The Miss Netherlands beauty pageant is ending after 35 years, to become a new platform dedicated to mental health and the sharing of positive stories, the organizers announced on Thursday.
“Times have changed and we are evolving with the times,” competition officials said in a statement. Instead of organizing the competition, director Monica van Ee set up a platform called “No more of this time”.
This platform aims to share the stories of successful women, but also to highlight the impact of social media and unrealistic beauty standards.
Stories that inspire
“No more crowns, but stories that inspire. Not dresses, but dreams that come to life,” said the organizers.
“Maybe a sash and a crown are no longer relevant. But women supporting and helping each other is timeless to us,” Monica Van Ee said in an online message about the news. platform.
The competition made headlines in 2023 when Rikkie Kolle, then 22, became the first transgender woman to win it.
Rikkie Kolle told AFP in an interview that she hoped her victory would be a source of inspiration for young people in the transgender community.
“A world where we celebrate real life”
Monica Van Ee stressed that the new platform should be a place where everyone can be themselves, “a world where we celebrate real life, without the pressure to conform to a perfect image.”
ats/furr
