Preview

Child Beauty Pageants Or Damaged Daughters?

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1309 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Child Beauty Pageants Or Damaged Daughters?
Katie Dougherty
Professor Dordoni
EN-140
29 April 2014
Darling Divas or Damaged Daughters?
Young girls grow up watching movies about how the flawless princess falls in love with the handsome prince, so they wait to grow up to be the as beautiful and perfect as the princess is. Child beauty pageants allow these young girls to wear elaborate dresses along with makeup that makes their face look unrealistic for a child. Some parents of children who compete in beauty pageants say that the competition help the child’s self-esteem; however, these dysfunctional and harmful pageants give young, vulnerable girls a false impression on what true beauty really is. Child beauty pageants are exploitative, pressuring children to adopt semi-sexualized adult mannerisms that pulls them out of their innocence way too soon, while enforcing the message that physical appearance is all that is important.
Throughout the years, …show more content…
"Princess by Proxy: What Child Beauty Pageants Teach Girls About Self-Worth and What We Can Do About It." Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry 51.11 (Nov. 2012): 1105-107. University of Arizona and Scottsdale Community College. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
Healy, Michelle. "Could Child Beauty Pageants Be Banned in the USA?" USA Today. Gannett, 25 Sept. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2014. *
Lieberman, Lindsay. "Protecting Pageant Princesses: A Call for Statutory Regulation of Child Beauty Pageants." Journal of Law & Policy 18.2 (2010): P739-774. Brooklyn Law School, 2010. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
Tamer, Christine. "Toddlers, Tiaras, and Pedophilia? The "Borderline Child Pornography" Embraced by the American Public." Texas Review of Entertainment & Sports Law 13.1 (Fall 2011): 85-101. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.
Wolfe, Lucy. "The Dark Side of Child Beauty Pageants and an Administrative Law Solution." Tulane Law Review 87.2 (Dec. 2012): 427-55. J.D. Candidate 2013, Tulane University Law School. Web. 14 Apr.
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Toddlers In Tiaras Skip Hollandsworth Analysis
    • 1287 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Toddlers In Tiaras Skip Hollandsworth Analysis

    The article “Toddlers in Tiaras” was written by Skip Hollandsworth which appeared in Good Housekeeping on August 2011. Hollandsworth’s report is used as an argument to persuade the readers to have a negative view on childrens’ beauty pageants. He wrote this article in response to the TLC series of “Toddlers and Tiaras” and the negative effects it has on children and adults.…

    • 1287 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Lindsay Lieberman's Analysis
    • 323 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Lindsay Lieberman's Analysis

    Lindsay Lieberman explains how child pageantry causes emotional, physical, and monetary effects on both the competitors and the parents; this is the central claim of “Protecting Pageant Princesses: A Call for Statutory Regulation of Child Beauty Pageants.” Minor claim number one is that pageants can cause detrimental effects on a young woman such as depression, eating disorders, and body image issues that accelerate into lifetime problems. Brook Breedwell competed in pageants as a young child, and she explains that this industry caused her to suffer from stress, anxiety, and body image issues as she was raised in the industry that requires females to be unrealistic. Lieberman also states the minor claim of explain that NC House of Representatives…

    • 323 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Toddlers In Tiara Arument Analysis
    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Toddlers In Tiara Arument Analysis

    The author does not come right out and say, “Pageants are bad.” He draws the reader in with his descriptions of the activities of the children and their parents along with the pageant promoters. He opens by illustrating the transition of a young 6-year-old. Plenty of 6-year-olds have played dress up over the years by putting on mommy’s lipstick or high heels,…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Media Analysis Paper Toddlers and Tiaras
    • 15602 Words
    • 63 Pages

    Media Analysis Paper Toddlers and Tiaras

    Giroux, H.A. (May 11, 2009). Child Beauty Pageants: A Scene From the "Other America". Truthout| Perspective.…

    • 15602 Words
    • 63 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Persuasive Essay On Toddlers And Tiaras
    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Persuasive Essay On Toddlers And Tiaras

    According to ABC news, 3 million young girls around six months to sixteen years enter beauty pageants. Cheryl Critchley explains that other mothers try to challenge each other to see whose child is best with glitz and glamor. Imran Jalal, the author of “Strut, be Smart” informs us that parents often buy fake trophies overseas to boost their kids self esteem. Mothers who force their child into competing can be emotionally or physically abused. They are often overweight and usually go over the top to coach dance routines and win trophies towering over the kids reports Vernon R, Wiehe, author of “Beauty pageants are not appropriate for young children”. Justin O’Neill then describes that most mothers feed their daughters with 10 pixie sticks to help gain energy. Many parents also deny nap time or breaks from pageants because the parents often are scared that naps or breaks will ruin makeup and hair but most importantly pageant…

    • 619 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Toddlers And Tiaras Research Paper
    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Toddlers And Tiaras Research Paper

    Toddlers and Tiaras affects childrens’ self-esteem around the world who believe that they have to live up to this “beauty” that is enforced by their Mom’s and they have to be as pretty and perfect as these other kids who they see in beauty pageants. I cannot find it in me to support little girls judged this way. Beauty? Talent? Making them stand onstage in front of a crowd of people where one girl's dream comes true and the others are crushed? This cannot be good for their self-esteem and with children that young, they never really know what could end leaving an emotional scar. Today there are more than 250,000 children who compete in pageants and 100,000 of those children being under the age of thirteen. At a young age you are influenced by things you see, people around you, and tend to have role models who are older. Some children also…

    • 737 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Pros and Cons of Beauty Pageants
    • 1168 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Pros and Cons of Beauty Pageants

