Are beauty pageants good for young girls?

Entertainment on TV comes in many forms for people. Movies, TV shows, and explicitly reality shows. As funny and entertaining as a show like TLC Toddlers and Tiaras can be, the show has raised immense controversy for a good reason. Pageant skeptics have expressed horror at an industry accused of exposing young girls to harsh version of reality too early. 

The priming process in pageants has taught these girls that their looks are what matters. The padding, fake hair, faux teeth, and spray tans create tremendous confusion for children, making them wonder why they are not okay without those things.

Instead of raising strong girls to achieve the best in life, parents throw their daughters around dressed like dolls, trying to obtain a sort of perfection that should not exist. 

Dressing these little girls up and parading them on a stage, providing fake eyelashes, fake nails, hair extensions, teeth whitening, eyebrow waxing and grooming, and heavy make-up to enhance the look. While dressing these kids like this, children are stripped from their childhood. 

Although many say these beauty pageants cause a lot of damage to these young girls, some argue they can also create improvement. These pageants can help improve self-esteem and help overcome shyness and stage fright. It can help them gain an understanding that anything is available. While helping these girls learn competitiveness and learn from others and their own mistakes.  

More often than not though these pageants are causing more harm than good to these young girls. The desire to be thin forms eating disorders and reinforces dramatic and unnatural beauty standards. The expectation to perform flawlessly on stage places an enormous amount of pressure on young shoulders.

As seen on Toddlers and Tiaras, tears, tantrums, and fits ensue regularly, and often the adults mock their kids. This longing to be perfect leads to children feeling as though natural beauty will never be enough. 

It is estimated that 250,000 children compete in more than 5,000 pageants in the United States. The number is increasing yearly due to shows like TLC Toddlers & Tiaras, Eden’s World, and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Since the ongoing rise, industries continue to gain billions of dollars from these shows that are not going anywhere anytime soon.

Written by Kimarea Moise | Graphic Designed by Kimarea Moise

Published November 21, 2022 | ePathfinder | Perspectives