Evergreen Reads to Empower Your Mind
The Standard Sister
Issue no.13
The Honey Issue
April 4, 2025
Dream, Caused by the Flight of a Bee (Around a Pomegranate, a Second Before Waking Up), Salvador Dalí, 1944
Hey Honey
The idea for The Honey Issue came right after we decided to dedicate an issue to spring. After all, honey is inseparable from blooming. As we began to explore it, we uncovered a surprisingly rich world—full of ancient rituals, surprising powers, and female-led systems of cooperation. We dove into the virtues of honey, its deep history, and the intricate brilliance of the bee kingdom.
We asked why it’s called a honeymoon, how female collaboration creates one of nature’s most iconic substances, and how one fearless spy—who had lost her children—bravely set honey traps for both Germany and France during World War I.
This issue is dedicated to sticky, seductive, powerful femininity.
If you find this uplifting, please share this link with a woman you love.
Cupid the Honey Thief, Albrecht Durer, 1514
Bees' Buzz
Nature- Article by The Standard Sister
Before we are thought about the kingdoms of Disney princesses we are taught as kids about the kingdom of the bees: the queen mother, the tireless workers, and the golden honey made from flower nectar. What we’re not taught—or maybe we just forget—is that bees are one of the most essential creatures for the survival of humankind.
They’re vital to our food, our ecosystems, and our entire future. Bees have existed for around 100 million years, and in that time, they’ve evolved into one of nature’s most efficient, organized, and quietly powerful forces. It’s no surprise, then, that bees have long carried symbolic meaning—especially for women. In ancient Greece and Rome, they were associated with Artemis and Diana, virgin goddesses of the moon, nature, and fierce independence. even in Dali painting "Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second before Waking" the bee is baerely seen, but holds the name of the painting and discovery of her in painting give a whole new intrepetation of the the artwork. In early Christianity, bees were believed to reproduce without mating, and they came to represent purity and even the Virgin Mary. In Indian mythology, bees are associated with Kama, the god of love, whose bowstring is said to be made of bees—linking them to erotic energy and divine desire. Bees also appear with Krishna and Vishnu, symbolizing sacred sweetness and the soul’s connection to the divine. The act of a bee drinking nectar from a flower has been used as a metaphor for spiritual union, devotion, and sensuality. Like in nature, the bee in mythology is never just one thing—it is the spark between beauty and power, desire and discipline.
It’s widely known that the honeybee hive is a female-run society. At the center is the queen bee, whose only job is to lay eggs—up to 2,000 a day—while thousands of female worker bees handle literally everything else: building the hive, collecting nectar, feeding the larvae, and protecting the queen. But what about the males? it still brings a smile—and a surprise. They exist only to mate and then die. It’s brutal, but effective. No ego, no drama—just purpose and cooperation. And if one bee finds a good flower? She doesn’t gatekeep. She does a little move called the waggle dance to show the others exactly where to find it. Teamwork, as a standard.
And beyond the sisterhood, the venom, and the complex choreography of the hive—bees are also the planet’s most important pollinators. They’re responsible for about one-third of the food we eat. Fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee, chocolate… all exist because of bees. Without them, the food chain starts to collapse. And yet bee populations are declining rapidly, thanks to climate change, pesticides, and the loss of natural habitats.
In recent years, bee sting therapy has been buzzing its way back into the wellness world. Once used in ancient civilizations for pain relief and healing, the practice—known as apitherapy—uses bee venom to treat everything from inflammation to arthritis, and yes, even as a cosmetic lift. Some celebrities (of course) have tried it for collagen stimulation and skin tightening. It’s not for everyone, and it’s definitely controversial, but it’s one more reminder that even the smallest creatures carry serious power.
Bees are the original females—workers, warriors, and nurturers. Like us, they communicate, collaborate, protect, and build. And like us, they do it in service of something greater than themselves. Which, if you ask us, is exactly what being a woman is all about.
Honey Trap- Mata Hari
History- Article by The Standard Sister
The phrase "honey trap" originated in espionage—where women were sent to seduce and manipulate, a practice involving the use of romantic or sexual relationships for interpersonal, political or monetary purpose.
Image by Stanisław Julian Ignacy Ostroróg, 1917
We’ve seen the honey trap played out on screen too—most memorably in spy thrillers, where female characters seduce with intent, like Basic Instinct with Sharon Stone, or Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where Angelina Jolie plays a glamorous assassin entangled in love and deception. But as we all know now, reality is more creative than cinema, and the most iconic honey trap in real life was Mata Hari.
Born Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in the Netherlands in 1876, she experienced early loss—her father went bankrupt and abandoned the family when she was 13, and her mother died two years later, when she was 15. At 18, she responded to a newspaper ad placed by Dutch colonial army officer Rudolf MacLeod, who was looking for a wife. She married him shortly after. They moved together to the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia), where she gave birth to two children: a son and a daughter. Her son, Norman, tragically died young, reportedly poisoned by a disgruntled servant. After divorcing her husband, she knew she wouldn’t be able to afford a legal fight for custody, and it was awarded to him. Mata Hari never saw her daughter again. Jeanne later died at the age of 21, possibly from complications related to syphilis
Following her divorce and return to Europe, she reinvented herself as Mata Hari—a name inspired by the Malay term for "eye of the day" (the sun). She began performing in Paris in 1905, quickly becoming the toast of the Belle Époque elite. Some say she transformed personal trauma into performance. Using bold costumes and a mysterious persona, she captivated powerful men across Europe—including military officers and political elites—at the height of World War I.
