MANILA, Philippines (Adobo Chronicles, Manila Bureau) – The Miss Universe Philippines (MUP) Organization has filed a protest against the inclusion of Miss Netherlands in this year’s Miss Universe Pageant.

Rikkie Valerie Kollé has been named Miss Netherlands 2023, becoming the first transgender woman to take the title.

But she will not be the first openly transgender contestant in Miss Universe. Angela Ponce became the pageant’s first out trans contestant when she represented Spain in 2018. 

This year’s Miss Universe Philippines Michelle Dee has come out publicly as bisexual, but MUP told The Adobo Chronicles that she is still a biological woman unlike Kollé and Ponce.

MUP is also invoking FOI (Freedom of Information) to demand that the Miss Universe Organization disclose all 2023 Miss Universe contestants’ gender status.