After hateful trolls called her an "embarrassment" and "unhealthy," the 23-year-old addressed the criticism over her appearance and recent title.
The newly crowned Miss Alabama is speaking out after she received negative comments about her physical appearance following her win.
In an interview with local Alabama CBS affiliate, WKRG, Sara Milliken, who self-describes herself as "plus-sized," hit back at trolls who criticized her new title after she was crowned Miss Alabama in the National American Miss pageant last month.
"Their words can hurt," Milliken said. "Even if it is online. Even something that you type over a screen can have a lasting impression on people.”
"Even though I'm not at that point, it can lead people to do some very dark things to themselves," she added.
Fresh off her win, the 23-year-old visited WKRG in studio on May 31, with the outlet sharing a photo from her appearance in a post on Facebook. While many users took to the comments to voice their support, a handful of critics shared mean remarks about Milliken's appearance.
"Calling her beautiful is fine and good that’s all in the eye of the beholder. But let's be honest with ourselves.. she's extremely unhealthy and this is a slap in the face to the young girls who have worked hard and maintained a diet to actually be a beauty queen," a troll wrote. "This is an embarrassment to the state of Alabama."
"This should have been (M)iss Jack in the Box winner," another critic said.
"I thought it was a beauty pageant," a third person wrote, while another commented, "Is that actually considered attractive in Alabama?"
Milliken also received an outpouring of love, praise and support on the post as well.
"To know is to love her. This young lady has a heart of gold and will give anyone in need a helping hand. A beautiful obese diva with style, sass and a lot of class," a user wrote.
"So proud of her!" another said. "We watched her all weekend and prayed hard that she would come home with that title! She is an amazing, sweet young woman and is going to do great things!"
"I bet she earned that title by having a heart of gold and all the amazing stuff she's done but too many people are worried about what she physically looks like instead of what she's accomplished," a commenter said. "I bet she's an amazing friend and loved by many. Continue to shine girl and show them that we can do anything we set our minds too!!"
Another user called out the critics in a lengthy comment.
"For those of you with disgusting comments, Next time one of your children comes home crying because they're being bullied think about your dumb unwarranted comments….," the person wrote. "The seeds we sow don't always impact us… Be mindful that our children could reap the ugliness that we sow into the universe… It doesn’t cost a thing to be nice, or say nothing at all… "
"Everyone deserves to be celebrated…," the user added. "Congratulations Beautiful!!!! Continue to be unapologetically you."
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While Milliken admitted to WKRG that the negative comments "got to [her] for about five minutes," she shared that the criticism was ultimately "the biggest blessing" because she received support from "all across the country," gaining over 1,000 followers on both Instagram and Facebook.
"I've always wanted to spread positivity, and this kind of put me in a position to do exactly that," Milliken said.
Her journey to Miss Alabama started eight years ago when she participated in an "open call" for the first time. She competed twice, but didn't place -- that was until this year when she not only placed but won it all.
"Just making it to top 10 was my goal, ya know, I could leave the weekend saying I was better than I was the year before, and it’s all about bettering yourself for me,' Milliken recalled to WKRG following her win last month.
"It got down to the top two and my first runner-up; she was absolutely amazing all weekend," she added. "I was like, 'OK, I can confidently say that the whole top five, but especially the top two are two amazing, accomplished women.'"
Milliken was then crowned Miss Alabama.
"No matter what your body looks like, no matter where you come from, you can do anything you set your mind to," Milliken said.
Next stop? Nationals in November.
