The 22-year-old Amsterdam model Rikkie Kolle was elected Miss Netherlands 2023 on Sunday. She is the first trans woman in the Netherlands to win this title. According to the jury, Kolle shone throughout the show and has “a strong story with a clear mission”.
With her participation in the beauty pageant, Kolle wants to be a “voice and role model” for young women and trans people, she writes on the Miss Netherlands website. “When I was still little Rik and came out as transgender, it was not easy for everyone and I also suffered from it.” She wants to dedicate herself to “all little Rikkies” who have to deal with rejections from their environment due to their transition.
Interest group Transgender Network Netherlands applauds Kolle’s efforts and calls her profit “inspiring and important”, reports ANP news agency. “Positive role models can give you the strength to keep standing up for yourself. Rikkie shows how beautiful and important it is to be yourself. We hope that she will inspire many people with her message.”
Kolle also reached the final of the television program in 2018 Holland’s Next Top Model. She was the second trans person to join the program. Loiza Lamers became the first trans woman to win the model race in 2015.