Miss Netherlands beauty pageant ditched in favour of empowerment platform

The Miss Netherlands beauty pageant, a fixture for 35 years, is coming to an end, with organisers last week announcing a shift to a new platform focused on mental health and empowerment. The new initiative, titled ‘No Longer of This Time’ (‘Niet Meer Van Deze Tijd’), aims to foster positive stories and inspire women to embrace authenticity in a world shaped by social media pressures and unrealistic beauty standards.

Organisers, including director Monica van Ee, stated that while the traditional beauty pageant no longer reflects the times, the core mission of inspiring and empowering young women remains unchanged. Instead of crowns and dresses, the platform will highlight real-life stories, celebrating women’s success and struggles alike.

"Perhaps a sash and a crown are no longer of this time. But women who support each other and help each other, that is timeless for us," van Ee in a blog post.

The announcement comes on the heels of the pageant's historic crowning of Rikkie Kolle, the first transgender woman to win Miss Netherlands in 2023, and amid broader changes within the global beauty pageant industry, which has been criticised for its narrow standards of beauty. 

On Saturday, a 34-year-old woman from the French Caribbean island of Martinique became the oldest contestant to win the Miss France pageant. Angelique Angarni-Filopon took part and won the crown thanks to a rule change which permitted women over 24 to participate, as well as those who are married or mothers.