Beauty pageants have long been a part of the multibillion entertainment industry, serving as a platform, where participants can show their talents, earn money and recognition and acquire certain social status. While adult participants can take full responsibility for their actions and choices during the competition, children are usually dependent on the decision of their parents, whose irresponsibility can lead to a range of negative outcomes, such as the deprivation of normal childhood in healthy environment, sexualization of young participants, which may cause sexual abuse or the instilment of wrong moral values, according to which appearance is the main prerequisite for a successful life. The aforesaid threats to children’s physical and mental health have led to the movement against the child beauty pageants in many countries, including the United States. At the same time, while there are countries, like France, where they have already been banned, the abandonment of such contests in America needs more efforts, as the entertainment industry is unlikely to let go of such income yielding activities any time soon (Eveleth). The process can only be launched upon the increase of public awareness about the negative effects of the child beauty pageants, as well as by the authorities taking active position regarding the issue.
Child beauty pageants have existed for a long time all over the world, but only recently have the authorities turned attention to the problems they can create. One of such problems is sexualization of children, especially girls, whose photos in make-up and adult-looking clothes are posted online and attract unnecessary attention of sexual predators. Indeed, during the preparation for child beauty pageants, parents, usually mothers, tend to deviate from the normal meaning of the word “child” and create much older looks for their kids. It is an often and outrageous practice to dress girls in costumes that would be deemed provocative, if seen on adult women. The photos of young girls participating in the contest create a misperception regarding their true age and, thus, attracting grown men and women, who often do not realize that the persons on the photos are actually children. Among such adults can be pedophiles, and although some may argue that child beauty pageants should not be banned due to potential sexual threats, it is not only the responsibility of the police to prevent child sexual abuse, but also the obligation of adults, parents in the first place, to protect children from such danger by making sure that the child’s appearance is not sexualized by dress or make-up. One of the most famous tragic cases often cited in this regard is the case of JonBenét Ramsey, a 6-year old participant of the beauty pageant and a daughter of the former beauty pageant winner. The girl has been presumably kidnapped and then found dead in her own house, although the details of her death have not been revealed (Schwarz). Although the murderer was never found, it was presumed that the death was connected with her participation in the contest.
The irresponsibility of parents can touch other aspects of the kid’s life. Very often mothers put their daughters on crash diets that are usually used by the adult athletes and models, to make sure the child looks thinner and fits into a costume. Unfortunately, children as young as 2 years old can fall victims to such practices and cannot oppose them due to the trust they have for the parents. Mothers also give their children energy drinks and coffee to make sure they are energetic during the whole day, thus, ruining normal diet and causing health problems. By depriving children of rest and sleep, when they need it, and modifying the daily schedule leads to the disregard of a child’s needs, frustration and anxiety. As a child spends most of the day preparing for the contest and working on the outside beauty to make sure he or she is appreciated by the judges, such a child can learn wrong values and grow into a competitive and shallow person. Talking about psychological disorders, such attention to the looks can lead to the eating disorders and problems with understanding one’s worth, as it might be too closely connected to sexual appeal. As mothers explain to daughters that other girls are enemies, such girls can attain paranoid behavioral patterns in future; simulating closeness, smiles and hugs to satisfy people around can lead to the “dissimulation as a form of interaction” that can turn into a habit; being present in an unhealthy environment of crying and shouting people, especially grown-ups, and the necessity to put on the act can eventually cause the attainment of hysteric behaviors (Grosaru). Many parents may not realize the psychological traumas their children acquire, sometimes for the rest of their lives, and for this reason it is crucial that organizations lobbying for the ban of the contests take steps to increase awareness about these issues in the parents of the participants in the first place.
