The Negatives In Beauty Pageants

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Introduction/ Thesis

In the last decade beauty pageants have been a controversial issue. The arguments always cover subtopics such as feminism, exploitation, and self esteem. These so called beauty pageants make women’s bodies seem as if they are not their own but they as seen as objects of beauty for others. For years women have been yearning the right to be equal with men, but they are still playing dress-up for money.

History of Beauty Pageants

We might think beauty pageants are a new thing but they have actually been around for a long time. Beauty pageants rose to prominence in the early 20th century marketed to the general public as contests of great importance.
In 1968, in the early stages of women’s liberation movement,approximately 200 feminists staged a rally on the boardwalk in front of the Atlantic City venue of the Miss America pageant. They hurdled oppresive feminine materials into the Freedom Trash Can (e.g. girdles, curlers, false eyelashes)and held a women's liberation rally at midnight, when Miss America was being crowned. They released a 10-point manifesto that laid out the principles of their protest and included a focus on the connections between "ludicrous beauty standards," racism, militarism, popular culture, and capitalism. Miss America (and all beauty pageants) were seen as the perfect symbol of female oppression in this country supported by both racism and capitalism.

Feminism In Beauty Pageants
In beauty pageants it can be seen that women aren’t seen for their intellectual side but for their physical appearance. The women just stand there and look pretty showing the subliminal message for women to be quiet and stand in the background to sup...

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...g can take a toll on young girls lowering their self esteem to an all time low.
After losing the girls start to question their appearance wondering if they’ll ever be good enough. The questions the girls began to ask themselves is only the beginning of self hatred which can lead to depression.

Works Cited

Koncikowski, Jeanette . "Beauty Pageants: Dilemma: Closing." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society.ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 26 Apr. 2014.

Katz, Daniel. "Beauty Pageants: Investigate." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

Koncikowski, Jeanette. "beauty pageants." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

Koncikowski, Jeanette. "Beauty Pageants: Beauty Pageants: Turning Beings into Objects." Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 27 Apr. 2014.

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