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Linda Ortega

Mrs. Angulo

AP English

28 November 2016

Child Beauty Pageants

A stage full of dolled-up young children, walking down the aisle with their exposed

garments while shooting a bright and happy smile and giving all they got, judges watching

carefully, audience mesmerized while the parents are at the corner cheering and watching

nervously. This is what a typical beauty pageant scene looks like. Beauty pageants are a form of

public entertainment made up of individuals walking down an aisle wearing intricate, colorful

costumes, and perform a talent on stage. It traditionally focuses on judging and grading the

physical qualities of the participant but also incorporates personality traits, talent, and how well

they are able to answer judges questions as part of the judging criteria. Ultimately, it has evolved

to gain much popularity to the public eye, causing major controversy and criticism. Although

many supporters claim that child beauty pageants help increase a child's confidence and self-

esteem, there are many more negative effects on why beauty pageants should be banned as they

create an unattainable image of perfection, and sexualizes children at a young age.

Beauty pageants are a form of public entertainment that has become a controversy due to

many tragic events that have occurred throughout the years. Beauty pageants can be traced back

all the way since the Greek and Roman times where beauty and aesthetics were extremely

important to the Greek culture (King). Much was similar from back then to the fact that they

were judged by looks however today's beauty pageants is all about competition. This level of
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competition causes Young women dress up in floor length gowns, sparkling bikinis, and all the

hairspray a human scalp can hold, while showcasing their broadest smiles and most special

talents (King). In nineteen ninety two, was the year the first Miss America, Margaret Gorman

was crowned at the Atlantic Citys Inter-City Beauty Contest. Throughout the years of Miss

America there has been much criticism given the fact that they did not allow non-white women

to compete (King). This was a controversy up until the nineteen seventies where beauty pageants

were now seen as oversexualizing women because it attracted the attention of sexual predators.

This all began after the death of Jon Benet Ramsey when she was found murdered at her home in

which pictures of her went public with her wearing layers of makeup. It attracted much of the

public's attention and people became more attracted to beauty pageants, and eventually led to

overshowing on the media (Five reasons child Beauty). Since beauty pageants first appeared

they have become a controversy and throughout the emerging and changing world there are

different criticisms on why they should ban it.

Many people believe that beauty pageants help boost up children's confidence and allows

them to gain the skills necessary to succeed later on in their lives. When they are up on stage

they are performing in front of thousands of people in which they have to perform and entertain

the audience with their talent and personality. Many of the times the judges give them feedback

which they take as advice, that way the contestant can fix their flaws and mistakes, "She learns

skills such as going out in a crowd, not to be shy, and to be herself while people are watching and

focusing on her," one mother noted (Debate: Child Beauty Pageants). These forms of

contestants allow them to get out of their comfort zone and become a stronger person by

accepting that feedback from the judges and ignoring what the audience thinks of them whether

it good or bad. This helps them improve their confidence which they can later take as a skill in
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other situations especially when it comes to communication or public speaking skills. The

pageant Director for the Cities of America preliminary pageant system argues that beauty

pageants are suitable for girls because it allows them to develop self- confidence by

communicating with others with similar interest and also allows them to be actively involved in

something that allows them to learn important skills (sexualization in child). This confidence

builder allows the child to overcome their shyness and get them out of their comfort zone. Many

parents claim that their child gains poise, confidence, showmanship, discipline and grace

(Sexualization in child). Coming from the parents point of view is credible since much of

the child's behavior derives from the parents so if the parents carry a positive attitude the child

will look up to them and follow. They will learn to keep a positive attitude whether they lose or

win. Many argue that child beauty pageants allow the child to build confidence and give them of

feeling of competition whether they lose or win.

Although beauty pageants help build confidence, they can also oversexualize girls.

