This is the beautiful Hülya, we met on “the Gram” a while ago and her enthusiasm is absolutely contagious. She calls herself an “unguided projectile” and expresses what she thinks without keeping things for herself.

Of Turkish origin, she was born on Friday the 13th, around midnight, 47 years ago. She made her mother the happiest woman alive, just by being a daughter after she had 3 sons already.

Hülya: “My mother named me Hülya, which means daydream in Turkish because after my sister died when she was only 15 months, my mom was very depressed. She cried all the time because of their loss and daydreamed of having her daughter back. When she was pregnant with me (already having 3 sons), she wanted to have an abortion but my dad convinced her not to. In the ’70s both parents needed to give permission to undergo an abortion. My father said to my mother: “what if this is a girl? Please let God decide!”

I’m quite sure that our God changed his plans with me “last minute” and cut off my “pipi” and made me a girl, just to make my dearest parents smile again. And they did smile! We lived in a flat and my dad bought a cake for all the people living there, every day for one week, to celebrate the birth of their precious daughter. Not knowing at that time that his little girl would turn out to be more masculine than her brothers sometimes. Being raised with 7 boys (my cousins who very close to us and who I see as my brothers), I never played with dolls or makeup and hated dresses.

Sometimes my mom gave me a choice: put on a dress or sit in the closet and think about why you won’t dress like a girl! So half of my youth I sat in the damn closet, making it more difficult for my mom by cutting off my long hair and hating my curvy body while I was waiting for the “rescue”. The moments I “came out of the closet”, I played soccer with my brothers and their friends, climbed in trees, went to Thaiboxing classes with my youngest brother, who happened to be the teacher.

It was quite evident that I was and still am, one of the guys. However, luckily enough for my parents, I got married to my husband 20 years ago. We have 2 beautiful kids and work together. My husband is the “chosen one” who brings out my feminine side from time to time. Despite the fact that I fought for my own independence and try to motivate insecure and “weaker” persons, most people and especially women seem to be sort of “scared” of me because I’m very honest and direct. But once they know me better, they don’t want to lose me because they know that I would literally die for the ones I love…

If you had a warning label, what would it be?

Danger…220 volts!

What scares you?

The torn of Allah…oke and big spiders.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

I consider my greatest achievement, at least until now, the fact that I was able to convince my overprotective and dominant father to let me go to university. My father was old-school, in his opinion, a girl was not supposed to go to school, not supposed to work. He never allowed my mom to work, she stayed home and took care of their kids. But I had the courage and power to convince him that I should go to university anyway. When I graduated in Economics my baba cried with pride. When I bought my own house with my own money, he cried again with pride. Sending his daughter to school made him extremely proud and for me, it’s my biggest achievement in life.

What do you do for work?

Together with my husband, I own my own consultancy and training institution. we educate people all over the world in 5 different languages. my mission is to educate as many people and especially women as I can.  I want to show them ( and in 1st place my daughter!) that knowledge is power! it is possible to be a powerful/independent successful businesswoman and at the same time a good wife and mother.

What do you do for play?

Food (living the good life) and fitness. Reading and reading, walking, walking and walking, every freakin’day! ?

What would you tweet to your younger self?

Be unfuckwithable.

Greatest new discovery?

That I was scared for dogs my whole life and that I’m now about to buy/take one.

How old are you?

48

Hülya is wearing a top by Ganni

Makeup by Esther van Maanen

Hair by Mark van Westerop for Pro Solo Alkmaar