Miss Netherlands won by transgender woman for first time

A transgender woman has been crowned the winner of Miss Netherlands for the first time in the pageant’s history.

Rikkie Valerie Kollé has won Miss Netherlands 2023 (Miss Nederland). It’s the first time a transgender woman has been crowned in the beauty pageant’s history.

Kollé, 22, was named the winner of the competition on Sunday.

“I did it! “I’m so proud and happy I can’t even describe it,” she gushed in an Instagram post following her win.

“Making my community proud and showing it can be done. And yes I’m trans and I want to share my story but I’m also Rikkie and that’s what matters to me. Did this on my own and loved every moment of it.”

Rikkie Valerie Kollé has won Miss Netherlands 2023. Picture: Splash News/Media Mode

Miss Universe 2022 R'Bonney Gabriel and Miss Netherlands 2023 Rikkie Kollé at the final of Miss Netherlands 2023 in the AFAS Theater in Leusden. Picture: Splash News/Media Mode

The Dutch-Moluccan model succeeds 2022 winner Ona Moody and will represent the Netherlands in the 72nd Miss Universe contest in El Salvador.

Kollé was born as a biological male and grew up in Breda in the southern part of the Netherlands.

She’s not the first trans person to compete in the preliminary pageants following a change to the rules which allowed trans contestants in 2012. Spain’s Angela Ponce was the first trans woman to compete in 2018. Miss Nevada Kataluna Enriquez joined the Miss USA pageant in 2021 and Daniela Arroyo González is planning to join Miss Puerto Rico this year.

Thai businesswoman and transgender advocate Anne Jakkapong Jakrajutatip, who is a trans woman, purchased the Miss Universe Organization for $30 million ($US 20 million last year.

Kollé said in an interview that she plans to use her platform to empower others and to fight against discrimination.

Since the win, Kollé has been targeted by hate and negativity online. Picture: Splash News/Media Mode

“I want to thank the jury and everyone from the Miss Netherlands team for their trust, this is only the beginning,” she wrote on Instagram.

“My dearest co-finalists we each put on a show, love you all girls️.

“My dear family and friends, my supporters, you gave me so much extra strength from the hall.

“And wherever you are in the world, I want to be there for you and be the example that I missed as a little me.”

Since the win, Kollé has been targeted by hate and negativity online, with “Miss Netherlands” trending on Twitter. Many of the negative posts misgendered Kollé.

Following Elon Musk’s takeover of the social media platform, Twitter changed its policy regarding hateful conduct that had previously protected transgender people from online harassment.

Twitter had previously prohibited posts that targeted trans people with misgendering and deadnaming, but changed its policy in April this year, advocacy group GLAAD said, NBC News reported.