The contest will not be held again. Celebrated under that name since 1989 – before it was called Miss Holland – it has been replaced by an online platform named in Dutch as (It is no longer from this time). Launched this December, it will revolve around mental health, the effect of social networks, diversity and support for women. The national versions of Miss World and Miss Universe will continue to exist, with other organizers, whose winners will represent the country there on an international level.
The transformation of Miss Netherlands has emerged from a period of reflection within the promoters of the contest themselves. Mónica van Ee, owner of the brand that produced it and now promoter of the platform, maintains that the situation has changed. He sponsored the contest with his company of cosmetic products for professionals and for what he considers an important cause. “My intention has always been to inspire today’s women to bring out the best in themselves, beyond beauty, and we have transformed ourselves,” she explains in a telephone conversation. From this change the name is derived It is no longer from this timethe new digital forum in which “experts in philosophy, psychology, business, fashion, media and networks or activism participate, with whom you can talk.”
Van Ee says that if you ask a young Dutch girl what she wants to be, “the answer is usually influencer”. And she assures that for ten years she has “tried to empower women through the contest.” “I have seen that it was not possible, and now we hope to help by promoting their self-esteem instead of the stimuli of TikTok or social networks, which break their soul daily with impossible-to-reach models.” He claims not to be against miss pageants, but admits that the image of a beautiful woman predominates there “no matter how much effort we have made at Miss Netherlands to choose intelligent young people, with talent and personality.”
From now on, it is proposed to “participate in another way in the debate about what is happening on social networks and with artificial intelligence, and contribute to young women gaining confidence and developing.” In this first week they have received 60 requests for help and advice, from users between 12 and 24 years old. “There were problems of anorexia, abusive boyfriends, Muslim girls in search of greater freedom… We must collaborate so that young women see how important it is to value themselves,” she says. Her team is made up of volunteers and the calls, she explains, “reflected the search for adequate care.”
In the conversations that have illuminated the platform, it has played a role in recent years. The most frequent criticism revolved around whether they were too white, or too black, or whether their origin was not Dutch enough. In 2023, however, the situation changed when the model . She was the first trans woman to become Miss Netherlands. During her participation, she expressed her desire to contribute to reducing waiting lists for transgender people. She received hate messages and even death threats from those who did not consider her to be a real woman.
The website of the new platform is the way to get in touch with its experts. There, Kollé remembers the support of his parents and friends and the lack of understanding at school during his transition. “We are here as a team to provide educational assistance and I hope to spread positivity and energy,” he writes. Van Ee points out that, since they do not have doctors, “if we see that a problem requires their expertise, we refer the person in question to the appropriate organizations to care for them.”
In 2024, Kollé’s successor has been Amber Rustenberg (27), a business consultant. Now she is the editor-in-chief of the new platform and on the website she says that she hopes to “be a voice for everyone who feels free to be themselves.” He wishes to contribute, in turn, to “accepting that things change; and create a society where everyone can act with confidence, regardless of their gender, religion or background.”
At the beginning of the beauty pageant, in 1929, it was called Miss Holland. In 1989 it was renamed Miss Netherlands and, since then, a natural appearance and the social involvement of the contestant have been taken into account. “At Miss World they criticized me saying that our candidates almost didn’t look like me. But from what I have seen lately of the Miss Universe contest, they have returned to the past with unattainable aesthetic models,” Van Ee reflects. La, a Thai businesswoman and trans woman and activist. With Miss Netherlands gone, there are other beauty pageants with a Dutch base and selection that send their winners to three external events: , and Miss Eco International. The latter, based in Egypt, is the largest in the Middle East and focuses on promoting ecotourism and sustainability.
