Beauty Pageants: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

Beauty pageants have gained much attention recently as such shows as “Toddler and Tiaras” and “Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo” have gained popularity. While pageants that judge participants on their beauty have been around since the ancient times, the first Miss America Pageant was held in 1921 in Atlantic City in an effort to make tourists stay past Labor Day (PBS). Since then, the face of pageants has changed, and not for the better. Contestants are becoming younger and younger and the stakes are higher. While some would argue that beauty pageants help build girls’ self-confidence and positive self-image, they are far more damaging to young children. Participants in these types of pageants are more likely to develop body image issues as well as unhealthy ideas about their worth. For these reasons, beauty pageants for young girls should be stopped.

            An article by Andrea Canning on ABCnews.com reports that an “estimated 250,000 children compete in more than 5,000 pageants in the United States each year” (ABC). Upon viewing the website for the Royal International Miss pageant, it can be seen that there are many supporters for children in pageants. Glancing through the photos of these children painted up like dolls was a little disturbing. Perhaps the most fascinating part of the website that I found was their mission statement.

“Empowering young women while giving them the opportunity to grow and develop a positive self-image is the focus of Royal International Miss Pageants. By providing opportunities for young women and girls to cultivate their talents and public speaking abilities, we help facilitate self-confidence” (Royal).

It is clear that the supporters of such pageants are in agreement that these types of competitions among children are healthy and can only have positive outcomes. There is much research, however, that point to the contrary.

            Body image is the way we feel about how we look. For young girls, developing a positive body image can have many benefits. Girls who are happy with the way they look are less likely to have eating disorders, less likely to suffer from depression, and more likely to develop positive and healthy relationships both in their teen and adult lives (Psychology Today). A study done by Costal Caroline University in South Caroline on the correlation between beauty pageants and eating disorders revealed some startling results. Out of 131 female beauty pageant contestants, over 26% had shown signs of an eating disorder. The average age at which these problems began was 16 (NCBI). Depression is also higher for girls who participate in such competitions. When they do not win, they feel as though they are not good enough the way that they are. This brings me to my next topic, damage to the self-worth of these young girls.

            Self-worth is defined as the value we place on ourselves as human beings. Beauty pageants and the messages they convey say that all that is important about us is the way we look. “When it comes to performing, education takes a back seat. The performers bodies are their livelihood and less-than-perfect might lead to unemployment”(PsychologyToday). It is this message that is damaging to our society’s young girls. We should be encouraging young women to expand their minds and better themselves through education. Beauty will fade, but intelligence is something no one can ever take from you. The fact that so much pressure is put on girls to always look their best is a tragedy.

            As the mother of young daughter, it is my hope that one day the attitudes toward women will change. With such an abundance of beauty pageants that claim to offer girls self-confidence and pride; this is where we need to start making the changes. We need to teach young girls and women that their value does not lie in their faces or bodies, but instead in their minds.

Sources:

"Beauty Pageants for Teens, Girls, Toddlers, & Women (State & National). N.p., n.d. Web. 09     Apr. 2013.

Cartwright, Martina M. "Child Beauty Pageants: What Are We Teaching Our Girls?" Web log                               post. Psychology Today. N.p., 12 Aug. 2011. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.

CANNING, ANDREA, and JESSICA HOFFMAN. "On TLC's 'Toddlers & Tiaras,' Little Divas            Make Their Entrance." ABC News. ABC News Network, 21 July 2009. Web. 09 Apr.   2013.

"People & Events: Origins of the Beauty Pageant." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2013.

Thompson, SK. "Result Filters." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National     Library of Medicine, 08 Sept. 2003. Web. 01 Apr. 2013.