# Does it make anyone else mad to see these 6 yr old girls in beauty pageants wearing swimsuits



## Owachi (Jan 15, 2007)

Ok, I was up last night with my sick dd and was channel surfing and was watching a show on little beauty queens. The kids started at like age 3 or 4. I think it is wrong of the parents in general to do this to their kids, especially when half the kids on the show say they don't want to be there, and want to go home. They had a lady spraying a tan on her 6 yr old daugher, and said its great for the swimsuit competition. They also had fake teeth for the girls when they start to lose theirs. I turned it off when it got to the swimsuit competition. Why on earth would they have a competition for 6 yrs olds? 6 yr olds should not be worrying about what they look like in a bikini. And the only people I can think of who would want to watch it are pedaphiles. I just want to slap the parents, just because they could never be a beauty queen doesn't mean they need to make their child be one. I would never put my 6 yr old in a bikini and have her do the runway walk in public or on television. Are these parents going to be shocked when their daughter gets raped or kidnapped by age 12? Ahhhhhh, it made me so mad I went to bed angry........does anyone else think this is wrong. If the child really really wants to be in these pageants it is one thing, but it looks a lot like the parents are the ones pushing it.


----------



## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

I'm not a fan of any type of pageantry/modelling for young children.

I know not all "stage moms" are necessarily this way, but I used to have neighbors who had a 4yo daughter with scoliosis who was supposed to wear a brace for 23 hours a day (only taking it off to bathe). Her mother would constantly shuttle her to cattle calls for modelling jobs, and when the girl would land a job she'd be out of her brace for up to 6 hours at a time during the shoot. The mom never expressed distress about this fact -- you could just see the dollar signs in her eyes when she'd tell us about her daughter's new gig.


----------



## angie7 (Apr 23, 2007)

Yep, irritates me to NO end...I just dont get it.


----------



## Petersmamma (Mar 28, 2006)

I SO don't get kiddo beauty pageants, anyway (although scholarships and such are a good thing!), but putting little girls in swimsuits and having them parade around? Craziness!

Maybe we need more "Little Miss Sunshine"'s out there!


----------



## mirthfulmum (Mar 3, 2003)

Those child pageants simultaneously fascinate and sicken me. I can not understand why a person would exploit their own children and set them on a path of narcissism, inadequacy and such deep unhappiness. And at the same time I am truly fascinated by them. The way they operate in the world is so far removed from how I choose to live and raise my family I wonder about how the stage moms got to that place in their lives.

But a swim suit competition!?!? That's going too far!


----------



## Demeter9 (Nov 14, 2006)

The whole thing grosses me out.


----------



## Imogen (Jul 25, 2006)

I saw a show about one of these pageants a couple of months ago, I sat there horrified and fascinated at the same time. I felt a *lot* of disgust at the parents for allowing their children to be portrayed as sexual objects. It's not something which I can understand.

The same show was on a couple of nights later, Ste came into the room and I told him to watch for a couple of minutes. He sat and watched and then went absolutely nuts about the show. He was even more disgusted than I was.

No, we cannot comprehend it.

Peace


----------



## Arielle (Jan 23, 2008)

I dont understant parent exploiting their innocent and fragile children like that.


----------



## kblackstone444 (Jun 17, 2007)

My little girl wants so bad to be in beauty pageants. (And in commercials. And on tv.) Luckily, her Mother can't transport her all over the country for beauty pageants and even if my Hubby and I were able to, we would not be willing to, because of the swim suit issues and because of the whole "you have to have your hair done perfect, you have to have your makeup done perfect, you have to dress like a little... woman" attitude about beauty pageants. Why would anyone want to teach their little girl that the prettier you are, the more you "win"? Why would anyone even care hoe a *CHILD* looks in a swimsuit, for that matter? My little girl has some really cute suit suits, but no way would I dress her in it and parade her around in front of God knows how many strangers and possible pedifiles! uke


----------



## prettypixels (Apr 13, 2006)

Harley, maybe community theater kinds of things would be a better option for your little one, if she really wants to....

I think these pageants are so disgusting. Come on... how many women put their hair in curlers every day and spray it with three pounds of hair spray and cake on the make up until their face cracks? It's hardly what being a woman is about.







: And the swimsuit competition... don't even get me started. Apparently no one learned anything from poor little JonBenet.


----------



## kblackstone444 (Jun 17, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *prettypixels* 
Harley, maybe community theater kinds of things would be a better option for your little one, if she really wants to...

We're currently looking into it.









Quote:


Originally Posted by *prettypixels* 
Apparently no one learned anything from poor little JonBenet.

My first thought on reading this thread.


----------



## mtiger (Sep 10, 2006)

Be aware that community theater is a HUGE time commitment. And no, the kids don't get cut any slack on the hours.


----------



## becoming (Apr 11, 2003)

This kind of thing makes me sick. And I have an insider's view.

