Lover & Survivor
She is mostly known as ‘that other Boleyn Girl’ or ‘the Mistress of Kings’. But I see Mary Boleyn (1499/1500 – 1543) as a woman who dared to defy all the rules to follow her heart. In other words, a historical heroine in her own right.
Born in Norfolk into the wealthy, influential Boleyn family, Mary was sent to the French court at an early age to become a lady-in-waiting. After an affair with the king of France, who later called her ‘The Great Prostitute’ in a disturbing expression of ‘slut-shaming’ avant la lettre, she returned to England where soon, she would catch the eye of the flamboyant King Henry VIII. Another royal affair began. At this point, you may wonder: was Mary merely a pawn in an elaborate French and English court intrigue? Or was she a sexually liberated woman with a ‘scarlet’ reputation? We will never know, but some clue to her character may be found in something incredibly brave she did in 1534. After her sister, the infamous Anne Boleyn, took her place in King Henry’s heart, Mary married a penniless soldier named William Stafford, 10 years her junior. For this act of love, she got banned from the royal court. When barely 2 years later Anne Boleyn lost her head on the scaffold, her sister was safely ensconced in the country side with her new family. Mary Boleyn had found a place where finally, love could reign.
Marlies Says
fall|winter 20 preview
In January, I presented my newest FW20 collection during a show full of dance and entertainment in Rotterdam. All my work as a feminist designer is inspired by muses, powerful female icons from past and present. And for FW20, my muse will be crime writer Agatha Christie. A few months from now, you will get to discover the collections, and see how they tell stories like Agatha’s thrilling books do..
MD Friends
Running for your life
Dr. Bram Bakker is a psychiatrist, a writer, a runner and a provocateur. With his many bestselling books and columns – and yes, even his own theatre show – he urges us to think outside the box when it comes to our mental health. Not crazy about popping pills? Bram shared some interesting alternatives with me, from throwing out our phones to running ‘till we puke’.
MD Friends
Peas & peppers instead of pills
General practitioner Tamara de Weijer believes that we would feel a lot better if we hit the produce stand before we visited the pharmacy. “On a massive scale, we have been putting the wrong kind of fuel in our bodies.”
Marlies Says
Singles Day – You’ve Got this!
All the single ladies, listen up! With single women rapidly becoming the majority, it is high time to stop feeling singled out. This Singles Day, let’s celebrate our freedom and independence by sharing all those solo milestones that make us go: ‚You’ve got this!‘.