I have recently started a new addiction to the TLC show Toddlers and Tiaras. Every episode I
watch there is at least one thing I see that I just can’t believe. So many of
these little girls are entered into beauty pageants by their moms who willingly
admit to being Crazy Pageant Moms.
While there are some girls who do enjoy the pageant world, I
still believe that such a thing should not exist and here are my reasons why:
1) Pageants teach little girls that winning is
everything.
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| Photo Courtesy: HuffPost |
While the younger girls still don’t understand the concept
between winning and losing, the pageant moms are sure to drill into their head
that they must win the highest title.
Of course you have the occasional mom who is just satisfied
that their child had a good time, but this is rare. I’ve seen girls who cried
because they won ‘Queen’ or ‘Grand Supreme’ and not ‘Ultimate Grand Supreme.’
2) Pageants allow girls to treat their parents
without respect
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| Photo Courtesy: ONTD! |
Instead of the parents being in charge, a lot of the moms
and dads on the show will admit that their daughter is the head of the house.
..
3) Pageant girls have a misconception that beauty
is skin deep.
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| Photo Courtesy: Styleite |
Spray tanning, eyebrow waxing, hair dying, manicures, diets…
The list goes on! Girls as young as two years old are told that to be beautiful
they need to cover up their natural self.
Instead of teaching these girls that their personality makes
them beautiful and that they are beautiful as they are, girls are told things
like “beauty is pain” and aren’t pretty unless they are all dolled up.
4) Pageant girls’ energy becomes more important
than health.
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| Photo Courtesy: Topicpls |
Since the girls need to be woken up early in the morning,
they are fed high sugar foods in order to stay awake and in a good mood. Pixie
sticks seem to be one of the more popular food choices as well as Red Bull
mixed in with some other type of juice.
5) Pageants sexualize little girls.
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| Photo Courtesy: Xfinity |
Many of the outfits show the girls’ stomachs and are very
revealing for children under 10. When doing performances a lot of their moves also seem provocative such as shaking their behind or shimmying their chests.
I watch this show too and it often makes me physically angry. There was one episode where the mom was explaining that her 8 year old had lost weight since her last competition because she wanted her to win and that no one liked a chubby girl… I cannot believe that so many people support/force their children into such a bizarre competition.
ReplyDeleteOn numerous episodes I have heard parents on the show tell their 6 year old that the judges won’t give them good scores if they are fat, don’t have makeup on, don’t have a fake tan, etc… and that you’re a loser if you aren’t in first place. What kind of life lessons are those?!
I completely agree! How can a parent tell their child, especially at such a young age that they aren't perfect as they are? It's a guilty pleasure of mine to watch but when I see some of the moms I just can't believe them!
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