I stupidly entered my DD in three little community beauty pageants when she was a tiny baby. I did pageants when I was little (small, fun pageants in our hometown), and I just thought it would be something fun for she & I to do together. The first two we did were sweet and fun, everyone won something, very non-competitive, etc.

The third one we did was called a Candyland pageant, and I had been told that it was a very natural, relaxed pageant. We got there, and it was like something you'd see on one of those documentaries. There were girls there with SUITCASES full of makeup and hair products and $2,000 dresses. Two of the girls in my DD's age division (0-2) were wearing hair extensions! Against my better judgment, I decided to stay since we had already paid a $60 entry fee. My DD won her division wearing a $15 Wal-Mart dress, no makeup, no hair accessories or anything. Those mamas were ready to throw me down, I could see it in their eyes.

Anyway, when we got up on stage for the "overall" competition (DD was "nominated" for overall best smile), there was a mama & her 2-year-old next to us on stage, and she was whispering to her DD in a very mean voice, "Shake your butt, Haley! Shake your booty RIGHT NOW." I wanted to RUN from that stage.

I have never even considered doing another pageant since that day, and I am horrified that I ever thought it was okay to do them in the first place. *shudder*


----------



## gargirl (Dec 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *becoming* 
Anyway, when we got up on stage for the "overall" competition (DD was "nominated" for overall best smile), there was a mama & her 2-year-old next to us on stage, and she was whispering to her DD in a very mean voice, "Shake your butt, Haley! Shake your booty RIGHT NOW." I wanted to RUN from that stage.

I have never even considered doing another pageant since that day, and I am horrified that I ever thought it was okay to do them in the first place. *shudder*









I am so disgusted with that mom.... how could she say that to her sweet baby girl??????


----------



## happyhippiemama (Apr 1, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Owachi* 
Are these parents going to be shocked when their daughter gets raped or kidnapped by age 12?

I agree with everything you wrote in the OP, except the above statement.

Kidnapped, perhaps, since they're being paraded in front of strangers. And I guess that perhaps rape sometimes is part and parcel of kidnapping..... but this whole thing is a stretch.

And as far as rape on its own? I strongly doubt that being in a beauty pageant makes you any more or less likely to be a survivor of rape than the 1 out of 3 women that are sexually assualted over the course of their lifetime anyway.









I don't care for the cause and effect tone of the above statement, as if anything that the parents or the child does is somehow at fault for a rape that may occur in the future. That's like saying that girls who wear short skirts are asking for it.









JMPOV.


----------



## Sionainne (Jan 23, 2008)

I have a theory about why people are disturbed by seeing little girls wearing makeup. Sometime ago, I read that the whole effect of facial makeup on a woman is to mimic the appearance of a woman having an orgasm: flushed face and blood-swollen lips, dilated eyes. This "look" on any Cosmo magazine cover is what western society has grown to value as beauty. It seemed to corroborate what I know, separately about ,makeup and sex.

My theory is that the connotations of this "look" is ingrained in everyone. So when 98% of people see a small girl painted in this manner, it inherently feels wrong and is mentally disturbing to acknowledge. So this is why I don't admire child beauty pageants.

Anyone with knowledge of feminist theory chime in? (I could extend my theory onto why bikinis on little girls is wrong too. Bikinis are supposed to show off big boobs and wide hips -- coming of age hallmarks of birthing ability and fertility.)


----------



## kblackstone444 (Jun 17, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mtiger* 
Be aware that community theater is a HUGE time commitment. And no, the kids don't get cut any slack on the hours.

Oh. Not good. My stepdaughter is only with us 30% of the time and we couldn't count on her Mother supporting her in an extra curricular activity the rest of the time. I'll still look into it, but I guess I shouldn't let her get her hopes up too much.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *becoming* 
Anyway, when we got up on stage for the "overall" competition (DD was "nominated" for overall best smile), there was a mama & her 2-year-old next to us on stage, and she was whispering to her DD in a very mean voice, "Shake your butt, Haley! Shake your booty RIGHT NOW." I wanted to RUN from that stage.

I think I'm gonna be sick. uke


----------



## kblackstone444 (Jun 17, 2007)

Living Dolls: Part One

Living Dolls: Part Two

Living Dolls: Part Three

Living Dolls: Part Four

Living Dolls: Part Five

Living Dolls: Part Six

Living Dolls: Part Seven

Living Dolls: Part Eight


----------



## crazydiamond (May 31, 2005)

I saw that HBO documentary a couple of years ago. Very sad







Unfortunately, it was the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread. . .it's stuck with me that long.


----------



## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

Some of the men in the documentary posted were really creeping me out. Like the father and the guy who was singing to the girls. The mothers were just plain scary, they all looked like they were living out their dreams through their kids. I say this as nicely as I can, but none of them look like they would ever be up on that podium (and hey, I'm pretty dowdy myself, but I'm not pageanting).

