Miss Universe Netherlands winner Rikkie Valerie Kollé blasted hate toward transgender TikToker Dylan Mulvaney after her partnership with Bud Light went awry, calling the backlash “sad” and “horrible” in an interview with Newsweek.
“I think it’s really to make the girl that low in confidence… and judging her for being herself,” Kollé told the outlet, adding, “I think it’s horrible.”
Kollé added that the vitriol Mulvaney received reminded her of the hatred she receives online daily for being trans.
TRANSWOMAN MODEL WINS MISS UNIVERSE NETHERLANDS IN HISTORIC MOMENT: ‘I DID IT’
Rikkie Valerie Kollé was crowned Miss Universe Netherlands earlier this month, sparking conversations about biological males competing in and winning beauty pageants. (YouTube/Screenshot)
“I DID IT,” the 22-year-old said in an Instagram statement. “It’s unreal, but I get to call myself [Miss Netherland] 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.”
Though Kollé made history for the country, other biological male contestants have competed in pageants and beat out the competition, including Miss Nevada USA Kataluna Enriquez, who took home the title in 2021.
Mulvaney recently took a trip to Peru to “feel safe” following the backlash, saying, “I feel very safe” outside the U.S.
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Fox News’ Hannah Grossman contributed to this report.