Asia's First Plus-Sized Mermaid On Fat-Shaming & Her Advice For Those Struggling To Love Their Bodies
Suicidal at the age of 10, she now advocates self-love and hopes to inspire others through her journey as a mermaid performer
By Michelle Lee SM -
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Suicidal at the age of ten from bullying and fat stigmatisation, Merliah Moidu now puts celebrating her curves at the forefront and is adamant about being a conductor of change when it comes to body acceptance and positivity.
In fact, head to her Instagram page and you'll be treated to pictures of the 26-year-old in sparkling mermaid costumes, styled photo shoots, and mirror selfies captioned with inspiring messages on self-confidence and treating yourself with kindness.
"I feel like I have always been confident — it’s just that society and the people around me kept telling me that I couldn’t be. That I shouldn’t be. That I should hate myself because I am bigger," shares Merliah, who is a mermaid performer and instructor, and bills herself Asia's first plus-sized mermaid.
The Singaporean studied at Lasalle College of the Arts and is now based here. In an interview with The Weekly, she gets candid about the challenges of being a mermaid, the stigma that has followed her since her childhood, and what more can be done to change the stereotypes and attitudes surrounding bigger people.
For those who've dreamt of becoming a mermaid, Merliah has this to share: "If you are always comfortable in the water, then get a monofin and start watching videos on how to do a dolphin kick! After that, buy that tail and start living your best mermaid life! There are courses for mermaid-ing but I personally think that it's something you can learn by yourself."
"The moment I get into the water with my tail, that’s when I feel most beautiful. It’s like a complete transformation for me. I get to be this beautiful creature everybody said I couldn’t be. It's just my escape. There's no certain way a mermaid is supposed to look like… that’s what I love the most about being a mermaid."
However, she admits, it does come with its challenges. "Posing underwater has to be the toughest thing for me because I struggle with buoyancy because I am a bigger mermaid so naturally I’m just a lot more buoyant."
"I had no role models up till recently because we lacked representation. No one was ever my colour or size. But now, thank god for Lizzo. I absolutely love her!"