And lastly, good gravy, does that documentary ever take me back, it felt like being at a dog show again, except in many cases, we were a lot nicer to the dogs. If we had a tired puppy, we would not yell at it to wake up, we'd let the dog sleep unless they were actually in the ring-which only usually lasts for a few minutes, unless you have an exceptional dog.


----------



## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Joyster* 
Some of the men in the documentary posted were really creeping me out. Like the father and the guy who was singing to the girls.

It's been a while since I saw that documentary (and I don't have time to click on the links just now) -- is it the one where the moms coach their daughters to "flirt" with the singing guy when he leans down toward them?


----------



## theatermom (Jun 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mtiger* 
Be aware that community theater is a HUGE time commitment. And no, the kids don't get cut any slack on the hours.

It totally depends on the production, the part, the director, and the particular theater community. It can be a huge commitment, but there are usually many opportunities for smaller parts, or smaller shows with shorter runs. Even as an adult theater professional, I've taken part in productions that had two or three rehearsals, and one or two performances. I've also acted in many, many shows with children, and the vast majority of the directors were very considerate of the time factor where children were concerned.

You might also check out some theater or storytelling classes (sometimes you can find one session workshops, too). If you live near a university with a film school or telecom department, the students there are often in need of actors to make short films/commercials for their classes.

On the subject of beauty pageants, I think it's a convention from the past that has yet to die. Talent contests would be okay, and even contests concerning poise and dressing nicely. Anything else offends me at best, and usually disgusts me. Sometimes I'm glad that I won't have to deal with *this* particular issue.


----------



## Joyster (Oct 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *limabean* 
It's been a while since I saw that documentary (and I don't have time to click on the links just now) -- is it the one where the moms coach their daughters to "flirt" with the singing guy when he leans down toward them?









It wasn't the mom, it was the partner of the father of one of the little girls, who is also a "coach". Still, creepy, the kid is all of 8 if she's a day.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Petersmamma* 
Maybe we need more "Little Miss Sunshine"'s out there!









That was my first thought, too. When we saw "Little Miss Sunshine", dh commented that he couldn't understand why parents who wanted to dress their kids up like that and parade them around in swimsuits would be bothered by a girl dancing a burlesque, yk?

I have trouble with beauty pageants, in general - the ones with little girls make me sick to my stomach.


----------



## maplesugar (May 24, 2005)

Wow.

That documentary was so sad! So sad. I cant believe someone would do that to their child.

I was also thinking of Little Miss Sunshine as I watched it!


----------



## Starflower (Sep 25, 2004)

I also find these pageants (all ages really, but especially the kids' ones) to be very disturbing. Eeew!!


----------



## jorismom (May 21, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *harleyhalfmoon* 
Living Dolls: Part One

Living Dolls: Part Two

Living Dolls: Part Three

Living Dolls: Part Four

Living Dolls: Part Five

Living Dolls: Part Six

Living Dolls: Part Seven

Living Dolls: Part Eight

























I've only watched the first link, I'm thinking I should stop now. I don't think I can handle it. What a mean mom.


----------



## Imogen (Jul 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *becoming* 
This kind of thing makes me sick. And I have an insider's view.

I stupidly entered my DD in three little community beauty pageants when she was a tiny baby. I did pageants when I was little (small, fun pageants in our hometown), and I just thought it would be something fun for she & I to do together. The first two we did were sweet and fun, everyone won something, very non-competitive, etc.

The third one we did was called a Candyland pageant, and I had been told that it was a very natural, relaxed pageant. We got there, and it was like something you'd see on one of those documentaries. There were girls there with SUITCASES full of makeup and hair products and $2,000 dresses. Two of the girls in my DD's age division (0-2) were wearing hair extensions! Against my better judgment, I decided to stay since we had already paid a $60 entry fee. My DD won her division wearing a $15 Wal-Mart dress, no makeup, no hair accessories or anything. Those mamas were ready to throw me down, I could see it in their eyes.

Anyway, when we got up on stage for the "overall" competition (DD was "nominated" for overall best smile), there was a mama & her 2-year-old next to us on stage, and she was whispering to her DD in a very mean voice, "Shake your butt, Haley! Shake your booty RIGHT NOW." I wanted to RUN from that stage.

I have never even considered doing another pageant since that day, and I am horrified that I ever thought it was okay to do them in the first place. *shudder*

Good grief... that's so disturbing







: Telling a 2 yr old child to shake her butt.


----------



## limabean (Aug 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
That was my first thought, too. When we saw "Little Miss Sunshine", dh commented that he couldn't understand why parents who wanted to dress their kids up like that and parade them around in swimsuits would be bothered by a girl dancing a burlesque, yk?

