Child Abuse Or Beauty Pageant?
Fake smiles and sad faces! A sad little lost childhood for these girls.
Lots of little young Misses are entered into these so-called beauty pageants but do the kids have a choice?
Are they all fake smiles and sad faces?
Why do parents or mothers want this title so badly for their girls?
Is it the prize money?
The fame?
Or are these mothers now living their life through the skin of these little ladies?
Well, they are not ladies but some are preened and spray tanned from birth and these are competing up until they are in their twenties.
They dress these little Misses like ladies, with revealing clothing, bikinis and enough make-up to swamp the pores on an old drag queen.
Are these little girls being exploited?
Taken away from their teddies to be faked up like a Barbi doll!
Most of the parents of these young girls, say they parade them round for all to see because it makes them learn ‘poise and self-confidence’ Should little girls of that young age have poise? Marilyn Monroe had poise and look what happened to her!
Image via Wikipedia
Would a four year old rather stand, being judged in front of an audience, with false eye lashes, false nails, curled and sprayed hair that has taken hours to get just right, only being able to answer questions from a prepared speech, that her mother has rehearsed with her so she never says what ‘SHE’ thinks.
Or would they rather be playing dress up at home or riding their bike?
I am not saying that non of the girls want to do the beauty pageants, I mean when your mother tells you are going to be the most beautiful girl in the world, it could be worth loosing your whole childhood over, couldn’t it?
How far would these parents go? Would they make a decision to have breast implants put into the child just to make her more desirable?
Desirable to whom?
This year, August 2009 Cambodia decided to lift the ban on Pageants and allowed a contest called ‘Miss Landmine beauty pageant.’ All the little ladies had lost a limb or two in the landmines. The rules of a normal pageant were not followed in this one, there was no stage work, just photographs of the 20 contestants, the judging takes place in December and the top prize is a custom made prosthetic leg.
The girls were not dressed in bikinis as they are in normal pageants, nor where they spray tanned and made up like old 70’s prostitutes. I am still not comfortable with the fact that this happened but they could gain a great deal from the pageant, their Country could gain fresh awareness for all the land mines that are still undetected.
Cambodia had banned beauty pageants since 1993 but now it is no longer illegal for the girls to take part in the hope of a new limb. The Cambodian government and the Cambodian Mine Action Authority are fully supporting the competition.
Please watch the youtube video, I think it says it all.
Liked it
Published in: Family
Comments: 53 | Post a CommentPost a Comment
Teves | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Nice info.
ken bultman | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
These baby beauty contests are disgusting. All little girls are cute…they don’t require judging. What’s worse are the gypsy “modeling” agencies that set up in malls. First, a photo shoot…everyone’s a candidate…then: your child has great promise. Come in for a complete portfolio. Crap.
Christine Ramsay | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
I can’t say I like the idea at all. It wouldn’t be so bad if they were entered as little girls in all their natural beauty but to make them up like women is taking it too far. An interesting post.
Christine
clay hurtubise | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Good article. I don’t believe these pagents are for the children at all, they should be stopped.
Thanks,
Clay
Papa Sparks | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
I agree with Ken, Christine, and Clay. It really is child abuse disguised as something cute. Time to watch Little Miss Sunshine again.
Wonderful post Lisa.
Geomorphosis | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Good article, friend. I agree with Clay, these pageants should be stopped.
cutedrishti8 | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
I agree with clay..
PhoenixRox | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
I am totally with you on this Lill.I hate the idea of kids beauty pageants. We give them wrong lessons at a very delicate age. Those lessons break them in most cases
Sourav | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Well written, I agree with you. These things have nothing to do with self confidence or personality development. Just disgusting!
Michael Eboh | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
To me I see it as just waste of resources. It should not be encouraged. Thanks!
diamondpoet | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
I think young children should be subjected to this sort of thing, their little mind can’t always grasp it quite so fast.
Peter Cimino | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Great article on a very good subject. I am totally against any pageants that involve young children.
Sharif Ishnin | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Gone too soon. Their innocence that is. Their faces says it all. Thanks for the awareness Lily.
wonder | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Children are pressurised, very sad.
Katien | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
The parents must have something terribly wrong with them to want to do this.
Patrick Regoniel | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Trying to grow the little girls big. Obviously sadness is in their eyes as if saying “What the heck are my parents doing to me!”. You did it again Lilly.
Frances Lawrence | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
This is sickening, childhood is a special time, parents should not put this to sort of pressure on their children.
Will Dee | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Sad but true in some cases I\’m afraid
Ruby Hawk | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
It is nothing but child abuse. It is disgusting for a parent to do such a horrible thing to their child. I think these children should have some protection against such a travesty.
xtine | Nov 27, 2009 | Reply
Nice article. I think it’s because mothers really do it for the prize money. Such beauty shouldn’t be judged, poor little kids.
petercurtis97 | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
I agree with Christine here. Perhaps the mothers are using them to fill the vacant emptiness that they failed to fill in their youth.
giftarist | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
Well said, great article!
Wennie Estares | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
This is exploitation in the guise of talent.
Wennie Estares | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
It,s pretty much similar to Bikini Open contest in the guise of prostitution.
Jane Jane | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
great article. a nice thought for all especially mothers of those little girls.
jimbob1 | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
Superb article Miss L…child exploitation to the worst degree…thanks for being the messanger.
deep blue | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
Early exposure is the key. Who knows it could be the shortest route to Hollywood. Every parents hopes the best for their children I suppose.