    We live in a society in which demands for equality abound. At some point, the rights and privileges associated with the “perfect” life. At the same time, it seemed that a trend began. Hyphenated Americans began their quest for the apparently ideal lifestyle that had been withheld from them. Women, gays, and lesbians began their own efforts to achieve this same equality outside of gender and sexual preference. And yet, despite it all, the beauty pageant survives.…

    • 1168 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Argumentative Essay On Child Pageants
    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Argumentative Essay On Child Pageants

    The idea of child pageants creates much conflict and discouragement to others whom do not have children. Young girls whom participate in this activity are portrayed as sex objects just as women are as models because they are subjected to looking older and much more sensual. However, in some cases having children in child pageants creates social skills along with comfortability performing in front of others. The idea of little girls being entered into child pageants is intimidating to most people due to the fact that children are not supposed to look like adults until they are old enough. Many people frown upon the whole concept of a child being exposed to older men and women having them wear makeup and flirtatious outfits. As older women are also involved in beauty pageants, they too go through extreme acts of body changes making it harder for parents to fathom. Restricting little girls from engaging in beauty pageants or contests protects them from dangerous people along with remaining pure with their self-worth, learning to live as a child and not a woman, and retaining a healthy emotional mind.…

    • 1117 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Annotated Bibliography
    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Annotated Bibliography

    Beauty pageants made their first appearances in America during the 1920’s, where women flaunted around casinos, determined to win a crown for their physical attractiveness. The owner of the casino where these activities occurred, figured that this would attract more tourists. Throughout the years, more modern pageants were formed, like Ms. USA and Ms. America. Following in the footsteps of its adult form, child beauty pageants merged into the 1960’s. Child beauty pageants usually consist of modeling sportswear, evening wear, and showing off any special talent they may have. Judges critique the girls individually, based on their physical looks, poise, confidence, and perfection. To the judges, this is called “the complete package.” Although the objective of most child pageants is to build confidence and self-worth, beauty pageants can be considered exploitive to minors by causing them to believe in unrealistic ideas about beauty.…

    • 482 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Common Ground Essay- Child Beauty Pagents
    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Common Ground Essay- Child Beauty Pagents

    People who are against the pageants complain that they should be eliminated because they exploit children and place them in harm’s way. They claim because of major dangers; no one under the age of eighteen should be placed in a beauty pageant. The children who are in the pageants are dressed up in adult’s clothing, have piles of make up on, and are harming their bodies. They are harming their bodies by putting the make up on and tanning. By putting make up on at such young of an age, their face ages faster. By tanning, they begin to get that urge that some adults have to tan, which makes their skin age and have wrinkles early. It also puts them at the risk of having skin cancer at an early age. They say it also appeals the children to sexual predators. When a child is half naked on stage and sometimes on TV, these sexual predators see them and may even try to meet them. Sexual predators are only part of the problem. Studies show that every child who may benefit from the competition, hundreds of others suffer damage to their self-esteem and have warped self-vision of themselves and their bodies. Many times, they use JonBenet, a young child who competed in these pageants at the age of six. She was murdered in the basement of her home by a sexual predator. The suspect claimed he became aware of her by the pageants being on television.…

    • 559 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Child Beauty Pageants: Positive or Poisonous?
    • 2645 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Child Beauty Pageants: Positive or Poisonous?

    This article focuses on the somewhat negative progression child beauty pageants have made over the years. It all started “fairly benign” with young girls wearing appropriate dresses, conveying to still have an innocence. In 1996, the “goodness” of child pageantry diminished when six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey was murdered. She was, in fact, involved in these pageants and seemingly though it was unrelated to her death, child beauty pageants got a bad rap. Jumping all the way to 2009, several years later, reality TV shows were “crowned king” including TLC’s Toddler’s and Tiaras. The show didn’t help the reputation of child beauty pageants. It in fact “catapult[ed] the scrutiny and controversy even farther.” The article concludes in bringing up the pageants’ effects of child development and behavioral issues “due to parental influence.” This source was credible because the article mentioned two professionsals, Dr. Kim Dennis and Kirsten Haglund. Dr. Dennis is a certified psychiatrist specializing in treating addictions eating disorders, etc., a Medical Director at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center, and also a nationally known speaker and writer. Haglund has earned the title of Miss America in the year of 2008, eating disorders awareness advocate and a community relation’s specialist at Timberline Knolls. It was also credible because it mentioned a significant time in history of Ramsey’s death and also commented on a well-known reality show to support its points. This source was helpful in the fact that it provided numerous points supported with credible examples and references.…

    • 2645 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Persuasive Essay On Toddlers And Tiaras
    • 1843 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Persuasive Essay On Toddlers And Tiaras

    Beauty pageants often provide psychological problems that can develop as a condition later on in life, and contestants will grow up in a…

    • 1843 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Stereotypes Involved In Child Pageants
    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Stereotypes Involved In Child Pageants

    As most people are filled with negative thoughts of child pageantry, there are also a variety of positive thoughts. Most Americans do not know the advantage of entering a child in a pageant. Children are taught life lessons and revealed to conflict that they might face in the future. Being able to participate in these life lessons…

    • 439 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Oppisition Arguments
    • 305 Words
    • 1 Page

    Oppisition Arguments

    Beauty pageants are one of the worst places for young girls to increase self-esteem. You’re in a competition were all the contestants are trying to be the most beautiful of them all and will try to put you down to…

    • 305 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Stereotypes In Pageants
    • 2146 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Stereotypes In Pageants

    Many girls are put under so much pressure that they face many issues of depression if they don’t win. These reasons are why we need to have an age limit on pageants and not let girls compete in glitz pageants when they are younger. The glitz pageants should only be offered to girls who have had a makeup routine and are old enough to get fake nails, spray tanned, and their legs…

    • 2146 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics