Beauty Pageants
Erica Bleichert
4 A/C
Research Paper
Beauty pageants have become a big focus in America today. Ranging from television series such as “Toddlers and Tiaras”, which has become a household name across the states, to the well-known pageants such as “Miss America”. The focus of beauty pageants is obviously mainly over beauty, but also focuses around talents and influence one of the contestants can have over their audience. The underlying questions that come along with beauty pageants and: who wants to be in them, and who wants to see them? A question that comes up often is: “what are these pageants doing to the minds of America?” Those who participate in these pageants understand the amount of time and money out into the process of preparing for the pageant and also what the consequences are of losing a pageant. With all the attention of how fabulous pageantry can be, rarely do we look underneath the dresses and makeup to see how much preparation and stress goes along with it, and the heart break that comes along when a contestant doesn’t win the title he or she was aiming for. The history of beauty pageants began in the 1920’s. Originating as a marketing tool in 1921 by an Atlantic City hotel owner who wanted the city’s tourists to remain in town longer. A local news reporter started the infamous term, still used today by saying, “let’s call her ‘Miss America’!” Pageants were introduced into the lives of Americans and became a major event, although they were discontinues from 1929 to 1932 due to the Great Depression. As years progressed, pageants were both educational and entertaining events. The Pageants would offer scholarships and helped beneficial programs, and plenty of charities. In 1960’s child beauty pageants were introduced. These pageants were similar to the pageants that older women would compete in. The children were judged based on poise, confidence, looks, individuality, and perfection. The sections that the pageants were divided into consist of
4 A/C
Research Paper
Beauty pageants have become a big focus in America today. Ranging from television series such as “Toddlers and Tiaras”, which has become a household name across the states, to the well-known pageants such as “Miss America”. The focus of beauty pageants is obviously mainly over beauty, but also focuses around talents and influence one of the contestants can have over their audience. The underlying questions that come along with beauty pageants and: who wants to be in them, and who wants to see them? A question that comes up often is: “what are these pageants doing to the minds of America?” Those who participate in these pageants understand the amount of time and money out into the process of preparing for the pageant and also what the consequences are of losing a pageant. With all the attention of how fabulous pageantry can be, rarely do we look underneath the dresses and makeup to see how much preparation and stress goes along with it, and the heart break that comes along when a contestant doesn’t win the title he or she was aiming for. The history of beauty pageants began in the 1920’s. Originating as a marketing tool in 1921 by an Atlantic City hotel owner who wanted the city’s tourists to remain in town longer. A local news reporter started the infamous term, still used today by saying, “let’s call her ‘Miss America’!” Pageants were introduced into the lives of Americans and became a major event, although they were discontinues from 1929 to 1932 due to the Great Depression. As years progressed, pageants were both educational and entertaining events. The Pageants would offer scholarships and helped beneficial programs, and plenty of charities. In 1960’s child beauty pageants were introduced. These pageants were similar to the pageants that older women would compete in. The children were judged based on poise, confidence, looks, individuality, and perfection. The sections that the pageants were divided into consist of