A plus-sized winner of a Miss Alabama beauty contest, Sara Millikеn, has responded to online trolls who labeled her an “unhealthy embarrassment.” The 23-year-old was thrilled when she won the top prize in the National American Miss pageant, but her joy was short-lived as she faced a barrage of negative comments about her appearance.
“Even something that you type over a screen can have a lasting impression on people,” Millikеn told WKRG. “Even though I’m not at that point, it can lead people to do some very dark things to themselves.”
Millikеn’s response to the criticism highlights the impact of cyberbullying and the importance of kindness. Despite the negative comments, she remains determined to not let the harsh words hold her back as she prepares for the national final in Florida over Thanksgiving.
Among the cruel remarks, Blaine Tom Mieroughts wrote, “I thought it was a beauty pageant,” while Randy Hicks added, “Is that actually considered attractive in Alabama?” John Mason made a hurtful reference to the fast-food chain, saying, “This should have been (M)iss Jack in the Box winner.”
However, Millikеn also received support from many individuals. Tracie Stephens-Brooks praised her, saying, “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.” Samantha Thrash Duff expressed her pride, stating, “So proud of her! 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!” David Junior added, “Great to finally not see some 100lb, blonde hair blue eyes who wants world peace win! Congrats to Alabama and this Queen!”
Millikеn’s victory was her third attempt at the contest, which aims to foster “positive self-image by enhancing natural beauty within.” She competed over Memorial Day Weekend, participating in interviews, volunteer work, and presentations. The pageant scores contestants based on “personality, confidence, and communication,” according to organizers.
The website for the contest states, “Braces, glasses, skin problems, varying heights, weights, and appearances are all a part of creating the special and unique individual that you are and that we want to celebrate.”
Although sh.ocked by the initial negative response, Millikеn has since received an outpouring of support from around the world, gaining 2,500 followers on Instagram and Facebook overnight.
She remains focused on spreading positivity. “I’ll be honest, it got to me for about five minutes,” she admitted. “Their words can hurt, even if it is online. I’ve always wanted to spread positivity, and this kind of put me in a position to do exactly that.”
Supporters have offered her everything from dresses to beauty products to help her in the next round of the competition. Millikеn emphasized the importance of kindness and noted that not everyone can easily shake off cyberbullying.
“No matter what your body looks likе, no matter where you come from, you can do anything you set your mind to,” Millikеn said following her victory. “I met so many amazing and accomplished women. That was definitely the best part.”
Hundreds of supporters have since flooded her inbox with offers of support, reinforcing the importance of community and positivity in the face of online negativity.
The Great Ketchup Debate: To Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate?
It can be really confusing to walk through the aisles of our favorite grocery shop and figure out what food items require refrigeration and what doesn’t.
It is reasonable to believe that if a product isn’t refrigerated in stores, it also doesn’t need to be at home. That isn’t always the case, though.
A modest word in fine type can be found on the labels of many products on grocery store shelves if we look closely: “refrigerate after opening.” Sadly, not everyone takes note of this small directive, and even those who do sometimes decide to disregard it. Ketchup is an excellent illustration of this.
The popular ketchup brand, Heinz, actually advises chilling their product as soon as you bring it inside. You may be asking yourself, “But why does ketchup need to be refrigerated when I see bottles of it sitting on the store shelves?” Heinz wants you to know that it’s all for the best, though.
This ketchup conundrum intrigued me, so I decided to look into it directly. I grabbed a bottle of Heinz ketchup from my own kitchen and read the label carefully. And there it was—the warning to “For best results, refrigerate after opening”—subtly printed in small text on the label on the reverse. Thus, the recommendation is clear: refrigeration is advised.
Were you aware that Heinz addressed this issue on Twitter as well? The message on their short tweet said, “FYI: Ketchup goes in the fridge!!!” This tweet grabbed the attention of people all over social media and started a heated debate among ketchup lovers.
Heinz even went so far as to survey people about how they keep their ketchup in storage at home. The outcomes were really intriguing. Of all the people who use ketchup, 36.8% keep it in a cabinet and 63.2% keep it in the refrigerator.
It’s intriguing to learn the motivations behind some people’s decisions to disregard refrigeration recommendations. They contend that ketchup tastes good even when kept at room temperature and that it doesn’t spoil readily. The good news is that you can keep your ketchup fresher for longer by refrigerating it, which will increase its shelf life.
Thus, keep in mind what Heinz suggests if you’re still not sure if you should refrigerate your ketchup. And why not follow the rest of us and store that bottle of ketchup in the refrigerator, nice and cold? It’s a simple method to guarantee that your favorite condiment remains flavorful and fresh.
It’s your time to comment on the ketchup controversy now! Which is better for storing ketchup—in a cupboard or the refrigerator? Let’s continue the conversation and hear about your ketchup preferences!
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