Beauty Pageants For Children

Beauty pageants for children , are becoming a trend since it’s start in the 1960’s as it took part in the American society. Child beauty pageants consist of Make-up, hair extensions, teased hairstyles, clouds of hairspray, flippers (fake teeth), sophisticated outfits, screaming groups

(mostly mothers), strange postures, twitched face expressions, tiaras, trophies, money and more or less talent and intelligence, along with exercised smiles and hysterical crying and outbursts. The children are judged based on their looks, capabilities, confidence, and PERFECTION . the judges tend to call it “ the complete package “ that the pageant’s queen should have them all. The children’s age participating vary from three years old to twelve

Children’s bodies and minds act differently from an adult’s; thus they deserve to be treated accordingly . But mothers and sometimes fathers tend to abuse their children’s youth in order to win the crown or to even participate.

The Federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act as amended by the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010, defines child abuse and neglect as, at minimum:

•"Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation.”

Stress, deception, anxiety, eating disorders, sexualizing the kids and bad perception for the future are all signs the kids exploitation and abuse.

The pageant world for young girls can ultimately ruin their childhoods, the costumes and the makeup and the big hair sexualize these little girls, way before they could become sexual. . The costumes are often low-cut, see-through, or just plain inappropriate for the four year old or more wearing it. During the talent/routine show, the contestants walk across the stage, blowing kisses and winking, posing and twirling for the judges. The poses that the girls are taught are most often sexual, accentuating their hips and

Even though a lot of factors are against but there’s always to sides for the same story. There are many positive benefits to the participation of these young girls in the pageants, like taking care of themselves, being confident, positive self-image , knowing what you want and gives you more opportunities.

Amy Rigard, author of the article "Beauty Pageants Boost Self-esteem” tells of Andrea Smith’s story. Andrea was convinced to enter her first beauty pageant when she was 16. She was borderline anorexic and partook in self-harm by cutting herself. Until she competed in a pageant She says, "It has helped build my self-esteem so much .if I start falling again, being in a pageant brings me right back”.

But what if it all went wrong? Not everyone that participates in a pageants wins, some girls might get depressed by the fact that they lost in front of a large crowd just because they aren’t as pretty as the other girls. Or even the bullying that happens behind the curtains of the shows from moms to children or from children towards each other.

Also there is a bigger risk that the participants will get anorexic and might hurt themselves due to the pressure regarding the fact that they should preserve a small figure, a perfect posture, forcing themselves to eat smaller portions knowing that this is critical age for their growth causing health