Would-be mermaid banned from Florida pool

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Lithia, Fla. • A Florida woman has been banned from swimming in her community's pool because she wants to wear a mermaid tail.

Jenna Conti, who lives in the FishHawk Ranch subdivision, had been in the Aquatic Club pool with her custom-made tail once before with the staff's approval. But last week, employees told her it violated a policy against swim fins. On Monday night, the FishHawk Community Development board voted to keep her out of the pool because of the swim fin policy.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that Conti's dream is to swim at the Florida Aquarium, which features mermaid performers.

The full-time hair stylist hasn't been a mermaid for very long. She and her 10-year-old son saw the mermaids at the Tampa Bay Renaissance Fair earlier this year, and she says she was "enthralled."