Meh.
She was white in the cartoon because pretty much every lead was white. Has nothing to do with the character's identity.
Though it has provided some entertainment by way of angry white people with nothing better to do than display their ignorance.
According to an angry co-worker mermaids are white people mythology and it's cultural appropriation.
I pointed out that the mythology actually originates in Syria / Babylon and she just screamed jibberish at me and stormed off.
All the dipshits online trying to argue that a mermaid couldn't possibly be black because they live in the ocean and there's no sun there.
Trying to be scientific and shit.
Until you point out that they probably wouldn't look even remotely human. That there'd be a host of adaptations to support living at depth, etc.
Then you can't use science / logic because they're not real, Bro.
People too busy getting mad about stupid shit to care about the important shit.
On the Iceman note? Character hit a complete dead end in terms of development years if not decades ago.
They handled it in a way that made sense, and it's totally refreshed him. I'm good with it.
Sides, X-Men has been the token Gay Boy book since day one. So...surprised, really?