However, the task of banning child beauty pageants is not an easy one, as it is a part of a $5 billion industry that provides steady income to powerful businessmen in the entertainment sector. Parents spend thousands of dollars for participation in the contest, with a single pageant costing from $3,500 to $5,000 for one child (Nauert). According to a “Good Morning America” report, the typical entry fee for the contestant ranges from $100 to $200, and children are usually made to participate in many pageants in their parents’ never-ending pursue of recognition (Agadoni). According to the University of Arizona professor Martina M. Cartwright, children become princesses and princes by proxy, and “the real attraction of pageants is for parents who can gain social status, self-esteem, and money when their children participate” (qtd. in Villines). The industry bosses are clearly pulling on such parents’ heartstrings, while the creators of the television shows, such as the infamous “Toddlers and Tiaras” and “Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo” are using entertainment media tools to support interest of the audience by showing the funny aspects of the contests, revealing the backstage tantrums and meltdowns of both children and parents, making the whole process look incredibly entertaining (Cartwright). Indeed, according to the recent research by Jessica Kelly of the Salisbury University, it is the entertainment factors that prevent Americans to give up child beauty pageants, as the researcher states that, “Despite the negative psychological effects the pageant participants are possibly undergoing, there is an entertainment element that is keeping the viewer ratings high” (Kelly 8). Thus, profits generated by the child beauty pageants are one of the biggest obstacles to be overcome by the activists for banning the activities.
As much as it is evident that child beauty pageants need to be banned due to the harm they bring to children participating in them and the effect they will eventually have on the future generations, entertainment media and sex industries generate huge profits from the existence of the contests. And while many may condemn the child beauty pageants, their ban needs to be connected with the loss of their popularity and the establishment of solid moral views in the audience that consumes such media products. The ban of the contest can only be done after the reasons for its existence are addressed, and they can be found in the psychological problems of the parents, who misuse their children to gain own satisfaction and reduce frustration, as well as in the modern society that supports the existence of the contests by watching them for relaxation purposes. If people no longer feel the necessity to watch and participate in such activities, the latter will gradually seize to exist, so the main problem to be solved is unhealthy consumption patterns and beauty standards that undervalue inner beauty, intelligence and other assets.
Works Cited
Agadoni, Laura. "How Do Child Beauty Pageants Affect a Child's Development?." Global Post. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/child-beauty-pageants-affect-childs-development-3088.html>.
Cartwright, Martina M.. "Child Beauty Pageants: What Are We Teaching Our Girls?." Psychology Today. N.p., 12 Aug. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/food-thought/201108/child-beauty-pageants-what-are-we-teaching-our-girls>.
Eveleth, Rose. "France Bans Child Beauty Pageants, America Unlikely to Follow ." Smithsonian.com. N.p., 20 Sept. 2013. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/france-bans-child-beauty-pageants-america-unlikely-to-follow-10155596/>.
Grosaru, Lucia. " Toddlers and child beauty pageants – Risk factors for severe psychological turmoils." Psychology Corner. N.p., 7 Sept. 2009. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://psychologycorner.com/toddlers-and-children-beauty-pageants-%E2%80%93-risk-factors-for-severe-psychological-turmoils/>.
Kelly, Jessica. "Televised Child Pageants: Negative Psychological Effects, Millions of Viewers." Salisbury University. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://faculty.salisbury.edu/~lcgarmon/Research%20handouts/ChildPageants.SUSRC2014.pdf>.
Nauert, Rick. "Child Beauty Pageants May Be More About Parents." PsychCentral.com. N.p., 29 Oct. 2012. Web. 19 Oct. 2014. <http://psychcentral.com/news/2012/10/29/child-beauty-pageants-may-be-more-about-parents/46818.html>.
Schwartz, Allan. ""Toddlers and Tiaras" Beauty Pageants: Are They Good For Our Children?." MentalHelp.net. N.p., 8 Aug. 2011. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=44086>.
Villines, Zawn. "Beauty Pageants and Children: It’s Not Always Pretty." Goodtherapy.org. N.p., 15 Nov. 2012. Web. 20 Oct. 2014. <http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/beauty-pageants-and-children-not-always-pretty-1115127>.
