1. Talk us through a day in the life of Marije Boomsma. 

 Haha, well, every day tends to be very different, but let’s take an average week day.
My alarm generally goes off at 6AM. I might snooze once or twice and then I go get my phone that’s charging in the living room, I open it, take it from flight mode and throw it on the bed without looking. Then I pick it up and choose a short guided morning meditation from Spotify, which i do whilst in bed. Then I get up, shower (finish with a cold shower), get dressed, make breakfast, eat and leave for work.

I do a workout as a break from my work day, sometimes alone, often with friends.
Because I start so early I can still finish work on time and also get that workout in.
In the evening I often meet friends or family for dinner, but I also enjoy chilling out by myself at home. I love social events sand attend them more than regularly, but I charge my batteries alone. I go to bed around 10PM.

 

On weekends I meet friends and family, I like to eat and go on adventures, love to go dancing and I visit a museum every week. And I’ve been doing cold water swims in the city since last year ;-)

 

 

2. As an only girl ( and latecomer ) in a world of brothers in a well known family. What was this experience like and how did it shape you?

 

As the only girl, who is also a lot younger than the others, I grew up with a lot of male perspective. I think it really influenced my taste and interests; my taste in music, movies, literature and sports especially. My four older brothers would always tell me what was cool and what was not ha ha. So no nineties Backstreet Boys fandom for me…

 

But growing up in a known family made me very comfortable being seen, we always were. I don’t care so much if people look at me or have opinions, for example on what I wear, because I have never know any different. It made me comfortable to make my own decisions and to be my authentic self as much as possible, despite people not understanding it. I’m not saying I found that easy as a teenager, but I grew comfortable with it.

 

 

3. You love to merge vintage and hip hop in terms of creating your style DNA. Describe this for us, what is the inspiration behind this dope “ look “.

 

Yes man! I grew up with hiphop in the house, in the late eighties it was Public Enemy and Run DMC, later on Tupac, Biggy, Smif-n-Wessun, Bone Thugs ’n Harmony and many others. The music influenced my style as young kid wearing dungarees and bandanas in the nineties and now as an adult in many ways. I was always drawn to colours, but in this time and age I take a lot of inspiration from the old school hip hop style. I like to merge it into a colourful, eclectic fashion soup with anything else.

 

 

4. What words of wisdom would you give to a 20 year old version of yourself. 

 

“Get your financial act together and learn how to do this smartly”. Haha, I am very content with my life, how things have developed, but this is one thing that I never got to a point where I am organised.

 

 

5. Do you think that there is a big difference between opportunities given to men and women within your personal experience in the fitness world? If so, how do you think this can be equalised. 

 

There might be definitely, but my experience is pretty positive due to the environment in which I work, which is very respectful and inclusive.
In professional sports in general of course the payment gap is enormous. A male football player can make millions in this country (or anywhere else) while a female player needs a job next to her sports career.

 

Marije wears Compressive Leggings and Paloma Bra by Girlfriend Collective as well as a vintage blazer from our Reverse collection   

 

6. There’s a lot of movement in feminism the last years, we hear the term “intersectional feminism” a lot these days. Explain this in a nutshell for people who didn’t hear the term before.

 

The term intersectional feminism was introduced by Kimberlé Crenshaw in the 1980’s. She is an African American professor at UCLA, human rights advocate and scholar in race theories. She pointed out that feminism as we new it is very white oriented. When women marched fort heir rights they didn’t take “intersections” in consideration. Black women in the sixties were busy fighting fort heir civil rights and were forgotten by the feminist movement.

Intersections that cross feminism influence our privileges. For example when you are a woman, but you have a disability your privileges are different. When you are a transgender woman, when you are queer, when you come from a background which is not economically strong, or when you are a woman of colour, your privilege is different.

I think it’s important to recognise these intersections when we talk about feminism.

 

 

7. Do you have resources about intersectional feminism that you can share with us?

 

Not specifically on intersectional feminism, but I do around it. I recommend everyone to critically look at who they follow on Instagram, expand your world: follow women of colour, follow transgender people, follow people with disabilities. Don’t just watch what rich white people do. The world is so much more and opening your world and what media you consume opens your mind, which leads to understanding and a better world.

Also I would recommend anyone to read the book “White supremacy and me” about recognising white privilege. It can be life changing.
Another book I enjoyed is The frailty myth, on how female physical development has been influenced through time.

 

 

8. Are you religious per say? Tell us about your spirituality. 

Well this is a funny one. I grew up in a Christian household, with my father who is a reverend. But when I was 16 years old I totally distanced myself from that totally. Then later on in my mid twenties, I met my ex-husband who is Jewish and I felt like coming home to all the rituals and traditions I had actively missed in Protestantism. Our family might have some unclear Jewish roots on my mom’s side, her mother had a Jewish family name, so in a way it felt like coming back to something. But I still had trouble believing in God in a traditional way. I read a book in which I heard a female rabbi explain about “the Force” (I forgive your Star Wars associations ha ha cause you’re right), as God can be experienced according to Jewish mysticism, the Kaballah. Then I thought “I can do that” and I went through the Jewish process of Giuyr, conversion, which we call “coming out as a Jew”. It was a process of years.

Now I experience Judaism more culturally than religious.

Aside from this I like spirituality and I think a lot of different movements and religions all have their beauty. I strongly believe in the power of meditation and affirmations to create positive vibrations.

 

 

9. What are you favourite places to spend a day in Amsterdam? 

 

A whole day in one place is not really how I roll land I think variation is the spice of life. So I love going to several places on my day off and have all kinds of experiences.

Sexyland World in Amsterdam Noord really brings a lot of things together, I think that is my favorite spots in the city right now, there’s art, food, entertainment and disorientation ha ha.

 

Some places I love: Deer Mama, Moak pancakes, Order Sechuan in Sexyland World, Buurman & Buurman, Bitterzoet, Superlyan, Ram’s Roti, New Draver, New King, Radio Radio, Oliva, Paradiso, The Chicago Social club, Local Dealer and Skate Café.

 

I also like to throw in museum visits to Huis Marseille, Stedelijk, Foam, Tropenmuseum and the Hortus or the Outsider art part in the Hermitage.

Or galleries like Fleur & Wouter, Vriend van Bavink and Cristel Ball’s shop.

And then I just love walking through the city, especially parts like the Zeedijk and the Nieuwmarkt area, where you findan interesting mix of urban influences.

I occasionally enjoy visiting classic Amsterdamian bars like Café Lowietje, Het Monumentje Cafe de Zwart and the Biergriet.

  

Marije wears the golden years overall by House Of Sunny and the Aanya earring by Felt.

 

10. The pandemic has really affected the common mental health. Our values are shifting drastically as a people. Can you give any advice, coming from a health & wellness perspective on how to keep mental health in check? 

 

Definitely. A lot of us find it hard when our lives as we know them change and we have to spend more time without external entertainment.

I would definitely advise to look at finding ways to create one’s own entertainment; Dressing up and watch the ballet life stream, dressing up again and dance in the living room. Going on walks looking for art in random places, creating.

But apart from that I think creating a healthy day routine helps a lot. Getting out of bed on time, meditating, taking cold showers or dips, going for a walk before working at home (as if you’re walking to work), getting workouts in, even if it’s at home. Eating good meals. Getting enough sleep. Talking to loved ones, listening to music you like.

 

To keep mental health in check it’s important to hack your happy hormones and all of the above aids that. That and eating a little chocolate now and then ;-)

 

Thank you Marije for this candid interview! Keep rocking our world.