Transgender model crowned Miss Universe Netherlands: 'I have developed myself into the woman I am'

A transgender beauty queen contestant was crowned Miss Netherlands 2023 on Saturday at the AFAS Theater.

Rikkie Valerie Kolle – a 22-year-old biological male – defeated a field of nine biological women to be named Miss Universe Netherlands. Kolle is the first-ever transgender woman to win the national beauty title.

Kolle dethroned previous winner Ona Moody and will now represent the Netherlands at the 72nd Miss Universe competition in El Salvador.

Kolle will not be the first transgender competitor in the Miss Universe competition. Miss Spain Angela Ponce, a transgender beauty contestant, competed in Miss Universe in 2018. Ponce did not advance to the finals of the Miss Universe beauty contest.

Dit is de nieuwe Miss Nederlandwww.youtube.com

Former President Donald Trump helped enable transgender contestants to compete in the beauty contest.

In 2012, Trump owned the Miss Universe franchise and welcomed transgender contestants after a Canadian biological beauty contestant threatened a lawsuit unless she could compete for the Miss Universe Canada title.

Trump worked with the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to allow transgender model Jenna Talackova to compete in the Miss Universe Canada contest despite not being a "naturally born" female.

Trump said of the transgender beauty contestant in a since-deleted video, "We let her in. We’ll see what happens. Maybe she’ll do well, maybe she won’t. You have 58 different girls trying to be Miss Canada. It’ll be very interesting to see what happens. If for some reason she should win, well, then she has to win the Miss Universe contest. Everybody wants to be Miss Universe. I don’t think it’s going to be easy."

GLAAD spokesperson Herndon Graddick responded at the time, "The Miss Universe Organization and Mr. Trump made it clear to GLAAD that they were open to making a policy change to include women who are transgender. We appreciate that he and his team responded swiftly and appropriately."

Kolle is a model and actress of Dutch and Moluccan descent – which is indigenous people from the Maluku Islands located in eastern Indonesia, between Sulawesi and Papua.

According to a translation, Kolle said in a recent Instagram post: "As a woman I often doubted to make certain choices because I already thought further than just looking nice. We live in one community where everyone has an opinion and is happy to share it, positive or negative. Today I say no to that! I'm sitting here as a proud woman in lingerie, and what people think of that is not what moves me forward, the best choice you can make is to embrace yourself and let them talk. Feel confident and especially feel yourself, rock that body and feel safe."

Last week, Kolle said in a video: "For this Pride Month, Miss Universe asked us to describe ourselves in one word. The word I'm choosing is 'victory.' Because that's a little boy, I conquered all the things that came through my path. And look at me now, standing here as a strong, empowering and confident trans woman. Love is love, be who you want to be. And never forget, always celebrate your pride."

According to a translation, Kolle wrote in another Instagram post: "Hey darlings, as you know, I proudly admit that I wasn't born as the woman I wanted to be, but I have developed myself into the woman I am. Over four months ago, I had my surgery. For ME, it completed the circle and brought me happiness."

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