Child Beauty Pageants Robbing Little Girls’ Innocence Essay

Child Beauty Pageants: Robbing Little Girls’ Innocence There are over 5,000 child beauty pageants held annually across the United States with girls as young as two-years-old competing in them. Little girls strut across the stage with make-up painted on their tanned faces, hair teased into big and luscious curls, fake teeth, and a raunchy dance to complement it. There’s no doubt that the very young girls do not resemble their age when they are on stage and performing; they’re transformed into â€Å"sultry, Lolita-like waifs† (Giroux 270). Millions tune in and watch shows exploiting the children such as â€Å"Toddlers and Tiaras† and â€Å"Little Miss Perfect† where we see the little girls strive to be the best and prettiest. Parents should not enter†¦show more content†¦The little girls are raised with the misconception that they can rely on their beauty to help them achieve success in life, and that â€Å"the ‘art’ of being a woman is embodied in how she looks† (Paperalla, paragraph 5). With the obsession to look perfect and beautiful, the girls wear make-up, hair extensions, fake nails, and fake teeth, some girls grew up â€Å"see[ing] themselves as not good enough without improvements† (Child Beauty Pageants, paragraph 22). A study conducted in 2005 examined a small, controlled group of young women who participated in pageants at a very young age to all have reported â€Å"greater dissatisfaction with their self-image, decreased impulse controls, increased instances of eating disorders and overall trust issues† (Dela Cruz, paragraph 10). This is evidence that child beauty pageants do not promote confidence in one’s self when they’re being judged on how perfect their appearance are. Child beauty pageants have been rightly criticized to be â€Å"grotesque and nearly pornographic† (Child Beauty Pageants, paragraph 18). While little girls their age usually don’t make-up, hair extensions, or fake teeth, the mini beauty queens are and it causes them to appear much more mature and older than their age; this encourages premature sexuality. The little girls wear provocative clothing, perform raunchy dance routines, and make flirty moves towards the judges and crowd such as seductively blowing air kisses. Six-year-oldShow MoreRelatedThe Ugly Truth Behind Child Beauty Pageants. Why Is That1310 Words   |  6 Pages The Ugly Truth Behind Child Beauty Pageants Why is that we are told everyone is beautiful in their own way yet society pressures us woman to be prettier than the next. Women are taught as little girls that being beautiful is important but there is more to life than being beautiful. I believe parents should not let their daughters compete in beauty pageants because it sexualizes young girls, affects child development and discourages self worth. Is exploiting your child really worth some cash, aRead MoreBeauty Pageants Can Take An Emotional Toll On Children And Teenagers1811 Words   |  8 PagesIn the world of beauty pageants, many people find themselves entrapped in the expensiveness of the gown, the extravagance of the hairstyle, and how attractive the woman sporting all of this truly is. However, when entered into this arena at a young age, one where you are not fully developed and deep in adolescence, this presents a problem not all are aware of. Many people don’t understand the emotional stress that almost everyon e that participates in pageants goes through. Women face various issuesRead MoreBeauty Pageants Can Take An Emotional Toll On Children And Teenagers1811 Words   |  8 PagesIn the world of beauty pageants many people find themselves entrapped in the expensiveness of the gown, the extravagance of the hairstyle, and how attractive the woman sporting all of this truly is. However, when entered into this arena at a young age, one where you are not fully developed and deep in adolescence, this presents a problem not all are aware of. Many people don’t understand the emotional stress that almost everyone that participates in pageants goes through. Women face various issues