Eriza Mukatora
Eng1010
Steve Hall
11/6/13
The Beauty Pageant Question
Do beauty pageants have a purpose in our society today? Controversy often
surrounds both adult and children pageants. Many people feel that pageants unfairly
exploit women. They send the message that a woman’s primary value lies in her outward
appearance. It is the same in children’s pageants that mostly involve little girls. Some
psychologists believe these pageants can damage a child’s self image and self worth. Are
there any benefits for girls who participate? Right now there’s a popular reality show on
television called Toddlers in Tiaras. I feel that a lot of problems can develop when small
children are taught to dress up and mimic adults. I also think that the adult pageants are
offensive because they focus mostly on beauty rather than inner qualities. I chose this
topic because of a personal interest in it. As a woman, I want to have society value my
contributions, not just my personal appearance. The sources are primarily focused on
child beauty pageants since this is where most of the current controversy seems to be
focused.
Annotations
Cromie, William J. “The Whys and Woes of Beauty Pageants.” Harvard Gazette
Archives, 8 June 2000. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.
Cromie, a Gazette staff writer, tells about the experiences of another Harvard
student named Hilary Levey. Levey participated in the Harvard College Research
program and did a study on child beauty pageants. She watched small children in
sequined gowns and heavy makeup prance around the stage. She tried to make an
objective study of the experience and see both positive and negative aspects. She
discovered that pageants cost a lot of money and involve children in a great deal
of competition with each other.
The tone of the article is wry and often humorous. One example was given of a
crying two-year-old girl who was pulled off the stage with mascara running down
her face. Her mother grabbed some cheerios for her, and the crying stopped.
Although the staff writer was probably not qualified to make sound judgments
about the negative social impacts of pageants, the psychology student he quoted
probably had some educational background in studying children. The article
didn’t only cite the problems of pageants but also some possible benefits as well.
The author seemed to be using both logical and ethical appeals.
This source did make me aware of some possible benefits from a pageant. Before
I read it, I only had negative views. Some of the benefits listed were very similar
to those listed in my other sources. I felt there was some bias involved because
pageant parents supplied most of the benefits.
Harris, Scott. “A Judgment Call on Children’s Beauty Pageants.” Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 1997. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.
Harris’ article gives both pros and cons on children’s beauty pageants. Scott
interviewed Maria Sprague, a proprietor of a pageant company called California’s
Cutest Kids. Harris questions Ms. Sprague on some of the pageant’s practices.
He lets the reader know that he doesn’t find all of the answers satisfactory. Mr.
Harris follows one child, 5-year old Tiffany, through three days of a state-wide
pageant He finds her family decent and loving, but he is still troubled by some
aspects of the pageant such as the swimsuit competition. According to the author,
“Beauty may only be skin-deep but certainly the media takes note.”
Mr. Harris seems to be a competent journalist and has good observations about
the pageant process. His opinions, though, should be considered as a layperson.
He doesn’t really have the authority to make psychological or social judgments,
but his questions definitely bring an emotional appeal to other parents with young
children.
It was interesting to find out that Ms. Sprague was adding a new rule for her
pageant. She said that no makeup would be allowed for girls under the age of 13. I
thought this was wise idea. I think a lot of people feel that little girls are exploited
because of the makeup and clothing they use in these competitions.
Healy, Michelle. “Could Child Beauty Pageants Be Banned in the U.S.?” USA Today.
USA Today, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 28 Oct 2013.
Ms. Healy reports that legislators in France have decided to ban beauty pageants
because they “promote the hyper-sexualization of minors.” This measure has
already been passed by the French Senate. If the law is passed by the lower house,
people who sponsor these competitions for anyone under 16 could face fines or
jail time. The author quotes sociologist Hilary Friedman who believes that the
right to make these decisions should not be determined by the government;
parents should make their own decisions about their children.
The author did not express many personal opinions on the issue. She used logical
appeals by stating facts and including quotes from authorities such as sociologists,
mental health professionals, and a task force of the American Psychological
Association. Her research makes the article seems credible and reasonable. Most
of these professionals cited harmful effects to young girls as a result of these
competitions.
I found articles very informative. I felt shocked to read about some of the
behavior of pageant parents. According to the article, some pageant parents give
their kids caffeinated beverages and candy to keep their energy level up during
pageants and deny them naps or breaks. I agree that these same parents seem to
encourage the sexualization of their children.
Morgan, Mandy. “Toddles and Tears: A Positive Look at Child Beauty Pageants”
Deseret News. Deseret News, 17 Nov. 2012. Web. 28 Oct. 2013
This article gives experiences of a child beauty pageant contestant, Ashley Berry.
Ashley competed in a pageant as a 5-year old. She began entering pageants again
at age 10. She is now a nationally recognized anti-bullying advocate on a BYOU
radio show. Her mother believes her pageants were a positive experience that
made her a better person and helped her receive scholarship money.
The author uses emotional appeals to convince us that participation in a pageant
can bring positive results to the lives of those children who participate. She does
qualify her opinion by saying that children should not be forced to participate
because of parent pressure or participate in pageants when they are too young to
understand. She encourages children under 13 to participate in natural pageants
(without makeup) that focus on talent and service aspects.
I felt that the experiences shared by Ashley Berry were believable. Her mother
seemed to be concerned about the emotional well-being of her daughter. She had
originally let Ashley compete when she was 5, but she made the decision
afterwards to have Ashley wait till she was 10 to continue. The article showed
that some competitions are not like the sensationalized pageants we see on
television. Children who participate can improve poise and self-confidence.
Nauert, Robert. “Child Beauty Pageants May Be About the Parents.” Psych Central
News.com, 29 Oct. 2013. Web. 28 Oct. 2013.
Nauert, a senior news editor, tells about a new paper published in the Journal of
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The author of this
paper is Martina Cartwright, a registered dietician and university professor. She
observed two live tapings of “Toddlers and Tiaras” and then summarized her
experiences in the paper. She felt that in many cases, the pageant parents were
exploiting their children to achieve their own chance for fame or success.
This article was straightforward and presented in a scholarly manner. The author’s
quotes from Dr. Cartwright were logical and reasonable. Dr. Cartwright observed
two of the pageants first hand at live tapings of the program.
I agree with Dr. Cartwright’s observations that the emphasis on physical
perfection in these pageants may put young girls at risk for adult body
dissatisfaction and potential eating disorders. I also believe that parents need to
be aware of their children’s limitations and not press them beyond that because it
can be very damaging to their self-esteem and physical health.
In conclusion, I have learned some pros and cons about child beauty pageants
through my research. Children need to be asked if they want to participate. They can
think on their own and should never be forced to do something they don’t want to do. If
a child is too young to understand what is happening, she is probably too young to
participate. Some pageant parents may give this rebuttal, “They will appreciate it when
they are older.” Well, I am pretty sure they will not appreciate parents who have ignored
and neglected their feelings or the baggage of issues they may carry for a lifetime.