The first ever transgender Miss Netherlands was crowned recently, but she was left shocked by the reaction of her competitors.
Rikkie Valerie Kolle’s victory was celebrated by many, however it seems that some of her competitors failed to join in on the celebration.
Following her win, Kolle is set to make her way to the Miss Universe competition, set to take place in El Salvador in December.
The twenty-two-year-old took to social media to react to her win.
“I did it!” she wrote, per UNILAD. “It’s unreal but I get to call myself @missnederland 2023. It was an educational and beautiful journey… I’m so proud and happy I can’t even describe it. Making my community proud and showing it can be done.
“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.”
She continued: “My dearest fellow finalists, we all put on a show, love you all girls. My dear family and friends, my N1 supporters, you have given me so much extra strength.”
“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.”
However, Kolle spoke to Newsweek about how the reaction of some of her competitors left a sour taste.
“I thought we were a group and bonded after a few months, but after I won I did not get a message from every contestant and that made me really sad because I thought we were a group and doing this together,” she said.
“Some did not even say congratulations, and it shocked me because I did not expect that.”
Kolle did clarify that some of her fellow competitors sent her ‘beautiful messages’ of congratulations.
“But I will say we did have a lovely group, and we did everything well together,” she added. “We gave a great show as a group… and they also really accepted me.”
