A biological male who identifies as a woman has been crowned "Miss Netherlands" and will now compete for the Miss Universe crown.
Transgender businessperson Anne Jakrajutatip purchased the Miss Universe organization in October 2022. Former President Donald Trump previously owned the organization.
On Sunday at the AFAS Theater in Leusden, Rikkie Valerie Kolle, 22, won the beauty pageant, becoming the first transgender-identifying person to do so.
Kolle was crowned by predecessor Ona Moody and USA's reigning Miss Universe R'Bonney Gabriel. Rikkie Valerie Kolle beat every woman to become the first ever male Miss Netherlands! 🥳 #MissNetherlands2023 pic.twitter.com/c35KhTSRix
— Planet Cringe 😣 (@planetcringe) July 9, 2023
Kolle will now become the second transgender person to compete in Miss Universe, following Angela Ponce from Spain in 2018. Earlier this year, Daniela Arroyo González, who is also a transgender biological male, was chosen to compete in the Puerto Rico competition.
The pageant changed the rules in 2012, allowing biological males who identify as women to compete for titles.
News of Kolle's winning took social media by storm.
Independent Women’s Voice, a right-leaning advocacy 501(c)(4), condemned the decision to allow men to compete. This is nothing to celebrate.🚨This is a slap in the face to every single woman who competed against this biological male in a competition designed SPECIFICALLY for women. https://t.co/jtEBOnjfOK
— Independent Women's Voice (@IWV) July 10, 2023
"This is nothing to celebrate," the organization tweeted. "This is a slap in the face to every single woman who competed against this biological male in a competition designed SPECIFICALLY for women." These people must be HIGH!!!
A BIOLOGICAL male won the Miss Netherlands 2023 competition!!!
Winner (left) vs. the runner-up (right): pic.twitter.com/Oj0OGQNOnk
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) July 10, 2023
"The only reason a man won Miss Netherlands is because the girls were stupid enough to play along with this charade and hand him the crown. Women are their own worst enemy," podcaster Gina Bontempo tweeted. The only reason a man won Miss Netherlands is because the girls were stupid enough to play along with this charade and hand him the crown. Women are their own worst enemy. pic.twitter.com/nS7rLx01Sx
— Gina Bontempo (@FlorioGina) July 10, 2023
The 72nd Miss Universe competition will be held in El Salvador in December.
