Childhood Beauty Pageants: Helpful or Harmful

By Hannah Davis

 

 

          When I think of childhood beauty pageants, first and foremost, I am struck with an unpleasant visual of toddlers running around in short bedazzled dresses, adorning spray tans, fake teeth, pounds of makeup, and hair extensions. While I was not a child beauty pageant star and have never experienced pageant life firsthand, from what I see from the outside looking in, the whole fiasco seems disastrous in more ways than one. There are serious problems that can develop from being involved with such appearance oriented, hyper sexualized, competitions from such an early age, including: struggles with self-image, perfection, self-esteem, body image, image obsession, a skewed perspective of internal vs. external worth, as well as, potential financial strain on the families.

           It’s no secret that the primary goal of beauty pageants is to showcase beauty. However, the definition of beauty that is set for those who compete is fake and naturally unattainable. Why isn’t natural looks and childhood innocence considered beauty in these environments? While not all beauty pageant participants grow up with unattainable perfection goals, body image issues, and no sense of internal worth, some do, and it’s an issue that shouldn’t be ignored. While limited research has been conducted to provide quantitative data that supports or disproves claims of developed eating disorders, a small study published in 2005 provided evidence that former beauty pageant contestants had higher rates of body dissatisfaction (Cartwright, 2011). “Princess Syndrome” is described by dietician, Martina M. Cartwright PhD., as the unrealistic “fairy tale” that consumes many former childhood beauty pageant participants (2011, p. 4).. The fantasy results in the desire to be physically thin, flawlessly beautiful, and perfect, which, as described by Dr. Cartwright, is “at the heart of some disordered eating behaviors and body dissatisfaction.” (2011, p. 4) The most extreme cases of body dissatisfaction, and self-image/self-esteem issues occur when childhood beauty pageant participants don’t grow up to maintain the perfect looks they had as tots. Growing up, kids develop acne, go through drastic body transformation, and don’t look as they did at 4 years of age their whole lives. When things don’t pan out, on the subject of looks, kids are discouraged and are left feeling significantly lesser. With placing all their eggs in the beauty basket from the time they were practically born, they are in for a major reality check, resulting in dissatisfaction and low evaluations of self, not just physically, but in other ways as well (Agadoni, 2014).

          Additionally, when it comes to performing, these girls aren’t encouraged to be smart, they are encouraged to be pretty. Internal worth and education are put on the backburner teaching children that success is measured primarily by external looks (Cartwright, 2011). As viewed on “Toddlers & Tiaras”, parents put a ridiculous amount of preparation into pageants. “Toddlers & Tiaras” is a hit show on TLC that follows around cut throat stage moms and their baby beauty pageant toddlers and documents the process they go through in preparation for pageants. From grueling practices with private coaches, to dress/costume fittings, and spray tan appointments, these tots barely have time for anything else. With no other activities and emphasis put mainly on winning pageants, as opposed to say...education, these children are growing up in a world where glamorous looks trump all, while natural beauty and brains are overlooked.

           Not to mention, while all these pageant rituals and preparation are taking place, parents are putting tremendous amounts of pressure on their youngster to perform flawlessly, at as early as age 2. On TLC’s “Toddlers in Tiaras” children are skipping naps and being poked and prodded while being strapped into their intricate ensembles, which usually results in a tantrum or crying fit, followed by mocking, shaming or heated dissertations from the tots parents. Parents go as far as to bribe their children with cupcakes, pixie sticks, caffeinated drinks, and even red bull (Canning & Behrendt, 2012). With these kinds of actions repeatedly bestowed upon the children by their parents, it teaches them to associate their parents love and approval with how perfect they look and how well they perform on stage. The bratty and sometimes rude behavior of the children of this show is no joke and is hard to ignore.

          The average cost of participating in a beauty pageant is between $3,000 and $5,000 according to a “Good Morning America” report (Agadoni, 2014. For everything; entry fees, costumes, props, spray tans, flippers (fake teeth), hairpieces, travel and lodging, makeup, and private coach etc. these pageant parents are forking out tons and tons of funds to support a toxic environment. Money that they could be saved for college, bills, family vacations, and even their other children, is put into competition after competition.

          The subject of childhood beauty pageants have proved to be a recognizable controversy, not just in America, but all over the world. Drastic measures have been taken in order to try to quell the wave of childhood “glitz” beauty pageants that have ran rampant since the 2008 premiere of TLC’s hit show “Toddlers & Tiara’s”. In France, they are even attempting to ban the practice. According to USA Today, the senate in France has voted to ban all children under 16 from competing in any beauty pageants (the issues has now been sent to the lower house for debate and a final vote) due to the “hyper-sexualization” of minors (Healy, 2013, p. 2). USA Today questions whether pageant abolishment is a possibility for the United States, however, we are recognized as a country that generally considers family units a private entity, that is not influenced by government control. The problem isn’t with the structure of the competitions overall. Singing, dancing, answering interview questions, and being on stage can help promote confidence, talent, and self-assurance, however, when paired with impossible high expectation of self-image and perfection, the envelope is pushed to outrageous limits.