Transgender woman, Rikkie Kolle makes history, wins Miss Netherlands 2023

A transgender woman named Rikkie Kolle has sparked outrage after she was crowned Miss Netherlands for the first time in the beauty pageant’s history.

A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not conform to that typically associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.

Kolle, 22, made history over the weekend after she won the 2023 competition held at the AFAS Theatre in Leusden.

The trans’ win secures her spot as the representative from the Netherlands for the coveted 72nd Miss Universe 2023 pageant.

The model, who wore a red gown at the event, took to social media to express joy for achieving the feat.

Rikkie said she is proud to make “my community proud” while establishing that “I am a trans woman”.

“It’s unreal done but I can call myself @missnederland 2023. It was an educational and wonderful process, my year can’t go wrong anymore. I am so proud and happy I can’t describe it with. I made my community proud and showed it can be done,” she wrote on Instagram.

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A post shared by Rikkie Valerie Kollé (@rikkievaleriekolle)

“And yes I am a trans woman and I would like to share my story, but I am also Rikkie and that is what counts for me. I did this on my own strength and enjoyed every moment.

“I want to thank the jury and everyone from the Miss Netherlands team for the trust, this is just the beginning. My dearest fellow finalists, we all put on a show, love you all girls❤️ My dear family and friends, my N1 supporters, you have given 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 myself missed as a little me.

“On to many more adventures, let’s get @missuniverse ready. So excited!!!”

While the Dutch parliament passed a bill giving rights to transgender people in the country in 2013, the pageant’s parent organisation began allowing transgender women to compete in 2012.

Rikkie’s feat has also attracted a chorus of condemnation from social media users.

While some users wondered why a “biological male” should be allowed to contest in the first place, others tackled the women for not “protesting”.

“This is nothing to celebrate. This is a slap in the face to every single woman who competed against this biological male in a competition designed SPECIFICALLY for women,” Independent Women’s Voice argued.