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

From the research I have conducted, I can come to the conclusion that beauty pageants do have a harmful effect on woman. Whether it is from rigorous or judging or simply losing a competition. No matter the age, these competitions have long term effects on woman such as depression, eating disorders, and cosmetic surgery. These contestants are so in sink into thinking like a pageant contestant that they are not truly thinking the way they do. These woman need to inhabit themselves and have their own opinions on what is beautiful and what is not. There are so many different types of beauty that its terrible to think that fat, short, tall, or skinny woman have self-esteem issues. These issues tend to sprout from these pageants, especially when participated in at a young age.

To branch out and go deeper into research behind the negative effects upon woman in beauty pageants, I have created a wiki titled: Beauty Pageants. You can access this page through the link provided below. 

Beauty Pageant Wiki

This website so far encompasses a background on beauty pageants, negative effects on women from these pageants, and lives of woman and children who compete or have competed in these competitions. The background behind beauty pageants encompasses important dates and findings. The subpage titled negative effects on women covers statistics and hand on experiences from former contestants. Under the subpage: Lives of Pageant Contestants, I have added two videos of unhappy children who have competed in these pageants which include pictures of photoshopped children as well as woman who underwent cosmetic procedures. 

To take a deeper look into the negatives on beauty pageants, I have decided to dedicate this posting to child beauty pageants. In the video Child Beauty Pageants, Isabelle Shanafelt discusses major negative affects on children from 6 years of age to 17. In most pageants, children are not really children. These children are deprived of a real childhood. Most children are spray tanned, made up, and photoshopped in many pictures submitted in beauty pageants. Children should not be taught that fake appearances are beautiful because inner beauty is true beauty.

The video discusses child obsessions over Barbie dolls and their perfect appearances, but these toys were not meant to be models or goals to be reached. Children should enjoy their childhood and not have their lives revolving around looking perfect for the judges. According to the video, these children often are set up on the path of becoming woman the suffer from depression or eating disorders. Overall, no matter the age of women participating in beauty pageants; negative affects often sprout from these stressful competitions.

Questions:

Why do parents enter their children into beauty pageants in the first place?

Do Barbie dolls influence young girls to mirror their appearance?

Citation:

Shanafelt, I. (Writer) (2010). Child beauty pageants [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C285HuUKHZ4


Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C285HuUKHZ4 

According to the reference book: At Issue: Beauty Pageants, these beauty competitions are based on physical beauty. Many critics and viewers agree that pageants encourage plastic surgery and dieting. The excerpt from the book states that: With the increased popularity of plastic surgery procedures, many are now contemplating what impact this has on beauty pageants. Some propose banning contestants who have undergone cosmetic surgery from competing in pageants, while others say plastic surgery is part of the new reality of competition.


After reading this, I have come to the conclusion that there are numerous bad effects on woman from these competitions. The plastic surgery rate does increase due to the look that many woman want to achieve. It is an interesting idea to propose the banning of contestants who have undergone cosmetic surgery, but these competitions really should not be based solely on physical features. 


Reflection Questions:


Why is it so important for woman to undergo unnecessary plastic surgery? Why do they have a need to do this to themselves for the sole purpose of these competitions? 


Citation:


ProQuest Staff. "At Issue: Beauty Pageants." ProQuest LLC. 2012: n.pag. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 04 Mar 2012.

The newspaper article: Pinky's Corner: Miss America Pageant's elimination was disgraceful encompasses the underlying thoughts behind these stereotypical pageants. In this article, the writer discussed the impact of the questions and demands told to the contestants. The article lists the request for the contestants to stand behind the contestants still in running even after they were eliminated is an abomination. The effect on the woman who were questioned after being eliminated or the woman who had to stay on stage even after disqualified is quite degrading. 


Beauty Pageants result in negative effects of the human image and majorly effect the self esteem of the contestants. The article states: It makes it all more shameful that the Miss America contestants are not treated with more respect. The fact that the contestants are not only not treated with respect, but they are solely judged on appearance really effects the woman's self image. When thinking about these acts, one can only conclude that these woman are so tangled up in these competitions that they will go to ridiculous extremes to meet the standards of the pageants. 


Reflection Questions:


Why were the woman told to stay on stage after eliminated?


Why were the woman questions about their feelings about being disqualified? 


Citation: 


Kravitz, Pinky. "Pinky's Corner: Miss America Pageant's Elimination Process Was Disgraceful." The Press of Atlantic City [Atlantic City] 19 Jan. 2012. Points of View Reference Center. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. <http://http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?vid=6&hid=113&sid=4d44c893-bdbe-464d-aaa1-a5e089aa6f0a%40sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#db=pwh&AN=2W63473358189>.

Most people would consider beauty contests beneficial to the female image, when in fact, I strongly believe that these competitions have an adverse effect. Beauty pageants put woman under the assumption that beauty is on the outside only and not within. These assumptions can have long term affects on woman and cause them to undergo surgery or begin rigorous dieting.


Many would say winning a beauty pageant is based off of skill, yet the judging is based solely on appearance. What has our society come to? This should not be the message that we want to portray to others on our thoughts of beauty.


As stated in the journal entry from The Australian: "Body image is the No 1 problem of young girls. So these children [in pageants] are absolutely being put in harm's way, and we can't just watch a train wreck about to happen. And it's cruel to judge little girls on their appearance. To say to a young girl, no, you're not pretty enough. So we're setting them up for plastic surgery and Botox injections and as a society, we must not sit by and let that happen." This is ridiculous because we are starting a trend at a young age. Beauty pageants promote the idea that the body image is what is most important. This not only is impossible for most woman, but lowers female's self esteem quite substantially. To reach this image, can cause woman to engage in unhealthy activities and procedures. 


Reflection Questions:


Why are beauty pageants judged solely on looks?


Is botox and plastic surgery necessary for children in beauty pageants?


Citation: 


Overington, Caroline. "Ugly Truth About Beauty Pageants." Australian (Canberra). 02 Aug 2011: 13. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 19 Feb 2012.

Beauty Pageants are competitions between woman of all ages based on distinct skills and a barbie doll image. Woman of any race, shape, or size are beautiful through out, not just based on their appearance or abilities. These competitions promote a negative image of female beauty that only a minority of woman can achieve. I have chosen this topic because beauty pageants are harmful to woman by encouraging dieting, eating disorders, and or by making woman feel unaccepted. This blog will encompass all of the points previously stated and address the major question: Are beauty pageants harmful to the female image?

Hamilton, Tom. (2003, May 17). Beauty Contests- International Debate Education Association- http://www.idebate.org/debatabase/topic_details.php?topicID=218