The western city of Edmonton has banned a popular swimming accessory from all of its public pools, as have some other communities across Canada. The so-called mermaid tails are made of a neoprene fabric binds the legs and stretch from the waist to the feet but end in a tail.
Girls just want to have fun
Classes and clubs have sprung up around the use of mermaid tails. The 1989 movie “The Little Mermaid” probably accounts for some of their popularity. Canadians are being pressed to exercise more, and swimming with a mermaid tail is seen by some as a fun way to do that.
City officials in Edmonton however are concerned people using them may hold their breaths for long periods and possibly faint. The western city of Surrey is concerned they may be hazardous to inexperienced swimmers.
Defenders of the mermaid tails say there is no record of people fainting while wearing them. They suggest it is just a matter of time before the tails gain acceptance, noting that snowboards used to be banned too, but now are widely used.
Unusual as it may seem, this is not another fish story.
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