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Do beauty pageants serve a purpose in society research paper
Beauty pageants and self - esteem
Do beauty pageants serve a purpose in society research paper
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Child beauty pageants started in Miami, Florida in the 1960’s, and since then have spread all across the country and even worldwide. During that time they have been influenced by how America has changed over the course and how women are seen. These little girls “strut” across the stage in sportswear, swim wear, formal clothing and showing off their hard working talent. America has contributed greatly to the progression of child beauty pageants and although not all bad, it is clear to see what aspects of beauty pageants are influenced by American culture.
Something I see in beauty pageants that reflects American culture is the overwhelming fact that Americans are obsessed with body image. Girls at an early age are expected to be skinny and look like Victoria Secret models. We have instilled the idea of looking perfect into young girl’s everyday life to where they are “growing up” at younger ages and feel the need to fit that image at a younger age. Martina Cartwright, who has a PhD and has studied child beauty pageants said in her article “Child Beauty Pageants Give Children Unrealistic Expectations”
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One thing America has taught its youth is that you need to have ambition for something. That is clearly evident in beauty pageants. Pageants give young girls a chance to experience a competitive atmosphere at a young age which is very beneficial. Most kids don’t have the maturity and drive to be dedicated to an activity so time consuming. These girls have learned to love what beauty pageants bring to them and take full advantage of what they learn. Beauty pageants aren’t all about beauty. They require kids to have a talent which can potentially lead to a successful career. It teaches them confidence which is crucial to have in the workforce to stand up or yourself. Gaining self-confidence at a young age will definitely benefit a child as they will be more open to opportunities presented to them in the
“A small study published in Eating Disorders the journal of treatment and prevention, that involved 22 women” (Hollandsworth). Girls are choosing unhealthy ways to stay fit and what they call the perfect size just to have a big appeal to the audience when at pageants. The encouragement of this behavior can lead to many body complications and disorders for these girls as they develop, only because they are not truly developing as an average young lady. “A 2007 report issued by the American Psychological Association Task force on the Sexualization of girls claims that parents who put their daughters in beauty pageants can contribute in very direct concrete ways to the precocious sexualization of the daughters” ( Hollandsworth). There has been research to prove that the actions of the young ladies is not all on their own, they have assistance with getting prepared for competitions and what to perform in competitions. Parents add more than what is necessary and can have a negative impact and not even know they are making matters worst than what they have to be. “Kiddie pageants are flourishing. Fueled by a reality TV show, an estimated 250,000 American girls participate in more than 5,000 beauty pageants every year” (Hollandsworth). Exploitation of these young girls is the “NEW BIG THING” to see and enjoy. Adults would rather watch little girls flaunt themselves
...as Miss USA and Miss Universe are competitions intended for mature, self-assured women who are capable of making their own decisions. Child beauty pageants, however, ruin childhoods and force them to grow up believing in their looks, rather than in themselves. It is no surprise, that emotional distress plagues the contestants that participate in beauty long after stepping off of the stage; subjecting young girls of any age to judgment and ridicule is not only humiliating but horrific to think that we are sitting back being entertained by their competitive nature. Rather than raising strong, confident girls who want to achieve the best in life; the parents and the hosts of these competitions provide a platform on which little girls are dressed up as skimpy Barbie dolls and paraded around, trying to achieve some form of perfection that shouldn’t exist in little girls.
Beauty pageants that involve children are a booming industry and growing fast in popularity. This is partially because of television shows like Toddlers and Tiaras and Living Dolls, which glorify pageants that threaten the innocence of childhood. According to Lucy Wolfe, “in 2011, three million children participated in pageants across the country” (454). With so many children, some as young as six months old, partaking in pageants and countless more aspiring to be pageant princesses, a closer look needs to be taken at the practices that are used to prepare them for the show. Often working long hours, not only prepping for the pageant but also performing in it, the children have no laws protecting them from being harmed or exploited.
"How Do Child Beauty Pageants Affect a Child's Development?" Everyday Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014
McDowell, Kayla. “Child beauty pageants: big no-no.” Comp Blog. N.p., 21 Mar. 2013. Web. 31
who have their children in beauty pageants say that their children gain confidence through performing. They also say that they are more prepared for life and will be more socially comfortable. They argue that their children mature at a younger age than "normal" children do. Why would any parent want their children to grow up any faster than they already do? Beauty pageants are not the only way that a child at such a young age can gain confidence.
