On 31 March, Transgender Day of Visibility (#TDOV), Belgian artist Fallenium releases the new single ‘Mermaid‘. The release comes at a time when transgender people are increasingly the subject of social and political debate worldwide, from sport to culture and literature.
“I am dehumanised, lost in foreign waters.” With that line, Mermaid captures a feeling that for many is not an abstract idea, but a daily reality. “For me, it often feels like you have to learn to breathe in a world that denies your existence”, says Fallenium, who is transgender. “As if you constantly have to prove that you exist.”
Personal, yet relatable
According to the artist, the song stems from a personal experience, but reflects a broader reality. “Many transgender and non-binary people go through the same thing. From the moment you make yourself visible as who you are, you are more quickly excluded, which often makes life harder — both socially and professionally. That sense of dehumanisation is what Mermaid is about.”
With lines such as “I live but I can’t breathe when my chest feels empty”, the song translates that feeling into a cinematic, emotional sound that feels both vulnerable and universal.
A debate that outgrows knowledge
The release comes at a time when discussions around transgender people are becoming increasingly prominent. In the world of sport, for instance, the debate on the participation of trans women continues to evolve, often without a clear scientific consensus.
“The discussion often goes beyond data, science, and even the group it concerns”, says Fallenium.
“And that’s exactly where it starts to become uncomfortable. If it’s truly about fairness in sport, why do we so rarely talk about inequalities in access, training, or financial resources? If it’s about safety, why don’t we focus the debate on the figures showing who actually harms women? At some point, you have to dare to ask the core question: what is this debate really about? Is it genuinely about fairness and safety — or rather about excluding and dehumanising people who do not fit within a simplistic, black-and-white and fundamentally flawed idea of what is considered ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ — upheld by people without knowledge and for whom transphobia is not a dealbreaker?”
More than a debate
For Fallenium, the core issue is not about numbers or policy, but about humanity. “The fact that someone’s existence is still up for debate is difficult for me to understand. Identity should not be a point of discussion.”
