There aren’t many individuals who can claim to have had hundreds of thousands of men in their beds, but the Fokkens sisters certainly can.
The Fokkens have been involved in their profession for so long that they have gained international fame, with a documentary delving into their lives and careers.
In 2011, a film about Louise and Martine Fokkens was released, when they were 69 years old, showcasing the realities of working as sex workers at that age in Amsterdam’s red-light district.
Having entered the business over five decades ago, the sisters have extensive experience, but it hasn’t always been as glamorous as one might think. They retired around the age of 70, due to the ‘painful’ difficulties they faced in continuing their work.
Louise, a mother of four, mentioned that arthritis made certain positions ‘too painful’. Meanwhile, Martine, who has three children, noted that there were fewer clients than there used to be.
She mentioned that there was only one elderly regular who continued to come for his S&M sessions.
“I couldn’t give him up. He’s been coming to me for so long it’s like going to church on a Sunday,” Martine explained, according to MetroUK.
The twins continued their work after brothels were legalized in the Netherlands in 2000, but this wasn’t without its challenges.
Martine observed that legalization seemed to benefit certain groups over others: “It is better for the pimps and the foreigners, but not for the Dutch girls.”
Louise was introduced to the profession at just 17 by her husband and soon found herself working in one of the Red Light District windows, where sex workers promote themselves to potential clients.
“That is how fast it went,” she mentioned, according to The Sun. “You do not have time to think. It just happens.”
When their family discovered Louise’s occupation, Martine was tasked with persuading her sister to stop, but was unsuccessful. Instead, Martine began working as a cleaner in a brothel, initially rejecting clients’ propositions.
However, financial strain due to her husband’s unemployment pushed her family into hardship.
With Louise already in the business, it seemed less daunting for Martine to join.
“Without her I would never have done it,” she admitted. “But with her it felt less frightening.”
Over the years, the sisters established a reputation and even opened their own brothel and Dutch eatery, De Twee Stiertjes.
Their work wasn’t without humor, as they recalled encounters with a ‘filthy little gnome’.
Louise recounted that the man was visibly thrilled when his ‘dirty little gnome’ wife finally appeared before him.
“He looked like he was about to burst into confetti,” she joked.
Although they no longer engage in sex work, the sisters hope the royalties from their documentary provide some financial support.