How Do Beauty Pageants Affect Society

“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,

Each year, around three million children, ages 6 to 16, will compete in a beauty pageant. When a child enters to compete in a beauty pageant, it not only damages the child now, but as well as later in life. Also, the standards that these children are held to while competing in a beauty pageant is affecting their development.

Many Children are actively involved in beauty pageants, and many people have different opinions about them. Some feel that they are good for kids, others think that all they do is harm them. Opinions vary from person to person, and reasoning also varies. But, the real question is “Do child beauty pageants harm kids in the long run?” What comes to mind when the words “child beauty pageants” are spoken? What some people think about them are, crazy moms pushing their daughters to win, and little girls dressing up to look like Barbie dolls. What these people do not see is that beauty pageants teach girls to be confident and independent.

Pageants make girls dissatisfied with their body image. To look like the contestants girls resort to starving themselves. 1 in 4 teenage girl has admitted to being on a diet. 81% percent of girls under the age of 10 are afraid of being fat. Girls learn from a very early age that they should spend an enormous amount of time, energy, and money striving to achieve this idea of beauty.

Do you think it would be okay if your little sister or cousin competed in a beauty pageant? You probably wouldn't care, but what if they were wearing excessive amounts make-up and skimpy clothing. Now that you have that in your head re-answer the question. If you still think it's okay I would like to disagree. Girls as young as 6 months to 16 are participating in beauty pageants, most of them want to compete, however some are forced to by their parents. Children go to the extreme to look their best, by wearing fake accessories such as fingernails and spray tans. Pageants are just down right too expensive parents spend thousands of dollars just on their children and they may never earn it back. It is wrong for young children to be participating

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

Beauty pageants or beauty contests hold the purpose of ranking girls based on their physical attributes, personality traits, and on talents or skills. On average, 2.5 million girls participate in beauty pageants each year. Of the 2.5 million, 250,000 of these contestants are children under the age of 16 (Demographic Partitions). While the parents may thoroughly enjoy the entertainment involved, most children do not feel the same way. Beauty pageants involving children have both positive and negative outcomes, but the majority are negative due to the high heels, overuse of hairspray, and outrageous amounts of makeup. It’s time for a change. Child-oriented beauty pageants should be banned due to the negative physiological deficits on young girls.

Beauty contests for women have always been popular around the world, but in recent years child pageants have become more successful. This success led to the production of the well-known show, Toddlers and Tiaras. Beauty pageants have now evolved and even include newborn babies. Contestants are not only rewarded with a title, but also receive cash prices. These rewards and fame without a doubt attract parents into the world of beauty pageants. Children who are involved in beauty pageants are perceived as “perfect” on stage and are expected to be perfect off stage. In the long run pageants take a toll on children causing psychological impacts that outweigh the benefits.

Dazzling dresses, sparkling jewelry, and perfect makeup sounds like every girl’s dream, right? Sadly, these are just a few of the things that are used to lure children into the clutches of the detrimental world of pageants. Child pageants may seem to be fun and games, just look pretty to win a prize, but the damages it can do to a young girl brings new light to the subject. Parents are submitting their kids to be judged by fully grown adults, based solely on their child’s incredibly altered appearances. These parades of artificial beauty can lead to both low self-esteem, an inflated self-image and irregular growth in the developing children involved.

The hit TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras welcome viewers behind the scenes of the competitive world of child beauty pageants, showing viewers the glitz and glam of the pageant world. Typically, competitions demonstrate the importance of hard work and practice, teaching contestants valuable life lessons, however, beauty pageants teach contestants that the worth of a person is solely based on their appearance. Beauty pageants are based on physical appearance, customs, and fitness appearance instead of importance factors such as intelligence, achievements, and self-love. Children beauty pageants are extremely exploitive and detrimental to a child’s overall well being, damaging self-esteem and health.

    Beauty pageant contestants greatly focus on how they are looked by people around them, which can lead to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. As stated by Mishandi, a former beauty pageant contestant “she wished her mother hadn’t put her in the pageants when she was younger. She has struggled with both anorexia and bulimia at one point in her pageant career, and that was after the 500-calorie diet she was put on when she was 9.”(1) MIshandi herself struggled with two eating disorder as well as being put on a five hundred calorie diet just at the age of

Child beauty pageants have existed for many years, and at first they were considered innocent dress up games. It was not until the T.V. show Toddlers and Tiaras aired that the industry received national attention. The multibillion dollar industry depicted two year olds with wigs, spray tans, waxed eyebrows, and inappropriate attires catering to the audience that craves young faces in the entertainment business. These type of competitions can have negative impacts on a child’s life. Child beauty pageants are harmful for young girls because they can be subject to exploitation and promote unhealthy ideals, damaging their self-esteem.

Beauty Pageants, while on the surface seem harmless, project a discouraging portrait for women and young girls far and wide. Contestants come from all over the country in pursuit of the "crown". They are all slender, with immaculate posture, impeccable skin, and perfect smiles. Just like the girl next door! But, only if you live in Stepford!

To uphold this perfect image these young children are put in harmful situations that can have a harmful impact on their lives. As kids, these contestants are not supposed to worry about being ’the perfect size’ and focus on other aspects of their lives. Then again, beauty pageants can have an effect on a contestant that can stick

Self-tanning, acrylic nails, makeup, oh goodness! Think Miss America but with children instead of women. View all the different steps for altering a little girl’s appearance to impress the sight of others. A child's beauty pageant is a competition for contestants sixteen and under. The youngest age to enter a pageant is eight months old. It all started in the year of 1854 by entrepreneur Phineas Taylor Barnum. The competition consists of talent, interview, casual swimwear, and evening wear. Beauty pageants vary in price. The participant not only has to pay for the event itself, she has to pay for items that will make her look “beautiful.” Contestants are required to have a coach to show them how to walk and what to say to make the judges like them. As seen on the television show, Toddlers and Tiaras, the coaches in charge have prior experience in pageants. It takes plenty of time and effort to perfect the overall look. The two types of beauty pageants are natural and glitz. Natural beauty pageants are more “come as you are.” Meaning there is not a single false part on the child. This type of pageant allows for the contestant to be who they are without having to alter their appearance. Glitz, on the other hand, it is a must to have hair parts, false eyelashes, flippers; known as fake teeth. Henry Giroux states “Pageants are a lucrative business. Promoters market pleasure and rake in big dividends, with some making as much as $100,000 on each event” (Stealing Innocence 11).