While I channel surfed the 'tube' the other day I came across a, what you could call, disturbing TV show, so of course I had to watched it. It was a show that documented the quest of 4 little girls and their mothers, on becoming Baby Beauty Pageant Winners. It was absolutely wild to see 6-8 year old girls with spray on tans, heavy make up, and flaunting skimpy string bikinis. However, the most crazy thing had to be their mothers, who, through out the show, demonstrated how they were pathetically living through their child by exploiting them in such a ridiculous competition that somehow measures "beauty".
It was so uncomfortable to watch the mom's coach the girls on how to smile and answer questions, forcing them to go through grueling cosmetic processes, and shooting them up with over-sized pixie sticks so they can be "perky" and "energized". No child should be exposed in this way, and the mothers should be ashamed of the lessons they are teaching their daughters by forcing them to participate in these pageants. The girls are going to grow up with the wrong since of what true beauty is. They are always going to believe that they are only as good (or in this case, as beautiful) as the trophy they receive.
i believe, you should do some more research. little girls who lose, learn lessons some older individuals do not, you cant always get what you want, i myself compete in beauty pageants and i know plenty of young girls who do as well, pageants let many little girls feel like a princess getting dressed up and performing is something many enjoy,
ReplyDeletewhile i do agree that some mothers take it overboard, you should remember people act different on and off camera, and as with everything there is a right way and a wrong way to go about everything,
pageant girls aren't stupid, and the little girls do not believe the prize is where the truth lies, they know what they are doing before they do it, and the mothers, who make the children do it are wrong, but these little girls enjoy pageants and
spray tanning, i dont like the idea of it, but to compete with other people at the high level these girls are, spray tanning is necesary, and so is make up.
While there could be a small list of mediocre benefits with having your child compete in these pageants, as an educator, I see the whole idea a terrible one.
ReplyDeleteThere is a fundamental human need that we should keep in mind, and that is: all we ever want in life is to love and be loved- and this is ESPECICALLY true for young children. While they crave love and acceptance from their parents, what they are also looking for is validation and identity. In short, they get a sense of love from Mommy when and only when Mommy approves my performance and looks.
Secondly, what sort of message are we sending these girls? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see females doing something more than just housework and secretarial positions, but in the grand scheme of this industry, there's no arguing that the only thing that we're teaching our girls is that image matters. And, not only that, but it's the ONLY thing that matters. And, at a time when girls are this moldable, do we dare send a message like that?
When exposed to this at such a young age, I can't imagine the people these girls turn out to be.