.
It's funny, though, that the Smithsonian would give her a spot in their exhibition. Jazz definitely belongs to a museum, but not in the way they expect. She should be put there, legs spread like the Starbucks mermaid (because she loves them so much, right?) as a warning of what happens when parents give in and accept each of their children's tantrums.
"I'M A REAL GIRL! I'M A MERMAID!"