The Netherlands crowned its first transgender pageant queen to represent the country at Miss Universe this year.
Rikkie Valerie Kolle, 22, a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman, bested nine other women to become the third transgender contestant in Miss Universe’s 72-year history.
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“I made my community proud and showed it can be done. And yes I am a trans woman and I would like to share my story, but I am also Rikkie and that is what counts for me,” Kolle wrote in a subsequent Instagram post Sunday to over 27,000 followers. “I want to thank the judges and everyone from the Miss Netherlands team for the trust, this is just the beginning.”
Kolle describes previous experience before the pageant as that of a model and actor. While Kolle has a Dutch background, Kolle also claims heritage from the Maluku Islands.
The global pageant is slated for El Salvador, sometime after the other 37 participating countries crown their respective representatives—the last of which will occur in November.
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Transgender contestants have been permitted to participate in the Miss Universe Pageant system since 2012. At that time, former President Donald Trump still owned Miss Universe and welcomed the first transgender Miss Canada. So far, a transgender contestant has yet to win the title of Miss Universe.
Miss Universe has since been bought by Thai transgender business owner Anne Jakrajutatip in 2018.
