Negative Effects Of Beauty Pageants

Beauty pageants have been around for a long time, making people believe that nothing could go wrong in such events. Nevertheless, when I consider women who glide across the stage, I recall skinny women, in specific, who appear to have unrealistic features such as: perfect teeth, skin, and bodies, putting pressure as only women who appear that way are in magazines, television, and movies. Subsequently, this begins when young women participate in beauty pageants. [ Dante Ultius] Society today thinks that entering young children in beauty pageants can help self esteem. Society believes it will make them feel beautiful, perfect, socially involved, discipline, self confidence, and so on. Well it turns out thatś the exact opposite of what they think. Putting children in beauty pageants at a young age can cause health issues like depression, low self of esteem, anxiety, eating disorder, and also the absense of a normal childhood. Research shows that over the past 10 years, there has been a 270% increase in the number of girls being hospitalized for eating disorders, some of these girls are as young as 7 years old [Kelly Kammer]. Competitions can display adult body dissatisfaction in their later years, and that it is also possible for them to suffer from various eating disorders [Psychologist Martina Cartwright].

The article “Toddlers in Tiara’s” by Skip Hollandsworth based off the popular TV show Toddlers and Tiara’s, converses the sexualization of the girls who participate in American beauty pageants. Hollandsworth parleys the effects beauty pageants could possibly have on those who participate in the pageants, such as development and emotion problems. Using the appeals of logic, emotion and ethics in a serious and informative tone he persuades his audience of parents, pageant participants and viewers of the widely known TV show the negative effects of being an American Beauty Pageant contestant. Hollandsworth gains credibility by referencing the opinions of different professionals and authorities. Before the death of JonBenet many Americans didn’t

“A small 2005 study, published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment & Prevention, that involved 22 women, half of whom had participated in child beauty pageants, concluded that there were ‘no significant differences’ between the two groups on measures of bulimia, body perception, depression, and self-esteem. But it did find that the former pageant girls scored significantly higher on body dissatisfaction, interpersonal distrust, and impulse dysregulation” (Hollandsworth 7). With this statistic, readers can see the negative effects on a smaller scale which enables them to understand and agree with what Hollandsworth is saying. “The promise of a tiara has always been a fast, easy sell to young girls who pine to be princesses— just ask Disney, which reportedly makes approximately $4 billion annually from its more than 26,000 princess-related retail items. The connection between princesses and pageants exploded in 1954 with the first televised broadcast of the Miss America pageant; 27 million viewers tuned in” (Hollandsworth 3). This shows an example of cause and effect; they can see that the media encourages little girls by giving them an unrealistic dream in order for them to join pageants. The facts that he uses are based on the idea that pageants are allowing companies to sexualize children by offering them things that are unnecessary for their age. "Now,

Child beauty pageants may seem like harmless fun, but the actual effects it has on adolescents is not worth the public adoration. Some people believe that pageants do not have long lasting effects on them, and that, for children, pageants just give them the opportunity to play dress up. Even though children may not be affected immediately, the values that pageants instill are buried in their subconscious. By judging children at such young ages based solely off outward appearance, they grow up with a distorted psyche, which later affects them in their adult life. Since the media provides children with unrealistic standards of appearance, and pageants teach them that attractiveness is the key to success, many downsides follow, including poor

Parents are putting their beauty contestant in scandalous outfits, and mistreating their child’s body. JonBenet Ramsey was a six-year-old beauty pageant contestant. She was brutally beaten and murdered, and her dead body was found in a storage room by her father. Many believe that the cause of her murder was due to her involvement in beauty pageants. The sexualization of her body by being scantily dressed and heavy makeup is believed to have caused her death. Parents take extreme measures to make their child flawless. Duct tape, vaseline, super glue, hemorrhoid cream, and many other crazy things are being used on children, which could have a painful after effect (Panahi).

Wiehe wrote about young girls in beauty pageant in the article, Nothing Pretty in Child Pageants and she also talked about the television show named Toddlers and Tiaras. This television show gave viewers a behind the scene look at what the young girls go thru before, during, and after the pageants. Some of the kids began their first pageant around the age of 2. On this television show kids are being paraded around in their hair extensions, added eyelashes, false teeth and high heel shoes. Parents are seen on occasion yelling and pulling on these girls in order to get them to cooperate. Also, on this show some of the girls are forced to participate in these pageants only for the self-gratification of their mom. This type of atmosphere only hinders a child’s development process it does not encourage young girls to be individuals or build their character. Girls around the age of 5 are normally playing dress up and not being forced to dress in a fashion that attack the audience attention. These girls are being sexualized at an early age. This often portrays the wrong message not only to the individual but to society. They are forced to dress and act like adults at an early age.

Child beauty pageants started in the 1960’s, and have been increasingly more popular in the past decade. Currently, there are over two hundred-fifty thousand children under the age of fourteen competing in beauty pageants (Triggs et al 2012). There are no age limits in place; age groups range from zero months to eight months all the way up until eighteen years of age. Parents who enter their children in pageants can damage their children for the rest of their lives. However, pageants do help the beauty industry, and essentially create jobs.

“Toddlers and Tiaras” was a hit television show that premiered on the channel TLC on December 12, 2008.  “Toddlers and Tiaras” ranked up a number of two million viewers per episode, which went on for seven seasons.  This show was so successful that a sequel called “Another Toddlers and Tiaras” aired on August 24, 2016.  “Toddlers and Tiaras”, not surprisingly, took a look into the lives of young pageant queens and what goes on behind the stage and all the makeup.  Many, but not all, young girls love to dress up and wear their mother’s high heels, but this trend has been taken up a notch in the last few decades with prizes and money now at stake.  Some people consider, what is being called child beauty pageants, cute, while some believe that it is disgusting and ruining children.  In this article, the different viewpoints on child beauty pageants can show as to why it can affect a child’s development positively and negatively.

