Krista Visinski isn’t your typical young mother. For the past year, the 24-year-old been training to be a professional mermaid. Professional meaning she can teach exercise classes, host children’s parties and appear at public events while dressed in mermaid tails and acting as a sea nymph. The problem is the city of Edmonton, where she lives, has recently announced a ban on mermaid tails in all public pools.
Why would a city be against mermaids? A City of Edmonton spokesman says “there is concern the tails promote holding one’s breath under water for long periods of time and can lead to blackouts and drowning.” Visinski understands the safety concern but says if children are “properly supervised and taught how to swim with bound legs, there shouldn’t be a problem.” The City says it has no plans to lift its ban.
