Miss Netherlands defended from transphobic comments after historic win

A Dutch model has become the first-ever transgender woman to win Miss Universe Netherlands but has sadly already been hit with a wave of transphobic comments on Twitter.

The Miss Nederland competition announced on Saturday that 22-year-old Rikkie Valerie Kollé having bested the previous Miss Netherlands Ona Moody and the current Miss Universe, R’Bonney Gabriel from the United States.

Kolle is just the second transgender woman to compete in a Miss Universe competition, who first began allowing trans contestants in 2012, following in the footsteps of Spain’s Angela Ponce in 2018.

After her victory was confirmed, Kolle wrote on Instagram: "I DID IT !!!!! It's unreal but I get to call myself @missnederland 2023. It was an educational and beautiful journey, my year can't be broken anymore. I'm so proud and happy I can't even describe it. Making my community proud and showing it can be done."

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She added: "And yes I’m trans and I want to share my story but I’m also Rikkie and that’s what matters to me. Did this on my own and loved every moment of it."

After thanking the judges, peers, friends, family and supporters she added: "And wherever you are in the world, I want to be there for you and be the example that I myself missed as a little me. On to many more adventures, let’s get @missuniverse ready. So excited!!!"

Inevitably, Kolle's inspirational post has been hit with a wave of transphobic comments aimed and her and the competition organisers.

Thankfully, some have managed to raise above this and issue their support and congratulations to Kolle in light of her historic achievement.

One person wrote: "Doll supremacy!!! Congratulations love."

Another added: "Funny how most comments here are from people who don't really follow pageants and are only here because they heard the news and now itching to display their tr4shy behavior. Rikkie, you are amazing."

A third said: "To all of the people commenting hate towards the stunning @rikkievaleriekolle can go cry about it somewhere else. Like literally, many of you need to do research about what it means to be a trans woman!"

Kolle will now go on to compete in the international Miss Universe Competition in El Salvador, due to be held later this month.

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