The Miss Netherlands beauty pageant, which crowned a transgender contestant in 2023, is ending.
The pageant’s organizers made the announcement on Thursday after a 35-year run, France 24 reported.
Director Monica van Ee’s updated platform is now titled “No longer of this time,” and aims to deal with mental health and be a place to share positive stories.
According to organizers, there will be “no more crowns, but stories that inspire. No dresses, but dreams that come to life.”
An image shows the pageant’s team members:
In July 2023, a transgender model was crowned “Miss Netherlands,” Breitbart News reported at the time:
Rikkie Kolle, a 22-year-old model, has been selected as Miss Netherlands 2023, the first biological male to win the historically female competition.
…
Kolle said: “I am only too happy to commit to all the little Rikkies who have to deal with rejection from their family, their transition to the person they desire to be. Help make their self-image and acceptance stronger, untouchable.
Kolle will be allowed to hold the title of Miss Netherlands for one year and will be entitled to compete at the Miss Universe competition in El Salvador later this year.
The transgender model apparently got negative reactions after being crowned Miss Netherlands. He said during an interview, “I thought we were like, really accepting so far in The Netherlands. But the hate comments show the other side of our society”:
“I think hopefully that’s a wake up call for much people because the reactions are half very good and the other half is like really ashamed to me,” Kolle said.
However, a woman, “Miss Nicaragua,” later won the crown at the Miss Universe pageant in El Salvador in November 2023, a pageant that included two transgender contestants.
When speaking of the updated platform, Van Ee said it should be “a place to show your authentic self and a world where we celebrate real life. Without the pressure to conform to a perfect image.”
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