Anna Li
Government paper
For many of us college students, TV and entertainment is an essential every now
and then. With this year as election year, government humor and problems are out
of the question. As a college student, if I were president, I would make a law just to
have more typical stupid reality shows. Although it is very dumb, but very
entertaining. With hit shows like “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and just a few years
ago, the hit MTV show “Jersey Shore” are most popular for its “ out of the norm”
style type of shows. Its not your average mystery shows or series sitcoms but it
definitely brings you laughter when you watch their shows.
One show that has been going on for seasons after seasons is “Toddlers and
Tiaras”, a show about the excitement and obsession of pageant mothers who love
their daughters and even sometimes sons to compete in pageants. Though the
sound of it may seem boring or just plain lame, the show is disgusting to watch at
first but is catchy and addictive after a few episodes. Like many shows, it’s your
average reality show of the world of toddler beauty pageants. Before as I said, if I
were president I would make a law just to have more typical stupid reality shows; I
still want that, everything but toddlers and tiara. Not just getting rid of the show but
in the real life toddler pageant in general.
Child beauty pageants began in the 1960's. Child beauty pageants consist of
modeling sportswear, evening attire, dance and talent. The children are judged
based on individuality in looks, capability, poise, perfection and confidence.
(Nussbaum, para.1) “Children are the fastest-growing segment of the beauty
pageant market, with annual children's competitions attracting an estimated 3
million children, mostly girls, ages six months to 16 years, who compete for crowns
and cash. Infants, carried onto the stage by their mothers, are commonplace.”
(Schultz, para.2) A child wearing little bikinis with heavy loads of makeup and hairdo that is too mature for them is just wrong. Many would find it disturbing to see a
little girl walking around in almost no clothing. It’s almost like child pornography.
But where is the line drawn? At what point is it child pornography? “TLC released
footage of a 3-year-old contestant dressed as the prostitute played by Julia Roberts
in the 1990 film "Pretty Woman." This stupidity came just one week after TLC -- still
known to many as The Learning Channel -- was forced to pull its Facebook page
because of the deluge of negative comments over an episode that featured a little
girl dressed up to look like Dolly Parton, complete with padded bust and buttocks.”
(Henson, para.2) With the many horror we see, as it is these days, the last things we
want to see is children in this hideousness. Not only that but the fact that they are
completing for their adult mature looks.
Many people would disagree with me but we also have to think about the
children’s livelihood and how they are going to turn out later on in life. Since the
children are starting from a young age, they don’t know what standards and morals
are for an individual. They will never understand what true beauty is and the will
think that having fake hair and eye lashes and wearing make-up will really define
true beauty. “The whole pageant mentality concerns me – especially for very young
children.” (Murphy, para. 11) In one episode of Toddlers and Tiara, one of the moms
had expressed that her daughter has skipped school for competing at beauty
pageants. I understand that to beauty pageant moms that this could be a fun hobby
for mother and daughter bonding time but it shouldn’t be to the point where the
child skips their education and put “hobbies” first. In the end if they win, they get a
trophy, tiara, and of course, prize money.
In the end, nothing good really comes out besides that fact that maybe, just maybe
the child will learn some values of having a hobby and committing to it, but only
because their mother wanted them too. Or they could be doing it for the money to
help out the family, but that’s not right in any way. This is why if I were to have my
own world and create my own rules, I would get rid of child beauty pageants
besides I believe its almost near child pornography and is in a way almost child
abuse. It’s disturbing to watch in a way that you want to help them. Although the
show is entertaining at times, but I would be just as happy if the show and the real
life situation were to never happen in the first place.
Work Cited
Henson, Melissa. "'Toddlers and Tiaras' and Sexualizing 3-year-olds CNN.com." CNN. Cable News Network, 01 Jan. 1970. Web. 04 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/12/opinion/henson-toddlerstiaras/index.html>.
Murphy, Meaghan. "'Toddlers & Tiaras' Mom Could Lose Custody of
Daughter Because She Puts Her in Pageants." Fox News. FOX News
Network, 17 Aug. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/08/17/toddlers-tiaras-momcould-lose-custody-daughter-because-puts-her-in-pageants/>.
Nussbaum, Kareen. "Children and Beauty Pageants." Children and Beauty
Pageants. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2012.
<http://www.minorcon.org/pageants.html>.
Schultz, Kristen. "Beauty Pageants Draw Children and Criticism." ABC
News. ABC News Network, 24 Feb. 2012. Web. 04 Dec. 2012.
<http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=126315>.