Minna-Maaria Antikainen, the world’s first transgender figure skater, had a mishap during her debut at the European Figure Skating Championships in Finland. Formerly known as Markku-Pekka Antikainen, she transitioned to a woman and started figure skating at 49.
During the opening ceremony, she stumbled and fell seconds into her performance but was helped up by a female hostess carrying the Finnish flag. Despite this, Antikainen had trained for eight years, practicing five hours a week and participating in other skating events.
The European Figure Skating Championships focused on promoting diversity and inclusion with the theme “Just be you.” However, same-sex pairs are still banned in the sport, and there’s no category for non-binary skaters. Hopefully, more countries will work toward equality and diversity in figure skating.
At 72, Jane Seymour proudly showcases her twin sons, whom she welcomed at 44, calling them “handsome young men”
Beyond her illustrious career as an actress, Seymour is also an accomplished author and a devoted mother. Her journey through motherhood has been filled with both challenges and joys, particularly in raising twin sons.
The actress, who has been married and divorced four times, is the proud mother of Katherine, 42, and Sean Flynn, 39, from her union with David Flynn. Additionally, she shares twin sons, John Stacy and Kristopher Steven, 28, with filmmaker James Keach.
Seymour has openly discussed her struggles on the path to motherhood. In an interview with People, she shared how in-vitro fertilization led to two miscarriages, almost leading her and her then-husband to give up hope. However, her third pregnancy at the age of 44 was a success, resulting in the birth of her twin boys.
The twins arrived six weeks early through an emergency C-section due to pre-eclampsia, presenting a host of challenges right from the start. Reflecting on this difficult experience in an interview with Loose Women, she stated: “I nearly died having them, and the babies nearly died”.
Despite the risks, Seymour expressed no regrets about her decision to have children, affirming: “I’m very glad I had them”. The early days were particularly crucial, as both boys required close monitoring due to health issues. At one point, Johnny even turned blue after returning home, necessitating another hospital visit for close observation of his breathing and swallowing.
To ensure she was fully present in their lives, Seymour made choices that allowed her to include her children in her work. As they grew, the twins formed a strong bond, often sharing a crib and later a bed.
Recently, Seymour delighted fans with a touching photo of herself alongside her now-adult twin sons, who have grown tall and handsome. Comments flooded in, praising both the boys and their mother: “Love this Jane. The boys are so handsome, and you look beautiful”, one fan wrote. Others added: “Two handsome men! And a beautiful mother!” and “Your boys are handsome”.
Seymour’s experience as a mother of twins, marked by both hardships and joys, showcases the profound strength of a mother’s love. As her sons stand tall beside her, she continues to celebrate the blessings of parenthood and the lasting impact of family.
Leave a Reply