Debating Beauty Pageants includes different quotes and ideas from on-lookers of society. The article itself states, Pageants push girls to put on airs and wear facades. The answers they give to the questions are rehearsed and meaningless. We should not be applauding the foolishness of pageantry. We all wear evening clothes to special occasions, or swimsuits to the pool. What do we need pageants for? It's easy to walk: put one foot in front of the other and move away from the pageants.

Christine Von Wangenheim believes that apart from being degrading, pageants are a huge money-making racket. Most girls have to be ''graduated'' toward the coveted crown; hence they attend the same kind of pageant over and over. Usually this is to the tune of thousands of dollars.

Questions: 

Why are these competitions so costly, yet so appealing?

Citation: 

VON WANGENHEIM, C. (1997, February 9). New york times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/1997/02/09/nyregion/debating-beauty-pageants.html

In Pros and Cons - PAGEANTS 101 they state, "While the discussion on child beauty pageants pros and cons are getting hotter day by day, one can imagine the intensity of destruction, this could do to a child's self esteem. What does a child need? Independence of eating and standing on her own and confidence that her parents love her. Aren't we oblivious to those needs? Child beauty pageants facts are sometimes more horrifying than the most horror movies. The mothers pressurize their children to work on their appearance to look like a barbie doll. The cost of entering a child beauty pageant is quite expensive. The cost includes entry fees, training program, accommodation and hair and make-up services by a professional. The irony of the situation is that, parents prefer to spend money on designer dresses than on the child's education. The whole education system is a failure in the US as the interest of the child is diverted to some irrelevant beauty pageants. This is total betrayal of the trust the child has in her parents to provide a secure future. There is a lot of pressure on children to perform on the stage. If the child happens to lose, frustrations creep in. The frustration leads to depression and other psychological complication. Child beauty pageants effects are disastrous on the child's body and mind. A child's innocence is marred by fake plastic smiles, false eyelashes and polished appearance. Children grow up to think that the only way to earn money is through exploitation of their bodies, which is not true. Children develop eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia to make their bodies look perfect."  


By entering children into these beauty pageants, one is only setting them up for depression and eating disorders in the future. Of course there are winners and woman who grow up to be symbols of peace, but only one out of thousands end up leading that lifestyle. Parents pressure their child at a young age to engage in competitions that normally lead to negative outcomes. It is ironic, in fact, that parents who enter their children into beauty pageants pay ridiculous amounts of money for beauty rather than education. These pageants do more harm, than good and really impact these children's lives in the long run.

Reflection Questions:

Why do parents pay so much money for beauty?
How did parents get so caught up in the pageant frenzy?

Citation:

Mads, M. (n.d.). Pageants 101. Retrieved from http://pageants101.weebly.com/pros-and-cons.html

In Anti Children's Beauty Pageants they state, "I know everyone thinks their child is the most beautiful in the entire world. It’s natural and healthy to feel that way. It’s part of loving someone with the same unselfish love that you were given as a child. There’s something just so inviting and beautiful about babies, both human and animal, and it seems likely that the Creator made them so attractive so we’ve feel driven to take care of the young. However, is allowing your child to participate in pageants protecting and caring for your child in the best way possible? Is perverting the natural beauty found in every child to some impossible painted standard best adhered to by drag queens beneficial to your child’s well being?"



Parents obsess over these pageants and shouldn't put as much pressure as they do on their children. Schooling and socializing as a child is important in the child's process of adolescence. This child's mindset and priorities can be influenced to be in the wrong direction in the future. Being happy and comfortable with one's self is most important. 


Reflection Questions:

Do parents actually push their children so hard that they neglect their academic studies?
Don't parents think of the negatives before putting their children in these rigorous pageants?


Citation:


Titkemeyer, L. (2008). Adeeperbeauty.com. Retrieved from http://www.adeeperbeauty.com/pagent_negatives.htm

In Child Beauty Pageants - Good or Bad, it showcases the routines and lives that child contestants own up to. For a young child, this lifestyle can be overbearing and stressful. Instead of living as a child through adolescence, one is perfecting dance routines for hours on end. At this age, this route in life is typically chosen by the parent or legal guardian and may not be the child's desired route. Although these children are adorable to watch, these tiny children prance around with a heavy outer coating of makeup.


When taking a step back, I would answer the video as to being bad. These children can lead lives of depression and eating disorders. Children should not be allowed to enter these prestigious competitions at such a young age.


Questions:


Do the children enjoy this experience?
How much practice and preparation goes into these pageants?


Citation:
(2007, August 28). Youtube. (2007). [0]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k71rG0o02BM

According to Cons of Child Beauty Pageants, it is entertaining and enjoyable to watch children all dressed up in a show. Child pageants are lovely to watch, except when the child is forced into the pageant world and does not truly enjoy participating. Parents who push and pressure their children into these pageants can cause them to develop a bad attitude, low self-esteem, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Not only do many negative outcomes branch from these pageants, but these pageants take a toll on these children regarding how much time is put into these competitions. These pageants are a huge time commitment and truly take out time from education and simply enjoying childhood.

Questions:

Why do pageants cause these bad behavioral problems?
Why do parents get so absorbed in these pageants?

Citation:

Kids formal. (2011, October 02). Retrieved from http://www.kidsformal.com/kb_results.asp?ID=21

In the article "Playing at Pageants", Elizabeth Gleick states, By now, the surreal videotapes have become hauntingly familiar. Look at the face: the huge, inviting mascaraed eyes, the fluttering false lashes, the layers of professionally applied makeup, the highlighted, upswept hair. Look at the clothes: the hand-stitched gowns, the Princess Di chapeaus, the high heels. Then do a double take over the teensy stick-figure bodies and the immature voices belting out God Bless America and Tomorrow. Like some human optical illusion, JonBenet Ramsey and her besequinned fellow beauty-pageant contestants are not in fact fully developed adults. They are pint-size little women often done up like trick ponies. 


These women are plastered barbie dolls competing for one crown and will reach ridiculous heights to achieve their goal. Their goals and mindsets are not in line. These thoughts can lead to depression or eating disorders in the future. 


Reflection Questions: 


Why do some women alter their body in such harmful ways? 
Why is winning the crown become a more important task than good health?


Citation:


Gleick, E. (2001, June 24). Playing at pageants. TIME Magazine, Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,137165,00.html

According to Danielle Cardall, child beauty pageants are thought of as a dream to most children. The idea of being made up and dressed up is every childhood dream, right? The shocking answer to this is no. Children are forced to play roles of young adults from young ages and are simply transformed into mini women. Danielle states, "The lifestyle of child beauty pageant participants has proven to be one full of stress and negative self-evaluation which can ultimately lead to a number of mental and physical disorders as the children become older. While it is clear that beauty pageants can be damaging to its participants, especially ones who begin their career of pageantry at a young age, nothing is being done to solve this problem." 


This article written by Danielle Cardall helps showcase the stress and unhappiness put on young children. Children who are entered into these pageants are always entered by parents or a guardian. This shows that the decision for a particular child to be in these stressful contests were made by the parents and the children have little to no say in whether they would like to participate. Overall, these pageants not only cause unhappiness for children at young ages, but lead them to living lives of depression and mental illness. 


Reflection Questions: 
Why do parents enter their children into these pageants?
Why isn't anyone taking action to help solve the problem of young contestants being entered into these pageants?


Citation:
Cardall, D. (2008, July 30). The negative aspects of child beauty pageants. Retrieved from http://voices.yahoo.com/the-negative-aspects-child-beauty-pageants-1719427.html?cat=69