Exactly. I happened upon an episode of that Paris Hilton & Nicole Richie reality show last year, and they were at a camp, teaching a bunch of little beauty pageant contestants random stuff. Well, Nicole taught them how to flip the bird, and of course their mothers were horrified. I thought it was inappropriate too, but Nicole's comeback was kind of awesome -- she said something like, "Oh, sorry -- I thought that since you treat them like little grown-ups, you wouldn't mind..." in this ditzy yet somehow wise way. It totally reminded me of the whole Little Miss Sunshine concept.


----------



## NiteNicole (May 19, 2003)

Quote:

"Oh, sorry -- I thought that since you treat them like little grown-ups, you wouldn't mind..."
Sometimes Nicole Richie rocks.

I am not a pagent person. I did a few when I was young (like, 8, 9, 10) and if you watch the tapes you can clearly see I had no idea what was going on. I just kind of wandered around the stage in my flouncy dress, waving to people I knew. Occasionall talking to myself. Perhaps picking something from my teeth... I did not win.

My mom and her sister were both pagent queens, but they were competitive in high school and ended up in the state pagents. Naturally, they thought that it would be fun to put their kids in pagents. My mom quickly discovered that you can lead a little girl to mascara, but you can not make her give a damn. My cousin really took to it. She's won tons. I am still not a fan. She's in her mid-20s and still trying to win one last title.

There are really two kinds of pagents. There are your local festival types - and I can KIND OF see how people get sucked in: you get to put on makeup, wear a pretty dress, and if you win, your dad drives you in a convertable in the parade. Maybe you go to other parades and festivals. I still thinking lining up a bunch of girls and picking the prettiest is just flat WEIRD, but I can sort of get those. It's your community, everyone else is doing it, you probably dit it yourself, blah blah blah. If you win, you get to do stuff. Not for me, but I can kind of see it.

The others are the creepy ones held in hotels. They have made up names like Little Miss Princess Sweetheart Darling Southeast General Regional Junior Queen. Or whatever. Those are the ones with hair extentions, fake teeth, booty shaking, and swim suits. They have umpteen jillion categories because you have to pay to enter each one. They are just money makers, an industry unto themselves, they lead nowhere and represent nothing. Well, nothing good.

I just don't get it. The very idea of dressing my child up for someone else's approval and hoping she'll be prettier than ten other little girls is just...ugh. It turns my stomach.


----------



## OhDang (Jan 30, 2008)

ugh when i see little girls in pageants all dolled up with makeup and hair extensions i just want to yell at their mom's "Your daughter is not the barbie doll or a fashion accessorie!!! (sp)"


----------



## allegra (Aug 23, 2007)

Beauty pageants for young kids make me angry, period. They teach little girls that they have to be good-looking and all tarted-up for people to value them. It's disgusting.


----------



## Aleo (Jan 1, 2009)

I'm bumping this old thread, it will be interesting to see more opinions on this matter.

First of all, I used to do pageants as a kid







: from 1992 to 1997. Being from Boulder, guess why mom pulled me out??'








I LOVED doing them. I loved the idea of looking for my customes, I loved rehearsing my routines, I loved the spotlight, I loved the competition, I loved getting my pictures done, and I...
HATED the make up







Even though I only used eye make up, blush and a tiny bit of lipstick

I've seen several documentaries, like Painted Babies. Compare Painted Babies to this documentary called Little Beauties(it aired in VH1) and you will definately see the difference. The pageant industry has changed, the "glitz" pageants from the 90's are different from the "glitz" pageants now. The costumes were different, the swimsuits, everything was different. As a kid I used to say "my daughter is going to do pageants" but heck that will not happen. The routines are over the top now, the make up is over the top. Not to mention the tanning, that wasn't used when I competed. The fake eye lashes, the extremely airbrushed pictures, the hair extensions, the hair dyes. Some kids even wear eye contacts...

But, I'm going to accept that in my case, my childhood revolved around pageantry. But I grew up to be pretty normal, and I'm not obsessed about my looks. To tell you the truth I don't even use make up







I didn't cared about my looks as a child and I don't really care much now. I mean I care just like every woman does, you know I want to look good for my husband, end of it







And as a child I wanted to show my friends my trophies, sashes and tiaras. I felt that I was good in something.

My mom didn't pushed me to do them, I did my first pageant when I was 3. It was my grandma's idea and I won that pageant. And my mom and grandma got a little bit obsessed with them. I did around 60 pageants (rolleyes yea or jawdrop maybe lol).
But pageantry is not only about looks, it's about the "whole package". Personality, talent, attire, enterview, portafolio, modeling and of course the "worst" of all. Beauty, or how good you look in your beauty dress









And I didn't participated in those natural pageants, I participated in those "creepy ones held in hotels" or you know "ala JonBenet Ramsey", her routines were like seeing a baby crawling compared to those of nowaday pageants.
The "weirdo" singing to the girls is Mr Tim. I have pictures of me with him, he's a very nice guy. He's like the Santa Claus of the industry. To have a picture with Mr Tim after a pageant was the best thing for all the girls









You spend tons of money on pageants, the modeling, the coach, the make up artist, the entrance fee, the portafolio, the dresses. Everything i extremly expensive. Not to mention that the good pageants are all held in the south and you have to travel.

