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Beauty contests purpose in society
Beauty pageants controversy
Essays on child beauty pageants
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As the clock steadily ticks down the minutes until show time, the dressing rooms grow chaotic as last minute preparations are performed. Final gusts of hair spray are generously applied to the girls’ hair, and extra bobby pins are securely fastened to their heads to prevent a single hair from falling out of place. While the girls apprehensively await their moments to shine, their stylists and mothers hastily finish applying their makeup and adjusting their glitzy outfits. Aside from a few shed tears, the girls are soon ready to begin. When the announcer calls for the girls to assemble into their performance order, the fluttering of the butterflies in their stomachs intensifies, and their parents offer words of advice such as, “Don’t forget you step, step, turn!” and “Smile big, baby!” After they perform their routines, the girls swiftly run into the warm embrace of their parents because, contrary to typical beauty pageant contestants, these girls are younger than thirteen years old, and a few are too young to even walk on their own. Ever since the 1960’s, beauty pageants have entered the world of children’s activities, thus drawing obvious controversy over the issue (Nussbaum 1). With mutual goals of winning the top honor of Grand Supreme, the young beauties are judged on, “individuality in looks, capability, poise, perfection and confidence. As the judges call it, ‘the complete package’” (Nussbaum 1). Because of these seemingly harsh stipulations, numerous people have developed negative viewpoints about child beauty pageants; however, others believe there are positive aspects found in the competitions. Whenever child beauty pageants are discussed, opposing beliefs are presented, and Elizabeth Day presents he... ... middle of paper ... ...though these solutions may not have completely satisfied both viewpoints, they offer partial reconciliation over a highly disputable topic. If both sides of the issue join together in agreement, the young girls will learn the imperative lesson of working with others to reach a consensus, and this will truly make them more than merely living Barbie dolls. Works Cited Casstevens, David. "More Children Stepping into Beauty Contests, Drawing Controversy." Fort Worth Star-Telegram 17 Oct 2006. n. p. SIRS Researcher. Web. 30 Apr 2011. Day, Elizabeth. “Living Dolls.” The Observer 11 Jul 2010. 34. SIRS Researcher. Web. 30 Apr 2011. Nussbaum, Kareen. “Children and Beauty Pageants.” Web. 3 May 2011. Shamus, Kristen Jordan. "Ugly Truth: TLC Show is an Abomination." Detroit Free Press 24 Jan 2010. J.5. SIRS Researcher. Web. 30 Apr 2011.
In “Toddlers In Tiaras” Skip Hollandsworth purpose is to get readers to understand that pageants are teaching young girls to young women that the sexualization of their looks are their main value, leaving a negative effect on contestants physically. He believes parents are usually the main reason why young girls join the pageants to begin with so, he targets parents as the audience of his essay. To get readers to understand his point of view and to persuade them to agree with him he displays evidences from reliable sources using ethos, pathos and logos throughout the article.
Children beauty pageants encourage young girl’s to wear make-up, dress in fancy, expensive clothes, and prove to the judges they have what it takes to beat the other contestants. Jessica Bennett states in Tales of a Modern Diva “But this, my friends, is the new normal: a generation that primps and dyes and pulls and shapes, younger and with more vigor. Girls today are salon vets before they enter elementa...
Michelle Healy's "Could child beauty pageants be banned in the USA?"(Article A) appears in the USA Today on September 25, 2013. This article gives a response to the issue of France's proposal to ban beauty pageants. “Instead of following France’s proposal to ban child beauty pageants, researchers in the USA say safety regulations and education about how the competitions affect children are needed.” Healy uses persuasive techniques such as logos, pathos and ethos to convince people that it’s the parents’ responsibility to take responsibility on how they betray their daughters. The article also shows both sides of the disagreement therefore convincing other people even more since it shows that there are many reasons to agree or disagree with beauty pageants for children under the age of seventeen.
