Alabama Pageant Winner Overcomes Backlash with Positivity

Photo bySara Milliken | Instagram

A pageant winner from Alabama appears to be drawing inspiration from her experience, reframing it positively even in the face of criticism on social media. This online backlash caught the attention of a Mobile news station, prompting them to report on the issue in detail.

Sara Milliken of Atmore was recently crowned the Alabama winner of the National American Miss pageant, allowing her to represent her state at the national level. WKRG-TV5 reported on the win, stating that it was Milliken's third effort since becoming interested in the tournament eight years ago. However, about a week later, WKRG published a detailed article on the social media backlash directed at the station, reporter Summer Poole, and Milliken. The broadcaster defended its later move to restrict commenting due to personal assaults.

According to the account, Milliken earned significant support for her win. Milliken stated that sponsors have come forward to help her candidacy for the national pageant. “I’ve always wanted to spread positivity, and this kind of put me in a position to do exactly that,” she said.

A Facebook post from a pageant consulting firm, Amanda Moreno Consulting, indicated that Milliken’s win was no fluke, but rather the result of a focused effort:

Milliken has posted multiple times about the backlash on her official Facebook page, claiming that she was "a little traumatized over reading comments" and that as a result, she has reduced social media engagements. But she also revealed the moment she won the pageant: "An 8-year-old fantasy of mine finally came true. It was a reaction of pure shock. Since I was 15, I had been replaying this scenario in my thoughts on a regular basis. "It was even sweeter than I expected."

More recently, she has asked fans for input on what color dresses she should wear at the national competition.

She recently spoke at length for a podcast with Angelina Bettanini. She described the pageant community as a safe space. “Being in an environment that has so many encouraging people, so many empowering people—you know, girls [know they can] share their stories, whether it be about past trauma or mental illness or even body positivity, like I like to share – being in an environment with so many empowering women has made it such a safe space for me that I feel like I can be fully myself and everything that I want to be.”

“We have made it to where pageantry is so accessible and so inclusive,” Milliken told Bettanini. “And I think that includes with bodies as well. You know, just knowing that your body does not define you, that whether you’re a size zero or a size 20, that doesn’t define how good of a titleholder you can be.”

The National American Miss pageant takes place in November in Orlando.