And my mom is a good mom, and my grandma was a good grandma. It was good becuase I got to spend a lot of time with her as she died in 1999.
And I'll say it again, I don't care what people think about me, honestly they can think whatever the heck they want. I have my own insecurities just like everybody. I'm normal (kinda).
Well not really, in my teens I was the biggest hippie ever, I didnt used any make up or nail polish, I was weird lol








:


----------



## Turkish Kate (Sep 2, 2006)

Kinda on topic but not really. While channel surfing with a lap-sleeping toddler a few weeks ago, I managed to land on an old episode of "Wife Swap" where one wife was a pageant-mom and the other was a total uber-MDC mom. At the end, where they talked about the differences between the families and what each mom has learned and is taking with them, the uber-MDC mom admitted that she may have learned a few things, none of them good (except that lipstick makes good fingerpaint







), and she wouldn't be bringing anything from the other family's lifestyle home with her. I wonder if she really *is* an MDC mom? Hmmmm . . . .


----------



## caitryn (Aug 18, 2005)

Pageants have always bothered me. I mean, as a kid I wanted to do them because I wanted the big pretty dresses, but I had no idea at the time what all went into them. I guess I'm lucky that my parents were poor and couldn't afford any of that stuff anyway.

I also wasn't allowed to wear makeup until junior high when I was given mascara because I begged. When I started high school, mom took me to the Clinique booth for a free makeover and bought me my first full face of makeup. I was determined to wear makeup everyday of my freshman year. Since then, I've only worn it for special occasions. It's too much of a pain to deal with on a daily basis. Certain colors were also off limits to me such as bright red (because it made my mom think of prostitutes).

Coming from that sort of background, it sickens me to see small children dressed up like that. Most of the makeup-a-holics I've known wouldn't wear that much. There are some children who want to do this sort of thing, but it's mostly for the parent. There is a strange sort of high that comes with having it confirmed that you have the cutest baby in the world. Of course, I think every mom believes hers is the cutest anyway.

Still, these little girls (and some boys) should be playing with toys and getting messy out in the yard or something. They shouldn't be paraded in front of a panel of judges and a possible large number of pedophiles. Who else looks at a child of five and thinks "sexy"? Of course, I think the same thing about alot of popular kids' clothing (like having "hot" written across the bottom of a girl who should be in kindergarten).

I never really liked the movie, but this thread has definitely given me a new appreciation for "Little Miss Sunshine."


----------



## LavenderMae (Sep 20, 2002)

I think they are sick and wrong for many reasons.
Mr. Tim might be a nice guy but he comes of as really really creepy.


----------



## mrspineau (Jan 15, 2008)

It is all very sad. I do not have a problem with beauty pageants for older children, but I don't think it is right to force them to do it (or anything else for that matter) when they don't want to, or to take it so far! The money that is spent on these children for pageants is crazy and the pressure to win and look perfect. It's just horrible.


----------



## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

When I was about 19, I dated a guy who always wanted to pick me up at the daycare center that I worked at. I kinda thought it was odd, but never gave it much thought.

One night, he had too much to drink, and told me that he went to children's beauty pageants because he had sexual fantasies about little girls (under ten yrs old) and the bathing suit part of the pageant was his favorite part.

OBVIOUSLY, I broke it off.


----------



## Jennifer3141 (Mar 7, 2004)

I think child pageants are disgusting and are completely contradictory to what I want my son and daughter to learn about childhood and feminism.


----------



## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Sionainne* 
I have a theory about why people are disturbed by seeing little girls wearing makeup. Sometime ago, I read that the whole effect of facial makeup on a woman is to mimic the appearance of a woman having an orgasm: flushed face and blood-swollen lips, dilated eyes. This "look" on any Cosmo magazine cover is what western society has grown to value as beauty. It seemed to corroborate what I know, separately about ,makeup and sex.

My theory is that the connotations of this "look" is ingrained in everyone. So when 98% of people see a small girl painted in this manner, it inherently feels wrong and is mentally disturbing to acknowledge. So this is why I don't admire child beauty pageants.

Anyone with knowledge of feminist theory chime in? (I could extend my theory onto why bikinis on little girls is wrong too. Bikinis are supposed to show off big boobs and wide hips -- coming of age hallmarks of birthing ability and fertility.)

This is interesting, but my objection to little girls in make-up is much more general. The whole idea behind make-up is to alter the natural appearance to conform to a socially constructed ideal of beauty. The idea that we teach toddlers and young children that their natural appearance is not "good enough" and that they must alter their appearance in order to 1) make themselves appealing to a set of external (and in this case, quite literal) judges and 2) look MORE like everyone else is beyond distasteful.