Beauty pageants are all about talents, appearance and personality but the main focus is physical

appearance which causes oversexualization in young girls. A study done by Girls Scout

Research Institute, found that of the one thousand one hundred and forty one interviews with

girls age eleven through seven teen, thirty eight percent of the viewers think a girl's value is

based on physical appearance. Twenty-eight percent of viewers said they would prefer being

recognized for their outer beauty than their inner beauty (Morgan). Children are being exposed to

that adultified beauty ideal which deprive them of their childhood and have the urge to grow as a

young adult. Girls are being treated like young adults and seen as a sex object by wearing

provocative clothing and applying layers of makeup on their face. In order to gain more points

and meet the judges standards on physical appearance, the need to dress provocatively and with
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high glamour is implied. On one of the episodes of Toddlers and Tiaras, a 3 year old was dressed

up as the prostitute played by Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, complete with patent leather

knee-high boots, a midriff baring shirt, and short skirt (Lindsey). Many often imitate other

women through sexual appeal to further improve the quality of their outer beauty. Not only does

this affect the child performing this sexualized act but it also influences millions of women

around the globe who are watching because whatever they see on television or media they think

it is fine to do and imply that women should be seen as a sex object. While on stage many

perform provocative dance moves with her provocative clothing. They are to wear layers of

makeup, spray tan, and sometimes even have fillers on their breasts. They are used as an object

since they are forced to wear layers of makeup and look like Barbie dolls rather than a human

being, which objectifies them at a young age (Lindsey). The oversexualization of young girls is

very much seen as a normal thing, which causes women to be stereotyped and be seen as a sex

symbol.

These forms of contests create an image of perfection that can heavily damage a child's

body. This image of perfection includes lots of makeup, spray tanning, hair extensions and being

thin. They are taught that in order to win, they need to achieve perfection and attractiveness. In

order to achieve this requirement they damage their body physically by going on strict diets

which leads to eating disorders. A Johns Hopkins study found that more than half of Miss

Americas since 1970 have had a Body Mass Index below 18.5, placing them in the

undernourished range according to World Health Organization criteria that define BMIs between

20 and 25 as normal (E library). This image of being thin can lead to eating disorders and body

dissatisfaction. Women who are this thin, are damaging their bodies but they rather avoid it

because that is a requirement in part of the judging criteria. Other women see this as their
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example or inspiration and they want to do the same. Many who are influenced by media feel

pressured that they are not like many others do they damage themselves to achieve that image of

perfection. Eight out of ten, ten year old girls in the US have been on a diet while forty two

percent of first through third grade girls want to be thinner (Hassan). This statistic shows how

much young girls are influence by media, and to make matters worse they hold live beauty

pageants not just to entertain but to influence other women. Beauty pageants teach children that

looks is what matters most not who they are and what they want to be because that is not what

they look for and it is not important to them or to anyone. Children learn their values and what is

important at a young age when entering these pageants they learn that appearance is what is

important. Many young girls are affected because the word perfectionism exist in the world of

beauty pageants

Despite the claims from supporters, child beauty pageants should be banned for reasons

that damages and affects the child's body physically and mentally. Based on the fact on how

many women are represented in society, beauty pageants are incorporating to how women are

being presented by exploiting them and giving them that stereotypical look starting at a young

age. Many women in society are seen as tall, thin, bare of any clothing, having a flawless face,

and portrayed as sex symbols. The time has come to ban and make a change on how to handle

and rate children who enter beauty pageants that is to focus more on personality and empower

women that the image of perfection does not exist.

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Works Cited

"Debate: Child Beauty Pageants." Debate: Child Beauty Pageants - Debatepedia. N.p., n.d.

Web. 08 Dec. 2016.

"Five Reasons Child Pageants Are Bad for Kids." The Week - All You Need to Know about

Everything That Matters. N.p., 14 Mar. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2016.

Hassan, Sana. "The Psychological Effects of Child Beauty Pageants." Tremr. N.p., n.d. Web. 03

Dec. 2016.

Huey, Stephen. "HEALTH-WOMEN: BEAUTY PAGEANT CONTESTANTS REMAIN

UNDERFED." Global Information Network. 13 Dec. 2002: 1. eLibrary. Web. 25 Oct.

2016.

King, Elizabeth. "A Look Back at the Sexist, Racist History of Beauty Pageants." Racked. N.p.,

07 Mar. 2016. Web. 18 Nov. 2016.

Lindsey, Claire. "The Ugly Truth to Child Beauty Pageants." Uloop. N.p., 13 Mar. 2013. Web.

03 Dec. 2016.

Morgan, Mandy. "Toddlers and Tears: The Sexualization of Young Girls." DeseretNews.com.

N.p., 18 Nov. 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2016.

"Sexualization in Child Beauty Pageants." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 03 Dec.

2016.