Rikkie Valerie Kolle made history on Sunday, July 9th, when she became the first-ever transgender winner of Miss Netherlands. The 22-year-old model now has a good chance to continue breaking barriers if she manages to get crowned Miss Universe 2023.
Rikkie Kolle, the first transgender woman to be crowned Miss Netherlands, had all eyes on her during the challenging contest. Judges responsible for the selection commented that Rikkie “has shone throughout the entire show. She has a very strong story and a clear mission. The jury is convinced that the organizers will be able to work with this young woman with a great deal of pleasure.”
The stunning Kolle will now become the second trans woman to ever enter the Miss Universe competition. Previously, the history was made by Miss Spain 2018 Ángela Ponce. Now this big responsibility is on Rikkie’s shoulders, and it looks like her home country has all the confidence in her to represent them with all her beauty and dignity.
Rikkie’s path to glory started in 2018 when she became a finalist of Holland’s Next Top Model. In her video introduction for Miss Netherlands, Rikkie was asked to describe herself with one word, and she chose the word “victory”. She explained: “As 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.”
For Kolle, even simply participating in Miss Netherlands was a great achievement, as she wanted to show all trans kids that rejection doesn’t last forever. And now that she’s won the contest, she will continue to spread the message of inclusivity no matter the sexuality or gender.
The year 2023 so far is proving to be fruitful for the representatives of the trans community. Just earlier this year, Kim Petras made history as the first transgender woman to win a Grammy. We can’t wait to see what else the year will bring.
She is a stunning beauty and I'm sure she has worked hard to achieve this position. I wish her continued success and happiness in her journey to Ms Universe and anything else that she sets her mind to. I hope that her journey is free from bigotry and hate and that she experiences more acceptance from the world around her.
