Rikkie Kolle was elected Miss Netherlands 2023 on Saturday evening. She is the first transgender woman to win the election. In the AFAS Theater in Leusden, the 22-year-old from Amsterdam claimed the title, crown and sash.
“This finalist has beamed throughout the show and has also made the greatest progress in the process,” says the jury about Kolle. “She has a strong story with a clear mission.”
Miss Nederland 2023 says that as a transgender woman she knows better than anyone “what it’s like to feel alone”. That is why she wants to dedicate herself to “all little Rikkies who face rejection from their family, and their transition to the person they desire to be”.
Kolle’s story is therefore about being yourself and being proud of it. “Because as long as you always remain who you are, there is no one who can stand above you,” she writes on the Miss pageant site.
Next year Kolle will present herself as Miss Netherlands. She also represents the Netherlands at the Miss Universe pageant.
2023-07-09 13:11:38
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