Beauty pageants are becoming more and more popular, but is this a good thing? Numbers of children taking part in beauty pageants are increasing due to TV programmes like “Toddlers and Tiaras”. The estimated number in America is 250,000. The beauty pageant production is now one of the largest grossing businesses in America as the money getting funded is way over what was expected. The children participating are judged on everything about them and when the results of the pageant are not successful, it can damage their confidence and dignity severely.
Lights, camera, pouty lips welcome to the four dimensional world of children 's beauty pageants. Over the years, child pageants have become a hot topic gaining a great deal of delight from numerous people around the world. From having a strong standing, ongoing fan base that keeps the hit TLC TV show Toddlers and Tiaras; on air to having some of Americans ' favorite beauty queens making guest appearances on shows such as the Ellen Show. Regretfully, the idea of putting an end to child pageants has become somewhat of a hotter topic than the pageants themselves. People often put down what they do not understand why dress a child like that? Why all the make-up? What some do not seem to understand is that there are advantages to being a beauty
In the 1920’s, when beauty pageants began, the main reason for these pageants was to gain tourists. At the time, Atlantic City, New Jersey, was a popular tourist resort. To bring in more business to the city, they came up with the idea of a Fall Pageant. The city got sponsors to represent these young women, and a panel of judges would decide on the most beautiful bathing beauty in America (Alter 2). Since these times, beauty pageants have grown to be a huge part of today’s society. Child beauty pagean...
Eve Yap reports that yes the pageants may benefit the children and parents are ok with them but only to a certain extent. Parents feel the pageants can help children especially with their confidence, but they draw the line with the kids parading around in revealing adult ware. With proper help from parents, the pageants could help unless the children are forced then the pageants are torture for them. If children are forced to do pageants it’s just another way to exploit them and have them noticed by the wrong people. Compared to many of the cited pieces, this article defends the pageants supporting that they do help children and with some parents agreeing but only to a degree.
American’s unneeded celebration of beauty in the pageantry world is digging a hole for the country and has been the contributing factor to the downward spiral we are presently in. The system of this pageant needs to change tremendously in order for it to become a beneficial contest in the future. Beauty pageants to...
Beauty pageants demand that competitors spend large amounts of money in synthetic enhancement. This is a poor focus for vulnerable girls and destroys the girls at a very young age. Beauty pageants convince girls that outer beauty is more important than inner beauty, which is totally a false claim. In this paper, we are going to talk about the pros and cons, whys and woes of pageants and if they are manipulative or valuable to kids. Even though that beauty pageants are a good way for girls to make friends. Beauty pageants are harmful to young children and they should not be able to compete until adulthood because beauty pageants teach kids that outer beauty is more important than inner beauty and beauty pageants pose a threat to the safety of children.
Beauty pageants have long been a form of entertainment, exhibiting beautiful women with ideal bodies competing for their talent and looks. Many pageant moms involve their daughters in children’s pageants to help them improve their social skills, exercise their talents, and boost their self-esteem. Although the pageants may seem like harmless competition with benefits, research shows that they may be doing the young beauty queens more harm than good. “.the girls are receiving conflicting messages: In order to win, the girls must show a unique personality, but they must also act and dress in a hyper feminine manner and conform to the pageant world's ideal standard of beauty and narrow set of conventions.”
Today there are many new extracurricular activities that occupy a lot of young Americans minds. One trending activity is beauty pageants. It is more common in children where the ages may vary between eight months and even older. The trending debate is whether or not beauty contest serve any purpose in society. While many Americans feel as though pageants are helpful to a child’s self esteem, many feel that the effects of the contest have a very harsh effect on child development by devaluing a child. Researchers have found that beauty contests are effective for women to help make platforms for their careers and also create new jobs for women to create like mentoring children.
They are dressed up to look like adults and sometimes dressed provocatively. “Beauty pageants are a reflection of a culture in which women are not equal. Women’s bodies are not their own but are seen as objects of beauty for others.” (Nasso). Parents of the pageant world don’t always understand how provocative and wrong it is to dress their children up in show outfits or give the child additives to make them look better.