‘Well-Deserved Winner:’ Trans Woman Becomes First to Win Her Country’s Beauty Pageant despite Bullies & Insults

• Rikkie Valerie Kollé was crowned the new Miss Netherlands 2023.
• Kollé's win is historic because she is the first transgender woman to win Miss Netherlands.
• However, Kollé and the Miss Netherlands competition faced backlash from internet users.

Rikkie Valerie Kollé, the newly crowned Miss Netherlands 2023, celebrated her historic win on Saturday. She has been working tirelessly throughout the competition, and on Saturday, she prepared for the final stretch.

The night started at 8. p.m, and after two and half hours that Kollé did everything to enjoy, she ended it off as the new Miss Netherlands 2023.

On Tuesday morning, Kollé had an interview and was still in awe of her big win but expressed that everything from her glorious night had finally sunk in.

Kollé's win is special and historic because she is the first transgender woman to win Miss Netherlands. She will also be the second openly trans woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, where she will represent her home country, El Salvador.

Rikkie Valerie Kollé’s Journey to Success

Kollé has not only been making headlines because of her beauty but also for her openness about her transition journey.

The 22-year-old Miss Netherlands hails from the southern Dutch city of Breda and began modeling as a teenager. Unfortunately, modeling did not give her the opportunity to use her voice. Therefore, she decided to apply to Miss Netherlands to be able to tell the world her story.

Speaking more on her experience as a model, Kollé explained, "You're a bit of a clothes hanger. Otherwise, you mostly have to be quiet." But as a Miss Netherlands winner, she will represent many women around the world.

Kollé's big win also represents the evolution of a prestigious competition like Miss Netherlands. Even the pageant's director, Monica van Ee, confirmed that over the past ten years, rules have modernized, with divorced and trans women being allowed to participate.

Van Ee expressed that she took on the leadership position with the pageant because she wanted it to have a bigger purpose. The director said, "I wanted to make women stronger. I want to inspire young girls."

Despite the deep, meaningful impact of Kollé's win in the world, she confessed that being open about her journey has opened her up to cyberbullying.

She took to Instagram to share her transition story. She spoke about her childhood experiences, the treatments she started using as a teenager, and her journey with her gender transition surgery.

But her honesty exposed her to insults and much more bullying, which was even extended to her sister, her mother, and the rest of her family. However, Kollé still tries her best to keep her head high and ignore the negativity.

Kollé is not the first transgender woman to win such a big pageant; Solange Dekker won the Miss Social Media title and became the first Dutch woman to become Miss International Queen 2023. Angela Ponce was also one of the first Spanish trans women to make it to the finals of Miss Universe in 2018.

In addition to the competitors, one of the owners of the parent company to Miss Universe, Anne Jakrajutatip, is also a tran swoman who spoke about how proud she was to have sat front row and witnessed Ponce walk the Miss Universe runway for the first time. Jakrajutatip, expressed,

"Trans women are women — and we are here to celebrate women."

These historical moments signify big strides in the inclusivity of the world; however, the Miss Netherlands competition still received a lot of backlash for crowning Kollé.

People’s Reactions to Rikkie Valerie Kollé’s Becoming Miss Netherlands 2023

The acceptance of a trans woman winning Miss Netherlands 2023 had some people claiming that Kollé is not a real woman. One commenter said it would be fairer if trans women had their own competition.

Another netizen shared the same sentiments and wrote, "Why was this allowed? Why didn't the real women protest and walk away."

But that was not the only insensitive comment; another Facebook user connected Kollé's win to the oppression of women and wrote, "First they deny you success through oppression, then they steal your success through forced illusion."

Some people might not acknowledge Kollé's win, but in the midst of the negativity, she still received a lot of love. One user remarked that the new Miss Netherlands was a "stunning" and a "well-deserved winner."

Another one added, "She looks amazing. And I love that you can see the other contestants smiling and happy for her…." One other happy fan even said Kollé was one the most beautiful winners of Miss Netherlands and wished her the best in her international competitions.

Kollé had many people by her side who believed she was the perfect winner. Van Ee reiterated that the pageant did not only look for a beautiful woman but someone who had a presence and was ready to make an impact. "Beauty comes from the inside," she added.

Therefore, to Van Ee, Kollé was a strong contestant that had all of the qualities of a Miss Netherlands. Kollé also knows that she is more than just a trans woman. "I was chosen for who I am and my story, and not because I'm a trans woman." she expressed.

As Kollé continues to represent her country in her new title, we wish her the best of luck and continuous strength in handling negative social media users.

Click here to read about the emotional win of Miss USA.

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