Rikkie Kolle became, at 22, Miss Netherlands, Saturday July 8. There would be nothing exceptional in this event which was held in Leusden, in the province of Utrecht, except that the lucky winner is a transgender person, the first to win such a competition in the kingdom: the Miss Univers, created in 1952 and within the framework of which the election took place, has authorized the participation of transgender women since 2012.
“This finalist blew up the whole showcommented the jury. Her story is very strong and bears a clear mission, we are convinced that the organization will collaborate with this young woman with great pleasure. » Rikkie (Valérie), born in Breda of Dutch and Moluccan parents, a former Indonesian colony, sees herself, in any case, opening the doors to the next Miss Universe contest, which will take place in El Salvador.
She will not be the first trans candidate to participate in this ceremony, Angela Ponce, elected Miss Spain in 2018, having paved the way. The course of the latter, at a time when the question of inclusive culture was not as significant, had however attracted less attention than that of the young Dutch model.
Rikkie Kolle had previously been a finalist in Holland’s Next Top Model contest in 2018, which instantly brought her fame on social media. In 2019, she participated in a competition from the Elite agency. Eager to “give a voice” to all people whose sexual identity does not correspond to the dominant models, she then intended to participate with determination in the election of Miss Netherlands.
An “important and inspiring” event
On the stage of the theater in Leusden, she evoked loneliness and “the inhuman situation” that she had known before her transition. She also spoke of the suffering of the “little Rik, 10 years old” she was, in search of her identity. “Today I’m better than ever and I want to pass that on to anyone in need. I want to stand up for all the little Rikkies who have to face family rejection when they transition into the person they really want to be. »
Remke Verdegem, President of the Transgender Network (Transgender Network), judged the event “significant and inspiring”. “Rikkie showed how beautiful it is to be yourself while many transgender people remain, alas, victims of rejection”, she explained.
On social networks, it is another type of message that has spread. “A man was elected Miss Netherlands. I did not expect anything else in our post-truth world”, wrote, for example, Eva Vlaardingerbroek, a famous influencer, close to conspiratorial circles. Other messages announced the election of the “real Miss 2023”namely Natalie Mogbelzanda, Rikkie Kolle’s runner-up.
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