Make-up, hair extensions, teased hairstyles, clouds of hairspray, sophisticated costumes, tiaras, trophies, money, and more. Is this the type of environment or lifestyle you would want your child to be raised in? Unfortunately for some children this is a reality. For almost fifty years now children have been forced to behave as young adults rather than the five year olds they actually are. In my opinion beauty pageants are harmful to children.
Beauty pageants create a negative environment for children putting them under pressure and negative self evaluation.Pageants judge only the external aspects of a child rather than their inner beauty and beauty pageants are very time consuming (getting the perfect costume, practicing all day long, and having the child’s hair done. ) The atmosphere of a beauty pageant can be considered negative. The contestant is always judging them self to see if they are the most attractive one there. The judgment they make of their appearance is negative.
These judgments can lead to emotional and physical disorders. According to an article Nicole Hunter Wrote “The Effects of Beauty Pageants”, she was four when she competed in her first pageant.When she did not win she would compare herself to the girl who did win, which lead to poor self- image and low self esteem. When contestants make poor judgments of themselves it can lead to poor self- esteem like Nicole and to eating disorders.
When contestants think they are not thin enough they will force themselves to lose that weight just to win the tiara and money. In a study done by Anna Wonderlich it was discovered that there was an association between childhood beauty participation and increased body dissatisfaction.Also contestants who are now adults still strived to achieve and maintain their thin body figure as a contestant. This can potentially lead to them always worrying and being fixated on their external features. The unnatural world of beauty pageants has affected the natural image of a woman. High glitz beauty pageants require contestants to have no flaws, basically to look perfect.
The natural image of a woman does have flaws. Naturally without makeup women have blemishes and without spray on tans some women’s skin really isn’t that dark.On the other hand in pageant world contestants must look and act unnatural. On a regular basis women do not have smiles from ear to ear, in pageants it is all about the smile. Contestants who are surrounded by the beauty pageant atmosphere are used to the unnatural look.
Someone to them who’s hair isn’t done up, who’s makeup isn’t done, and someone who doesn’t have nice sparkling white teeth may seem weird or strange because they are only used to perfection. Women are naturally beautiful; they don’t need makeup or a fake tan to make themselves look better.Judging of pageants is based on the contestants’ external beauty. They are judged on modeling sportswear, evening attire, dance and talent.
The children are also judged based on individuality, which is based on looks, capability, poise, perfection and confidence, as the judges call it, "the complete package. ” This is mainly the reason why coaches are hired. To perfect the child’s walk, dance routine, smile, poise and answers. When it is time for the interview section of the judging contestants have a rehearsed answer made up by their coach so they have the perfect answer.
Based on the judging criteria the external features of a child must look perfect at the pageant. Perfection in pageants costs a lot of money. Beauty pageants cost a lot of money. To enter a national pageant it can cost anywhere from two hundred to one thousand dollars, this doesn’t include any other costs for their costumes, hair, makeup, coaching, and fake teeth.
After spending all that, a pageant wardrobe costs close to two thousand five hundred dollars. This includes an evening gown, rehearsal clothes, sportswear costume, and dance outfit.Now that the contestant has their costume they need to practice dance routines. So, to practice and create routines pageant mothers and fathers usually hire coaches, the price tag on this is one hundred dollars an hour. The other costs of a beauty pageant include jewellery, fake teeth, spray on tan, and hair extensions just to name a few cost around five hundred dollars.
If the pageants held out of town then there will also be hotel and meal costs. So all together for weeks and weeks of preparation, a one day pageant will cost about four thousand three hundred dollars.In conclusion, beauty pageants are harmful to children physically, mentally, and emotionally. The pageant atmosphere is very negative.
This type of an environment may lead to mental and physical disorders. Judging criteria of beauty pageants is based on the contestants’ external beauty. Having to buy costumes and beauty enhancing products plus enter the pageant costs lots of money. Save your child emotional and physical disorders, keep them away from beauty pageants.