During the war, she was reportedly recruited by both the Germans and the French to pass information—though her true loyalties remain unclear. She claimed she had only ever intended to help the French. During this time of war she fell deeply for a young Russian officer named Vladimir de Masloff. When he was injured in battle, she risked everything to see him. Her travels and desperate attempts to get close to him brought her under suspicion. The French intercepted German messages referring to a spy identified only as H-21—a codename they believed belonged to Mata Hari.
In 1917, she was arrested by the French and charged with being a double agent for Germany. Her trial was swift and sensational. Much of the evidence was circumstantial, and many historians believe she was used as a scapegoat—more symbol than spy. Yet the myth endures: the irresistible woman who used her body as bait, The image of the seductress had already sealed her fate. She was executed by firing squad on October 15, 1917.
Mata Hari’s story is more than just a cautionary tale. It reflects the full spectrum of the female life experience—pain, bravery, seduction, femininity, domination, and love.
Image from Pinterest
Edie Parker Flower
What started as bold, acrylic handbags has blossomed into one of the coolest, most stylish brands The Standard Sisterhas come across. So cool, in fact, that it makes us want to start smoking weed again. Brett Heyman, the ultimate it-girl, is the mastermind behind this vibrant lifestyle brand that fuses fashion, art, and cannabis culture in a way that’s as chic as it is rebellious.
This brand is designed for the cool kids, but we’re officially making it cool girls only.
Edie Parker Flower is bold, playful, unfiltered, and impossible to ignore—just like spring. From flower-shaped rolling trays to hand-painted lighters that double as mini art pieces, and even yummy gummies, the brand transforms everyday boredom into statements of creativity. We've never wanted to be a vape so much!
Spring is all about breaking free, renewal, and injecting color into life, and that’s exactly what Edie Parker Flower does. Few brands capture this spirit of reinvention as effortlessly—merging luxury with a wink, nostalgia with modern rebellion, and high design with high culture. Edie Parker Flower is a perfect fusion of nostalgia and modern femininity. Taking cues from the playful aesthetics of the '60s and '70s, the brand reinvents classic elements with bold colors, unexpected textures, and a daring approach to design.
Beyond aesthetics, Edie Parker Flower represents a cultural shift—one where cannabis, luxury, and personal stylearen’t mutually exclusive. The brand disrupts outdated narratives around cannabis—reframing it as a stylish, sophisticated, and social experience rather than a taboo.
Their website is a piece of art itself, and you must turn on the music! A visual and sensory experience, transporting you into a whimsical, candy-colored dreamscape that feels like a pop art fantasy. With the soft sound of birds chirping in the background, the site mirrors the essence of spring itself—fresh, lively, and full of possibility. Navigating through their collections is like flipping through a retro magazine where every item is a conversation starter, a statement piece, and a celebration of joy.
At The Standard Sister, we celebrate women who challenge norms, redefine culture, and embrace the power of reinvention. Brett Heyman is rocking it, and we can't wait to get our hands on her products!
Magical Honey
Nutrition- Article by The Standard Sister
It’s been called liquid gold, the nectar of the gods, and one of the oldest healing substances on Earth.
The history of honey is older than the history of writing. Honeybees existed over 40 million years ago in Southeast Asia, while Homo sapiens have only been around for about 50,000 years. A Mesolithic (the transitional period when humans began shifting from nomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agricultural village life) rock painting in a cave in Valencia, Spain, dating back at least 8,000 years, depicts two honey foragers collecting honey and honeycomb from a wild bees’ nest.
The oldest known record of honey production dates to 5500 B.C.E. in ancient Egypt. The Egyptians were the first civilization to produce honey on a mass scale—using it across all social classes for cooking, medicine, and rituals. Cleopatra famously used it in her baths. They even constructed elaborate systems for honey production, transporting beehives along the Nile to follow seasonal flowering plants.
Written records of honey also appear in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform, the Hittite code, and ancient Indian religious texts, like the ‘Prayer to the Sun’ from the Rig Veda. The Greeks honored honey in mythology and daily life—Olympic champions received honey tokens as gifts. When Alexander the Great died in 323 B.C.E., his body was transported over 1,800 miles submerged in a vat of honey to preserve it.
In the medieval era, honey was used as currency, tribute, and offering. Back then, it was common for newlyweds to drink mead—a fermented beverage made from honey—for one moon cycle (about 30 days) after their wedding. This tradition, believed to bring good luck, sweetness, and fertility, gave rise to the word "honeymoon."
Honey is made when bees collect nectar from flowers and process it with enzymes inside their bodies. They then deposit it into honeycombs, where it slowly dehydrates into that thick, amber magic we know and love. The process—from nectar to finished honey—can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It’s a masterpiece of chemistry, instinct, and collective effort.
Today, we can find honey in face masks, lip balms, and scalp treatments—all promising glow, healing, and moisture—and what was good for Cleopatra is good for us too! Honey is also surprisingly smart. Unlike sugar, honey contains trace minerals and enzymes. Its glycemic index is lower, its flavor more complex. And on top of that, it may help improve cholesterol levels, support heart health, and suppress coughing more effectively than some over-the-counter syrups. In Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, honey is used to balance the body and soothe inflammation. It’s antibacterial, antioxidant, and eternal—literally. Raw honey in particular contains powerful plant compounds called polyphenols, which act as antioxidants and are linked to reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Its rich history, natural virtues, and the very way it is created—by creatures working in rhythm with the natural world—are what make honey feel almost magical. But it's not only about healing. Honey is a reminder.
A reminder that we’re not separate from nature, and we definitely don’t control it. If anything, nature controls us. It creates us, has the option to break or to heal us. Honey is what happens when thousands of females work together with precision, instinct, and rhythm. It’s a product of collaboration, intention, and care.