Many mothers who allow their children to participate in beauty pageants would argue that performing in the pageants isn’t as stressful and serious as the television shows portray them. In fact, “the pageant industry promotes this idea by advertising pageants as family affairs that are great for a child’s self-esteem and poise” (Wolfe 445). Also, in an article written by Lise Hilbodt-Stolley, a mother of a pageant princess stated “that while pageants may be ‘politically incorrect’ they are drug, alcohol and gang free” (3). However, many parents push their children to win because they are either greedy for the money and fame that accompanies a win, or are living through their young children because of their own feelings of inadequacy. These same parents who are blinded by the possibility of their baby...
It is 6:00 a.m. on Friday morning, and Sharon is about to awaken her eighteen month old baby, Jessica, to prepare her for a long weekend of make-up, hairspray, and gowns. Jessica is one of the thousands of babies forced into the many children's beauty pageants each year. Sharon is among the many over-demanding parents who pressure their young and innocent children into beauty pageants each year and this is wrong.
"How Do Child Beauty Pageants Affect a Child's Development?" Everyday Life. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014
" In the end, children’s beauty pageants are essentially harmful to both young girls safety and minds. It may not happen to some, but most of the young girls that compete in beauty pageants seem to have a bit of an attitude towards their parents and other people who will not cooperate with them.... ... middle of paper ... ...
These little girls prance on stage in expensive swimsuits and are expected to have adult like bodies at such a young age, when baby fat is still a factor! In Psychology Today, Martina Cartwright explains that before presenting the young female on stage, that the parents carved visible abdominal muscles into the girls' stomach with a bronzing spray. The problem is with such demands like this, which the root of body image issues begins. Although, pageants for young children have bad effects, and cause body image issue, beauty contests for young adult women provide confidence and promote healthy living for the contestants!
Issues regarding the purpose of beauty pageants alarm women since majority of the beauty pageants are for them. Let us look at the good side of beauty pageants. First, allows the use...
Many young girls are forced to wear preposterous outfits and enormous amounts of makeup that deny them of their innocence at a young age. Beauty contests are meant more for adult women who are mature enough to understand all that’s going on and can handle losing competitions to the other contestants. Children should not be able to compete in pageants because of the harmful effects on self-confidence and character. Some people think they are good and some do not agree that they are good. (Leo, 2014)
Look out for Miss West Inverness All young people should be in a pageant because it gives a great sense of accomplishment. It also boosts self-esteem and great rewards will be given. Everyone in pageants has a memorable time whether they win or lose. The opportunity to be in pageants brings about new friends and experience. Being in a pageant taught me to step out of my comfort zone and face my fears.
Cromie, William J. “The Whys and Woes of Beauty Pageants.” News.harvard.edu. 2000-2014. Web. 30 Apr. 2014.
Today there are many new extracurricular activities that occupy a lot of young Americans minds. One trending activity is beauty pageants. It is more common in children where the ages may vary between eight months and even older. The trending debate is whether or not beauty contest serve any purpose in society. While many Americans feel as though pageants are helpful to a child’s self esteem, many feel that the effects of the contest have a very harsh effect on child development by devaluing a child. Researchers have found that beauty contests are effective for women to help make platforms for their careers and also create new jobs for women to create like mentoring children.
" Money, ratings and attention fuel the pageant/dance media machine, with parents and adults reaping the benefits. Purpose of Child Beauty Pageants For these young pageant girls, brains before beauty is not the case. Real-world priorities such as schooling, family, and friends are trumped by tiaras, makeup, and evening gowns. More value is often placed on being beautiful in the eyes of the judges, than on each girl’s individuality.
In an interview with TODAY, Allie Richardson, A seven-year-old pageant contestant from Lexington, South Carolina, speaks fondly of pageants, “I like doing the pageants because they’re fun and I like making new friends.” She says, “Sometimes I get to be in other pageants with my friends. And when my friends win, then I’m really happy for them. I like winning, too, but winning isn’t everything.” Allie’s mother, Joy Richardson, is supportive of her daughter’s decision to participate in these pageants, but makes it clear that she does not push her stating, “If she says she’s done, then we’ll be done.