September 6, 2012

  • ALLOW ME TO RANT

    Lately one of the Danish channels has been running a series from the U.S. that I find shocking and sickening. I admit I haven't watched one whole show. The ads are bad enough. The program I am speaking of is about little girls competing in beauty pageants. Since this is my blog.... AHEM.... you are going to be getting my opinion!  If you are in favor of chldren's beauty pageants, maybe you better stop reading.

    WHAT are these moms even THINKING?  These are little kids  barely out of diapers! Four to eight year old girls who should be climbing trees, painting nice, messy pictures and playing with their dolls --- and here they are dressed in slinky little outfits, full make up (complete with spray tans!) mincing across the stage looking provocative. (I am pretty sure that was a run on sentence, but I don't care!)

    Please don't tell me that stuff like this "builds character." PULL-LEEEZE! I think, instead it is teaching little girls that their worth is determined by how they look. Basically, they are competing to see who is prettiest. If you don't win, it's because you were not pretty enough. Maybe the pageant uses words like "talent" and "poise" but these are children. They should not have to be thinking of stuff like that. These pageants are so much pressure, and the emphasis is on all the wrong things! I even read of one pageant mom who gave her 8 year old daughter BOTOX injections! Should an 8 year old child have to worry about wrinkles? Something is very wrong here.

    Competing in these pageants doesn't come cheap either. Just one dress can cost up to $3,000. In articles I read, one family said it has spent $70,000 on beauty essentials, such as spray tans, fake hair and photos. It's estimated that 250,000 children compete in more than 5,000 pageants in the United States each year. (I Googled it!) Poor kids.

    Family therapist Terry Real warns that pageants can cost families a lot more than money. He says these young children can become victims of "Performance Based Esteem" which means, they think they have worth because of what they can do or because of their beauty. This is such an unhealthy way to think of yourself!  We should be teaching our kids that they have worth because of who they are, period," Real said. "I think these kinds of contests are very confusing." No kidding.

    Child abuse is defined as exploitation of a child. Do you think maybe children are being exploited here? I see problems ahead for these little girls who are so fixated on their looks.

    Oh, I know somebody is probably going to tell me that I am only reporting the abuses of child pageants. Many little girls just love competing and it is a wonderful and positive experience for them. Sorry, I just can't see it. I feel sorry for these kids. You would make them real happy and save money if you just bought them a pony!

    Thank you. Thus endeth my rant.

Comments (21)

  • I totally agree!!! I think most of the time it's the mother's living vicariously through these little girls, it's sick and wrong!

  • it tells you more about the parents then the kids. I find it enduring when I see a mother who is really a good solid parent-if you watch the show you will see a few really good mom's who are good examples to other mom's and who are wonderful mothers. They are few and far between but it's so wonderful when you do see a special mom.

    Too bad that they don't show more of those moms!

  • I completely agree with you...these things are sick, sick, sick!  I can't imagining subjecting a small child to constant beauty rituals and having their self-esteem built only on what they look like, rather than who they ARE and what they can DO.  Girls need to be empowered that they can do anything!  "Looks" are great to have, but not all important, and certainly not worth all that fuss.

  • I also think that adult beauty pagents send the wrong message. I agree with you.

  • It's abuse plain and simple when it goes to the level it goes to on that show.  Yeah, there are a few pageants out there that are more talent show and focus less on the absurd, but they are few and far between and the prize is usally a coupon for Dairy Queen at best. 

    I refuse to watch those shows.  I have thought about finding them and protesting.  My daughter, 8,  watched a bit with me one day.  I looked at her and said "if I ever force you to do anything like that, you have permission to run me over with the car."  Her reply?  "I wouldn't ask for permission to run you over if you did that to me."  Those girls do not enjoy it.  They are brainwashed into thinking they enjoy it.  Makes me sick.  They can force 4 year olds into those abusive pageants, yet my 14 year old isn't allowed to get a job to save for a car because of "child labor laws."

  • I agree too.  Having said that, I do have to admit my mother put me in a baby contest once.  I won 93% in the beauty part, and, and 100% in the health part for the 1 - 2 year olds.  I still have the picture and the awards.

    I'm sure I got so high in the health part because I was such a chubby baby, and in 1940 fat babies were considered healthy.  The beauty part was probably because of my dark brown eyes, and dark brown curly hair.

  • I had a friend who took her daughter to participate in these pageants.  She had competed in the Miss Junior America (or whatever it was called) when she was in HS, but came in 3rd.  It was obvious she was "trying it again" through her own daughter.

  • This has always been a uniquely American thing, I don't know of any other country where these events take place. I thought it all fell into disrepute after the murder of JonBenĂ©t Ramsey. (See Wikipedia article if you are not familiar with this case).

  • Ah, American television. Half the time I'm horrofied to think that some TV exec thinks this is what the viewing public wants. And the rest of the time I'm horrified to think they may actually be right.

  • I agree with you all the way!

  • Amen Sister!  I feel about the same way about reality shows too - give me a good dose of jeopardy any day.

  • I couldn't agree more! Having a six year old daughter..I feel so sad for these little girls.
     I don't know if it qualifies as child abuse but it is certainly a far cry from a  healthy childhood. Most of those moms look
    like they should be in counseling themselves. Horrible show and horrible way to raise young girls.

  • Kids should be kids and be outside on fresh air and play and jump and skip rope and stuff. 

  • I'm in total agreement with you!  When our daughter was in grade school we received a letter asking us to enter her in a local beauty pagent (I can't remember what it was for) but I sent a letter back telling them that in my eyes she was the most beautiful girl and we wouldn't enter her only to have her be disappointed when she wasn't chosen and feel like she was less than the others!  They had the contest that year but I'm not sure it was ever held after that -- hopefully many other mothers felt like I did!!!  All little girls are beautiful!!!!!

  • PS -- you can rant all you want!!!  Someone's got to stand up for things that are pure and right!!!!

  • I so agree with you! I haven't watched the show and don't intend to.

  • I"m in agreement with you also.  It's really a shame!

  • I'm glad I am not the only one to find the whole concept horrifying. I couldn't believe it was a real, actual show - and that people could stand to watch it!

  • I@myhopeisinjesus -   Love your response!

    I agree with you, too.  I saw one clip where the mom was bribing her daughter terribly!  In a culture that is so self-focused this is just another slippery slope down into that lifestyle.

  • I have not watched the show. I do not approve. It is just so wrong.

  • Totally agree! I've thought it should be counted as child abuse many times.

Comments are closed.

Post a Comment