Why are so many people against parents putting children in beauty pagents?

Question

I just asked a question about where to buy a pagent dress for my daughter and the second answer I got was putting me down and basically calling me selfish for doing that. As long as a parent is not going over board like Patsy Ramsey, or is forcing a child who has said that they don't want to do it, I see nothing wrong with it. My best friend in high school was in pagents from about 2 yrs old all the way till she was about 20. She had a storage building full of trophys and never complained, in fact once she turned 18, she entered herself in them. I asked a question pertaining to piercing a babies ears and had tons of people say there was nothing wrong with it, but people are critisizing pagents. How can something that shows off a childs beauty and talent be wrong, but something that causes pain for beautys sake be O.K.?

The pagent I am talking about putting my daughter in is a small county fair pagent. We live in a small town in Texas, so this is not some huge national competition. The kids at her age all win trophys, they don't do judging at this age. If she doesn't like it she doesn't have to do it again.

Answer 1

people have a warped sense of morals these days, but they are really afraid of what they do not understand. Don't worry about what others think, just concentrate on what you know your child wants, and you can go to a search engine to find those dresses or stores that carry them!!!!!

Answer 2

I'm against child beauty pagents because it puts way too much emphasis on looks. When a child is young they should be focused on playing and learning about the world around them. They shouldn't be worried about how pretty they are. Kids should be kids, not little adults. There is more to my child than looks and I want my child to know that. How physically beautiful a child is should be your last concern.


Frankly, the type of pagent doesn't matter. They are all the same thing! You put her looks ahead of anything else. You have her dress up like a woman (hair, makeup etc) And whether it's your intention or not, you put her out there for some perv to see. I agree with the most of the posters that have said that pagents are a pedophiles dream event. It's obvious by your defending of pagents that you don't really give a rat's *** what we think. You're going to do it anyway. You seem like the type of person that would convince your daughter to do the pagents even if she really didn't want to.

Answer 3

The pain of ear peircing lasts only a day or two. Focusing on superficial qualities like standards of beauty can hurt for a lifetime. Every child that doesn't win the pagent may deal with extreme feelings of disappointment and rejection. Focusing on something that is not accomplished by working toward a goal is not very rewarding. Genetics give us our good looks, so where is the accomplishment in that? As for the talent portion, it is really just padding for the show isn't it? No child that isn't just adorable will win for their "talent."

Answer 4

Here's what's wrong with it (you may not like this....)
1) it tells your child that what's important isn't the way she acts or what she thinks, but how she looks - it's shallow

2) It sexualize the child. The dresses and make up, etc, portray small children to look attractive or sexy - this is both gross and dangerous....there are enough kooks out there without putting your child on display

3) It's mostly for you...yes, if you make the whole pageant thing sound cool, you child may decide she wants to do it, but it's for you...instead, you can spend the time making reading sound cool, or softball, or something where she makes herself better (the flute, the piano) rather then just seeing if she is or isn't more attractive then some other little kid.

Answer 5

I think girls get enough peer pressure from the media, tv, movies and their friends to be beautiful, sexy and thin. I see sexy clothes for toddlers, little bras, boas, high heels, makeup, spangly heels and I think - why? People say the little girls want to: what little girls wants to wear tight fitting clothes, prance around in front of hundreds of people, smile a huge fake smile the whole time and suffer crushing public humiliation when they lose. Why subject a kid to that? Even grown woman have a hard time dealing with it.

As far as ears piercing I won't be doing that either. I got my ears pierced at 12 and my daughter did too, it was kind of a coming of age, mother/daughter thing, we made a day of it. I see no need to put earrings on infants although I know it's done in certain cultures.

Answer 6

I agree with you.

I see nothing wrong if its what the child wants, if the parent is not pushing or forcing the child into it.

But the negative side of pagents is what you always see and hear about, so many people are assuming they are all negative, because that seems to be the image they have been given. Especially after Jonebenet's death.

As long as the child is happy and having fun...then go for it.

And about the ear piercing...I think the best time to do it is when the child is young. That way it can be over with, and there will be no recollection of the pain when they get older.

Answer 7

I think it depends on the parent... some pagent parents are really into pagents more than the child and are really just trying to live through their child, which is pretty sad. Some parents are more relaxed about it and don't take it as seriously, which is how parents should be who put their children in pagents. Don't let the child think beauty is everything. Thats my only problem with putting children in pagents... some parents go over the line with it.

Answer 8

Why would you put your daughter on display so she can be judged on her looks? And at such a young age? You want to ooh and aahh over her on stage, sign her up for a dance class, where at least she will learn something.

Do NOT tell me it's because your daughter "wants" to do it! That's bull! Little kids don't know enough to decide they want to be in pageants. And don't even get me started on the "grown-up" (ie, streetwalker) outfits these innocent babies are dolled up in!

I have two daughters and would never dream of teaching them that if you're good looking, you win; if you are not as cute as little Buffy, you lose. What a horrible thing to teach them, that physical perfection is so important.

Finally, as for piercing a baby's ears...what, were you BORN this STUPID or did you work hard to get that way? Why would you put holes in a little baby's ears? And risk infection, complications, baby swallowing earring, etc.

Save the pageant dress and entry fee and buy yourself some parenting books. You need them.

Answer 9

Because most people view it as starting a child in the direction that only looks matter...And most parents are trying to teach their children that the opposite is true. So, therefore they would be against beauty pageants...It is all about the child's self-esteem. If they don't win, they might feel like they are ugly, to put it blunt. Hope this helps!

Answer 10

i've got confidence that an outstanding variety of folk do unlike elegance pageants by using way they objectify women human beings--ie women human beings as gadgets. as much as now as exploiting little ones, that would in all probability would desire to be on a case via case foundation, finding on the parents of the youngster, and so on. Is there a distinction between that and modelling out your new child? in all probability no longer, in spite of the indisputable fact that modelling would desire to be seen extra like a job, on a similar time as pageants are something of an anomoly--extra like overall performance or a pasttime, no longer a job. i'm constructive that it relatively is all on a case via case foundation; some persons form or do elegance pageants and have no problems; others are certainly exploited and/or objectified.

Answer 11

I just don't like when people put make up on their little girls and dress them up like prom queens. I don't see the point of it. That's not celebrating their natural beauty. I think pageants are a pedophile's paradise.

Oh.. and I didn't pierce my daughter's ears. As soon as she is able to talk, and ask for it to be done, then I'll have it done.