Dangers Of Child Beauty Contests
Posted on 11 January 2010 by Stenberg-Tendys W.L. in Society
Questions are once again being raised concerning the photographs and value of child beauty pageant contestants. Are these images art or exploitation? Creep show or something more sinister?
The young faces appear covered with makeup, the hair and hair extensions poufed and shellacked. Some kids sport fake tans, false eyelashes, fake teeth (called ‘flippers,’ masking baby teeth), fake nails and often, fake smiles. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recognize what is for real, as these tiny highly-coached beauty queen show themselves off in extreme poses.
Many people feel unsettled when viewing the photos, shot by Los Angeles-based fashion photographer Susan Anderson and recently published in a book called ‘Hig Glitz: The Extravagant World of Child Beauty Pageants’.
Child Beauty Queens
Viewers are fully aware the photos are of very young girls, yet the eerie effect of all the cosmetics and correctives, tends to create the illusion of child-women far older than their actual age.
Several participants appear to be on the very edge of middle age in appearance. “Freaky,” said a man standing back to examine the photos at the Kopeikin Gallery, Los Angeles opening. “It’s not right.”
As early as 1997 a Ball State University educator, Marcia Summers, was saying, “Allowing six-year-olds to dress up in evening gowns and parade at beauty pageants is sending the wrong message”. Summers said, “Some parents push their youngsters to win in order to gain prestige.”
Children’s beauty pageants have been around since the 1920s. The concern is that putting adult pressures on children, dressed in sophisticated costumes with strict rehearsal schedules and screaming crowds, (mainly mothers), wrecks their childhood and can have long term psychological effects.
“Parents need to look at why they want their children to be in a contest,” Summer said. “Is it because of the need to stroke an ego or because they want what is best for their child.”
Children can range in age from 2 to 10 years old. There are frequent bouts of hysterical crying and outbursts. Everyone has only one goal-to win, though the question is being asked, ‘Whose dream, or fantasy, is being played out?”
According to psychologycorner website, some participants have been victims in murder cases, with many child beauty pageant sites acting as a pedagogical site.
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11 January 2010
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Children (mainly girls age around 2-10 years old) should not participate in beauty contests bcuz it’s dangerous and unfair. If you let them grow up too fast, they gonna b depressed and bitter, saying they wish to be children again but it’s too late. These kids don’t have a normal childhood. Let them be children, not adults! Parents pressuring their daughters to join in beauty paegants just to get money is stupid. They’re hurting them and that’s sort of abuse bcuz their childhood is ruined. Someday they will hate their parents for that. Girls should be playing with their dolls, toy ponies, dollhouses, do non-sexual feminine stuff like dressing up in princess outfits and not wearing make up, play with other children and not focus on their bodies. I feel sorry for these kids. I wish they could play outside and enjoy childhood activities like going to amusement parks, trick or treating. Let them enjoy their childhood and one day they will know what and when to decide for themselves. It’s good to be a kid but it’s tough to be an adult sometimes. It’s hard to let go your childhood. There should be laws that prohibit children participating in beauty contests. Only adults can join in.
Women have lost the true meaning of beauty.
Your own face without make up, is your real beauty. Your passions, your value, your soul, is your real beauty. When you replace the emptiness inside your soul mostly filled up with money and makeup. both fake,
you will become fake. Not beautiful. No one will think you are real anymore.No one will think you have a great personality or a good heart, they will only see the fake mask and never see you, and after a while you won’t be able to see the real you either, and you have become fake. Then,one day, you will look into the mirror and cry and realize you have fallen into the trap of this selfish disgusting money making system that keeps on telling you how horrible you are and how good you should be.And you will realize the worst thing: you have been dead all your life and held yourself back from living without care or hate, or perfection, you could have been you but you decided to be fake. And that is what people will remember you by.
the best beauty queens are coming from south america, i really love latinas ,.-
I dont see anything wrong wit this,my 10yrs old daughter is a queen and she is really helping soo many less privileged children wit her position,she lives a normal life like other kids,play with her dolls and every other thing she’s does before winning the pageant is still the same……i think its all about how the parent handles it.
Could not believe some of the negative effects on these children. Why are these mothers who suppose to love their children doing this horrible thing to them? I really do not understand.