But you are right that the make-up IS sexualizing, that it enhances features in a way that we associate with women who are sexually available or aroused.


----------



## peainthepod (Jul 16, 2008)

They gross me out and I find them depressing and sad on a number of levels. I'd like to say I'm not judgmental about those moms but that would be a huge, horrible lie. Poor little girls...


----------



## Norasmomma (Feb 26, 2008)

I honestly think that the parents have something mentally wrong with them, I watched Toddlers in Tiaras the other day and seriously thought I was going to puke.

It just all so gross to me(and completely bizarro).


----------



## kolleen9 (May 27, 2006)

The whole beauty pageant contest needs to be abolished. But as far as children doing this... I agree that it's not a good message to be sending our children.

-Kolleen


----------



## Aleo (Jan 1, 2009)

I laugh when the pageant moms of the documentaries say that it's just a hobby or that they'll use the cash they win for college money lol

Pageants are hard work if you want to win. And what college money? you didn't even win enough for what you spend, you usually invest the money for new clothes








The best prices where the ones that weren't cash.

And by the way i'm not trying to defend pageants in any way, i'm just saying I had a lot of fun doing them. I wasn't able to go outside and get dirty all the time but I enjoyed them.


----------



## Blucactus (Nov 20, 2006)

Ok, can I admit that I just watched the youtube links? the first several were really shocking and horribly sad...something about the little girl reminded me so much of my three year old boy, and I can't imagine yelling at and drilling him over and over and over like that...she looked like such a baby esp in the first few, and she just couldn't get it right according to her mom, and her eyes just looked SO SAD (they still did in the last vid).








Then I googled/wiki'd them/her and sadder still.


----------



## funkymamajoy (May 25, 2008)

I'm usually upset way before the swimsuit part.







:


----------



## Super Glue Mommy (Jan 4, 2009)

Beauty pageants in general don't bother me for children if they are geared more towards technique and inner beauty - and if its something the CHILD really really wants to participate in - however I do not condone beauty pageants for children that do the make up. And the bathing suit thing is APPAULING. Generally though, the do involve make up, bathing suits, sexualzation, and parents pushing their children - all things of which I don't approve. I'm just not close minded to it completely though - if there is one out there that can take a different approach and my daughter really really wanted to do it I would support her in it to her own comfort level only, as I would with any extra curricular she wanted to particpate in - given we can afford it and it didnt go against family values (I wouldnt let her participate in a pageant like most of the ones out there... I also am not sure ones I would approve of even exist, but im speaking hypothetically)


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

I just watched the first two parts of the "Living Dolls" link. Swimsuits are nothing. Those little girls (5 or so) are doing freaking stripteases. What is up with dance numbers for kids that age that include whipping open your jacket to reveal your little bikini-style top, and then walking around on stage with it slung over your shoulder like a stripper? Why would _anyone_ want their little girl up on stage doing a routine like that?

The mom in those two clips scares me. I don't think she's rational, and that little girl is _so_ sad looking.

ETA: Part three seems to have been removed from youtube.


----------



## StoriesInTheSoil (May 8, 2008)

Sis and I just watched "Living Dolls" on youtube (yes, section 3 has been removed but none of the rest... I don't know why.)

We then found one called "Little Beauties" just as disturbing if not more IMO.

Yuck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK0K_...eature=related
That is part 1.


----------



## sharon.gmc (Nov 17, 2008)

Yes, very much! I can't let my girl mature very fast. She's a child and I want her to act and dress like a child. I think these contests are ruining the little girls' psychology. No wonder we have a lot of teenage pregnancies today.


----------



## Treasuremapper (Jul 4, 2004)

I agree with the pageants, but I have to tell you -- at a certain point in learning to use the potty, two piece swim suits were an absolute necessity for us, and our tankini choices were limited. It was all about practicality.


----------



## bigeyes (Apr 5, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *allegra* 
Beauty pageants for young kids make me angry, period. They teach little girls that they have to be good-looking and all tarted-up for people to value them. It's disgusting.

ITA. I keep thinking what's going to happen to those girls the first time someone _doesn't_ think they're pretty?







They already have been taught that is their only value, their looks.


----------



## KaliShanti (Mar 23, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *harleyhalfmoon* 
We're currently looking into it.









My first thought on reading this thread.










Quote:


Originally Posted by *mtiger* 
Be aware that community theater is a HUGE time commitment. And no, the kids don't get cut any slack on the hours.

It can be a big time commitment, but usually only for a few weeks, if you do a summer show. I did theatre starting at age five and _loved_ it.


