Fin-tastic! Growing 'mermaiding' subculture makes a splash

Lauren Metzler, founder of Sydney Mermaids, preparing for a swim at Manly Cove Beach in Sydney, Australia. Metzler received her advanced mermaid certification recently with a goal of teaching rookie merfolk how to avoid sinking to the seabed. Photo: Mark Baker/AP

There was a pivotal moment in Queen Pangke Tabora’s life that eclipsed all others: It was the moment, she says, when she first slid her legs into a mermaid tail.

For the transgender Filipina woman approaching middle age, seeing her legs encased in vibrant, scaly-looking neoprene three years ago was the realisation of a childhood dream.