Miss USA 2020 Asya Branch recently apologized for homophobic tweet she made when she was 13.

Asya is not the first titleholder to be caught up in a controversial situation.

And she won't be the last.

As a titleholder, being involved in a social media controversy is the last thing you want hanging over your head.

Especially when you've just won a title.

If the situation is severe the pageant director could dethrone you.

This is why it's a good idea to do a review of your social media accounts.

Remove images or comments that don't make you look good.

But this may not always be practical based on the volume of posts across your accounts.

And even if you are able to go through them all, you could still miss something.

That's why it's so important to learn how to handle controversy as a pageant titleholder in 2021.

The first step in quelling the fires of controversy is: 

Determine If This is a Real Fire

You need to assess the situation to determine if you really have a controversy on your hands. 

Small things like "she's not a nice person" aren't really considered a crisis. 

But if people start sharing receipts of you posting offensive remarks then you have a problem.

Ultimately, controversy is anything that threatens you or your brand's reputation.

Take Over the Narrative...Immediately

If you wait to address the controversy then you allow others to control the narrative.

And that's not what you want.

Take the bull by the horns and handle the situation.

Try to respond within the first 12 hours of the issue popping up. 

If you can respond even sooner that would be great.

Address the controversy on your social media platforms.

And as hard as it may be, do not delete the negative comments and criticisms as this could make things worse.

How You Respond to Controversy Can Make or Break You

While you need to respond as quickly as possible.

It's very important to take time to ensure your addresses the controversy in an effective way.

Most times people don't want to hear excuses. 

They want you to apologize and acknowledge how you hurt them.

So you should take the time to craft a response that is sensitive and sincere towards the people you have hurt.

The best apologies also include a commitment to doing better.

Choose Your Battles Wisely

I don't need to tell you guys that trolls are gonna troll.

There are some people who will make inflammatory comments just to get a rise out of you.

Do not fall for it.

This is not about being defensive or having the last word.

In fact, you should be aiming for the opposite.

If you choose to respond to a few comments then choose the ones that are less provocative. 

Hit Pause on Your Scheduled Posts

When controversy strikes you never want to ignore it.

Ignoring the situation won't make it any better and it certainly won't make it go away.

If you continue posting like nothing is wrong you run the risk of breaking the trust that you have with your supporters.

And let's face it, it's hard to make an impact in this world if people don't believe in you.

Be present on your account because it shows your followers that you care.

Don't Tell Us, Show Us

As a pageant titleholder, you are held to a higher standard. 

This is because you're meant to be a role model to those around you.

Your followers want to see that you understand the impact of the situation.

And that you're willing to grow from it.

Don't just tell your followers that'll you'll do better.

Show them.

You could do this by volunteering with an organization that is closely related to the issue.

And also by creating educational posts to spread awareness.

Final Thoughts

Finding yourself in this type of situation can be scary and stressful.

But the sooner you address it the better things will get.

You will start to feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

And before you know things will die down.

Just remember that if you handle this right you can make a come back.

And who doesn't love a good come back story?

Until next time xoxo,

T

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