----------



## riverside knitter (Jun 26, 2007)

I led a protest of my university's "scholarship pageant" many years ago. We had to explain to numerous parents of contestants that we were protesting the event, not their daughters. The pageant organizers insisted that the bathing suit portion was a measure of physical fitness. Um, right. Wouldn't a treadmill competition be better for that? My point...One of the fathers told us that his daughter was an engineering student, very smart, and was doing this for the scholarship money. He had an aha moment when asked what he would think if his son paraded on stage in a speedo for scholarship money. We award women for conforming to ideals. Regardless of how smart a woman may be, her appearance is still what she is largely valued for.

Child pageant are creepy and gross. The pageant industry is wrong for so many reasons. They promote the idea that other women are competition and they reinforce our society's view of women and girls as sexual objects, rather than human beings.

My closest pageant experiences have been as a dance instructor at a studio that did a lot of dance competitions. That is another industry that has gotten crazy. The stage moms, age-inappropriate costumes and age-inappropriate dance routines I saw were really disturbing. Unfortunately, the glitzy, gaudy and just totally inappropriate were frequently rewarded with high scores. My students never had bellies showing, weren't in costumes that were more appropriately paired with a pole, performed to songs that did not have suggestive or vulgar lyrics and never shook their fannies at the judges. Sometimes we were rewarded for our efforts, sometimes not, but I always walked away with a clear conscience.

Anyway, back to the pageants. My mom pleaded with me to do our high school's pageant. She was convinced that I would win it. Who knows, maybe I would have. I refused on the grounds that it was too similar to a dog show. Besides, it would have ruined my punk cred!


----------



## SquishyBuggles (Dec 19, 2008)

It's creepy, gross, heartbreaking. I can't comprehend why you'd do this to your child.

I have a friend who's 3 year old (yes, THREE) is a competative cheerleader. Their uniforms are the skankiest things I've ever seen, tiny short skirts, bare tummies. It's so gross to me.


----------



## FondestBianca (May 9, 2008)

its not the bathing suits that irratate me...

it's everyone around those little girls telling them that to be the most beautiful or even be a contender with a tiny chance they have to have:

an expensive set of "flippers" (fake teeth that fit over their own)
a spray tan
airbrushed makeup
hair extensions
fake eyelashes
and tape or other tricks to "fix" flaws or create correct curves

I watched a show where the mother had head shots of her tiny (under 6) daughter done for her portfolio. When she reieved the photos back her daughter seemed to love the pictures however her mother TOLD the LITTLE GIRL that she needed to pay big bucks to now get a professional to touch up the photos. She explained to the girl that her eyes needed to look more bright and blue, her skin needed to look more smooth and clear, and her lips were not full enough... and on and on and on. That poor little girl. I can't imagine the body hangups shes going to have by age 10.


----------



## OkiMom (Nov 21, 2007)

It makes me so sad! I grew up in a house always being told that I was ugly or fat... I remember being told that some woman had beauty and some had brains and I had the brains. I still get told that DH would never stay with me if it was for my beauty since Im not attractive at all and better not get fat otherwise he would leave me for another woman. I have a lot of body image problems because of it.
I would never let my child be in one of those pagents and it makes me sick to my stomach to see those precious babies being dressed up and taught to act like hookers.


----------



## 2pinks (Dec 20, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *demeter9* 
the whole thing grosses me out.

ita!


----------



## Aleo (Jan 1, 2009)

everything changes, including pageantry.
compare:
JonBenet Ramsey circa 1996
she participated in glitz pageants

glitz pageants of today

see the difference???

some people think that all of us turn out to be hookers







:
maybe some do. i dont care if some people think that im not pretty, i dont give a crap... i dont feel the most gorgeous creature of the planet.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Wow - the girl in that first clip actually has a missing tooth. I don't think the parents let that happen, anymore.

Honestly, Aleo...if you enjoyed pageants, I'm glad. I just find the whole idea of pageants kind of stomach-turning, even for adults. For kids...just so gross to me.


----------



## SAHDS (Mar 28, 2008)

I can't even stomach to watch any of the clips, shows or vids, they make me absolutely nauseous. I clicked on that pic a few posts up and wanted to puke. They're children. Let them be children.

How sad.


----------



## Aleo (Jan 1, 2009)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Storm Bride* 
Wow - the girl in that first clip actually has a missing tooth. I don't think the parents let that happen, anymore.

Honestly, Aleo...if you enjoyed pageants, I'm glad. I just find the whole idea of pageants kind of stomach-turning, even for adults. For kids...just so gross to me.

yea, but i mean it bugs me that people think we turn out to be hookers as teenagers. when i was in highschool they asked me if i knew what make up was









if you ask me this is just as gross


----------



## 2xy (Nov 30, 2008)

Beauty pageants of any sort are icky to me, whether they involve children, women, or dogs.

For one thing....they perpetuate the idea that beauty is to be valued above all things. One poster said that pageants are about talent and such. I don't believe that a very unattractive person would win a pageant, no matter how talented. Pageants are about people who have cute kids and also have the money to spend on dance, singing lessons, travel, and expensive gear. Looks and money; the American way.