Hollandsworth then goes into details of the absurd amount of money parents invests to pay for their child to gain the lusted after tiara, some payments way above their income.Hollandsworth then reverts back to the death of JonBenet Ramsey in the fourth section. He presents that she was the mark of a pedophile due to her participating in pageants, linking her adversity to a little pageants girl worst nightmare. According to the Stacy Dittrich, a former detective, a show like “Toddlers and Tiaras” is the kind of videos pedophiles would watch. The publication of these girls makes it easier for pedophile to track them down, as their towns and names would be listed on their outing. Though there is little evidence suggesting that pageants put little girls under risk, many psychologist still believe that pageants teach girls to be objects of others’ gratification. The girls being encouraged to act in flirtatious manners, understanding that their sexuality will get others’ notice. The pageant girls are learning that outer beauty overshadows all else, including being knowledgeable or resourceful. They’re learning that their natural beauty is never enough, and equaling their self-esteem and worth to who is the most attractive girl.The author then presents the

“John Ramsey and his family skyrocketed to national prominence in 1996, when Ramsey's 6-year-old daughter JonBenét, a frequent child pageant contestant,was found murdered” (The Week). Ramsey knew that it was wrong to put her in the pageant in the first place. He states that “it's just a bad idea to put your child on public display” (The Week Staff). And shows like Toddlers and Tiaras that chronicle child pageants are "bizarre," Ramsey says, as pageants encourage young children to develop problematic levels of competitiveness, and focus too much on their appearance” (The Week Staff). This is a reason why beauty pageants are bad for younger girls and boys. They sexualize them and cause cognitive and emotional problems. Instead the pageants should be fun without all the drama. Even though children can be persuaded to do pretty much anything when they are involved with something they do not want to be participating in.

Starting at only two years of age, contestants of these child beauty pageants are being over sexualized. They are oftentimes made to wear tight and revealing dresses, to flaunt something they have not yet developed. Spray tans, hair extensions, fake nails and eyelashes, “sexy” outfits and bathing suits. These girls are even sometimes made to wear fake teeth, because what used to be “innocent and adorable” about the gaps in a child’s teeth from losing them, is no longer pretty enough in the eyes of the judge. In July 2012, Knox College in Galesburg, III. conducted an experiment on girls ages 6 to 9. In the experiment they showed the girls two different dolls, one was dressed in tight and revealing clothing while the other was dressed in a modest but popular looking outfit. The researchers asked the girls which

Beauty pageants have been around in America for decades; however, they have not gained notoriety until the show "Toddlers and Tiaras" aired on national television. The airing of "Toddlers and Tiaras" has brought child pageants to the attention of many Americans. Not many people were aware of what took place in beauty pageants, but ever since the show debuted in 2009 there has been an intense controversy about children as young as newborns being entered into pageants. Some people say that pageants raise self-esteem and teach responsibility, whereas others say that pageants are necessary and children should take advantage of their youth. Although pageants teach etiquette and communication skills, ultimately they carry a vastly high

Although they seem undisputed and lighthearted, child beauty pageants are one of the most contentious and criticized of all children's activities. While all other types of beauty contests are often viewed as distasteful, child beauty contests yield an even greater unfavorable response. Many individuals go as far as critiquing the pageants as being child abuse. Some say the beauty pageants sexualize the young girls and place unnecessary expectations of beauty at too early of an age. Contributors argue that the pageants help to build confidence and to teach the girls traits such as having poise and self control. Child beauty pageants are contests constructed to reward adolescence for their looks and charisma. There are many different components to every pageant. The children are often judged on how well they do during their interview, they're judge on their appearance, then on their talents. The events are set up by age groups, such as 0 to 6, so the criticism is fair. Each age division winner usually wins a crown or a trophy.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the negative effects of children beauty contest on its contestants. Although many people argue that there are some benefits of this contest such as build up the confidence, self-esteem, public speaking skills, tact, and poised it is also true that it can result to negative psychological effects and interferes in child development worldwide. The Toddlers and Tiaras, and Little Miss Perfect are popular reality TV shows that features young girls the real hardship and obstacles from their mother’s pressure or preparation for the pageant. They are ages from 1 to 12 years old, with main goal of winning and get the tiara and money or ribbon or teddy bears. Generally, the parents of these young girls believe and make decision that the beauty pageant is okay. Pageants, particularly those designed for younger children, focus primarily on appearance, attire, and perceived “cuteness.”

There is an average of 5,000 beauty pageants a year with over two million contestants who sign up to participate. “Toddlers and Tiaras” is a show on TLC that first aired in 2009 and is dedicated to the viewing of child beauty pageants. The show shadows the process of getting ready and the performance of the three young girls in the contest (Padmore, 2016). The ages of the girls range from only a couple months old to young girls of around fourteen or fifteen-years-old. The juvenile individuals were pictured wearing skimpy little outfits including bikinis and short shorts with a crop top shirt. The show had an average of 1.3 million viewers every week (Padmore, 2016). That is 1.3 million people, including men and child rapists, watching these little girls wearing little or next to nothing dance around the stage. Speaking from a personal standpoint, I have watched “Toddlers and Tiaras” and have witnessed a children’s beauty pageant in person. What I saw was something I could never forget. I watched