As for teen pregnancies....they have just started to rise again in this country, after over a decade of decline. I don't think the media and competitiveness have anything to do with teen pregnancies. Honestly, I think that our bodies were meant to reproduce as teenagers, biologically. Having babies in your thirties is a modern thing.


----------



## bigeyes (Apr 5, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Aleo* 
yea, but i mean it bugs me that people think we turn out to be hookers as teenagers. when i was in highschool they asked me if i knew what make up was









if you ask me this is just as gross

EW. I agree.


----------



## meowee (Jul 8, 2004)

I think they are sick... but I have a DD (my 7 y.o.) who would LOVE something like this, the shaking booty bit and all. And she would probably win







:.


----------



## Storm Bride (Mar 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Aleo* 
if you ask me this is just as gross

That makes me want to cry. Those girls are really talented and well trained...but they still have got wear skimpy costumes and do a "sexy" routine. Messed up and sick.

I hope they continue with dance, and don't always end up in such sexualized routines. I saw a few of them at ds1's elementary school talent show, too - made me cringe.


----------



## riverside knitter (Jun 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Aleo* 
yea, but i mean it bugs me that people think we turn out to be hookers as teenagers. when i was in highschool they asked me if i knew what make up was









if you ask me this is just as gross


This is exactly what I was referring to in a previous post about my past life as a dance teacher. These dance competitions are filled with little girls in inappropriately revealing costumes performing suggestive routines. It never would have occurred to me to put pelvic thrusts and exaggerated "sexy" faces in choreography for 8 year old girls. For one thing it's just wrong, and for another, I hope that the parents of my students would have objected. I miss being involved in dance, but I do not miss this particular aspect of the dance world.


----------



## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

I've seen Living Dolls before, but I just watched the first few minutes of Little Beauties, and now I feel physically ill.









Almost worse than what was going on on screen was the fact that the Vh1 LABELED one of the little girls "The Flirt." How old are these girls, 6?


----------



## samikashi (Mar 15, 2008)

DH and I don't even like seeing spaghetti straps on little girls... So this sort of stuff really makes me ill.


----------



## StoriesInTheSoil (May 8, 2008)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *NYCVeg* 
I've seen Living Dolls before, but I just watched the first few minutes of Little Beauties, and now I feel physically ill.








*
Almost worse than what was going on on screen was the fact that the Vh1 LABELED one of the little girls "The Flirt." How old are these girls, 6?*

I KNOW! I was absolutely freakin IRATE when I saw that. How horrible, degrading, and disgusting.

My sister did competitive dance for awhile and the stage moms were horrible to their little girls. My dad HATED the costumes too.

Here is what it boils down to for me: These pageants and dance competitions and whatever sexalize LITTLE GIRLS. I do not care one BIT if the children "love doing it" or whatever. They are performing for adult judges in front of adult audiences and being judged on their sex appeal. The fake eyelashes, fake teeth, fake tans, and fake everything make these little girls think that they cannot be beautiful or "sexy" (I SO HATE HEARING 7-year-olds worry about how "sexy" they are!) without all this help. It also turns these precious little children into SEX OBJECTS FOR ADULTS. That is WRONG, IMO.

It is okay and normal for a 7 year old to explore their own sexuality. It is not okay for them to be looked at in a sexual way by an adult.

Side note: These events (pageants, dance competitions, etc) always happen in hotels. What's to stop pedophiles from following these things around and just getting a hotel room or hanging out in common areas? The girls run around with little supervision a lot of the time in tiny bikinis all made up to look like tiny pole dancers...

JM2C (nak, sry 4 typos







)


----------



## NYCVeg (Jan 31, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *tinyactsofcharity* 
I
Here is what it boils down to for me: These pageants and dance competitions and whatever sexalize LITTLE GIRLS. I do not care one BIT if the children "love doing it" or whatever. They are performing for adult judges in front of adult audiences and being judged on their sex appeal. The fake eyelashes, fake teeth, fake tans, and fake everything make these little girls think that they cannot be beautiful or "sexy" (I SO HATE HEARING 7-year-olds worry about how "sexy" they are!) without all this help. It also turns these precious little children into SEX OBJECTS FOR ADULTS. That is WRONG, IMO.

I agree. And what makes it particularly galling is that, if a little girl loves dance and performance, there are so many avenues open to them that don't involve sexualized performance and competition. There are a gazillion classes in ballet, modern dance, tap, etc. that aren't part of the competition 'circuit'. There are acting programs that include dance, singing, mime, etc. There are theater camps. I did all of these things as a child, because I enjoyed performing, and I never wore skimpy outfits, adult makeup, and certainly nothing like fake teeth, eyelashes, or tans (which, even then, as a budding feminist, I would have objected to.







).


----------