Aiyanna | Nov 28, 2009 | Reply
There is nothing worse than using your own offspring to spin money and relive your dream that didn’t materialise. Such parents should never be allowed near these children as they don’t know the pain and sorry they inflict on them as kids which carry on to adulthood — some even die young in ‘accidental circumstances’. They are the pillars of tomorrow not some rag doll tossed at you from the above to do what you feel like with them. They have feelings and desires too but don’t voice them as they will be told off if they do. It is similar to superior subordinate ill-treatment but the difference is that this is your own child. Nice work Lily, thank you for exposing the atrocities of these pageants…
Dragonologist | Nov 29, 2009 | Reply
It’s really upsetting how kids aren’t allowed to remain kids for long these days.
Themax | Nov 29, 2009 | Reply
yup sad but but true very well said mate and very good article,Thanks
Authoress Terry E. Lyle | Nov 29, 2009 | Reply
Great article, but I believe that the beauty pageants are more for the parents and not the children, they are already beautiful. and the pageants send the wrong message that you have to look a certain way or you won’t message up. “What about the mind or the worth of a person’s spirit”?
STEVE666 | Nov 30, 2009 | Reply
Great piece of investigative journalism there, Lisa.
I think the Cambodian part of this is quite different to its counter-part across the Atlantic, in that anything that draws the attention of the world to the horrors of land-mines, no matter how tacky, can only be seen as a good thing.
As for the original child beauty pageants, it’s just the parents, by proxy, living out THEIR dreams. In this country it should and WOULD be classed as child abuse and so, all we can do is consign it, along with many other things, to the ‘Only in America’, litterbin!
jaysland | Dec 1, 2009 | Reply
Interesting article. You hit the nail on the head with this piece, Lilly. Children should be allowed to be children, not faked up like women to look sexual. I know lingerie companies are starting to make things for kids. How awful. What has our world come to? We seem to go from depravity to lower depravity. What does doing these contest tell these girls about themselves. Lets see. You arent pretty enough so we have to paint your face and make you look like a woman. If you fail you are a failure. If you look at most of these mothers they look like failures in life that never were happy with themselves so they try to live vicariously through these poor children. Keep up the good stuff Lilly.~Jay
Lady Sunshine | Dec 2, 2009 | Reply
Baby beauty pageants are utterly creepy. Let children be children – they are not dolls to be pimped.
Anamika S | Dec 15, 2009 | Reply
This is a real sad situation. Even in the TV and Film world you can see child actors who leave their studies and play for fame and money.
Keandra | Jan 3, 2010 | Reply
i dont agree with anyone i think pageants are nice and the parents make friendships with their kids i put my kids in pageants and they said that they loved it and they said they never wanna quit pageants
roxy! | Jan 13, 2010 | Reply
I am doing a project on how little girls should NOT be allowed to compete in pageants until they are old enough to think for themselves. (I am in high-school. in the 9th grade) Like maybe 13 and up… It’s more the parents’ dream than the children. And Leandra, if your kids love it, then good for you. BUT remember one thing. Don’t take away their childhood. Kids have to play in the park, get messy, or play in the dirt.
And why did you say: ” and the parents make friendships with their kids” ????? Like if you want to be your daughters best friend, then you can take her to the park, you know do something that’s “child-like”
I seriously thik that girls should NOT be allowed to participate in pageants, until they are at LEAST 13 years old! (I did not mean to offend anyone. and IF i did, i am truly sorry.) Take that show on TLC. ummm… the one where the little girls participate and are being all “fake-like” Those girls are NOT happy, and if you LOVE your child you’ll respect that…
Toni | Jan 13, 2010 | Reply
There is nothing wrong with young girls in pageants..My pageant westcoast pageant has been helping young girls and teens with their makup, dressing up, helping them talk and walk…I have several pageants coming up you should check them out.
It’s fun for the girls to dress up and look like a model. Parents enjoy helping..
But I agree, parents should not make their children do something if they don’t want to do it. Like pageants.
Roxy! | Jan 14, 2010 | Reply
K, but if they really don’t want to do it… and the “egoistical” mother should understand… If they want to look like a model, They shouldn’t be judged. Make a “Fashion Show” at home. Or even a “Tea Party” to teach the little girls manners, and poise. etc.
Samantha Sajdak | Mar 9, 2010 | Reply
Ohkay.
I\’m a pageant girl.
The \”glitz\” pageants are not the only kinds of pageants around.
I\’m a little too old for them.
Yes the girls are forced by their mothers.
The funnest time any girl could have is being on a stage no matter if they are looking like a hooker, or doing some cheesy routine.
THEY LOVE IT
I look at the shows and the fights between moms and daughters are natural.
My mother and I do it.
My friend at school\’s mom and her argue.
its the way of life.
girl thinks they\’re right,
mom knows she\’s wrong.
wahbang.
blahblahblah.
so no girl does NOT want to do a pageant.
She actually is so caught up in the competition she is afraid to lose.
lillyrose | Mar 16, 2010 | Reply
Hummm….she is afraid to lose.
will that not lead some girls into thinking they are not beautiful enough?
standingproud | Mar 16, 2010 | Reply
This infuriates me lilly flower.
Beauty pageants are awful at the best of times, but to do this to a little one disturbs me big time.
Samantha | Mar 27, 2010 | Reply
think…
You are making be the worst thing ever.
Pageants are fun.
No, I dont think a girl will ending up thinking she is not beautiful enough.
No girl actually hates pageants.
No girl has committed suicide because they didnt win a beauty pageant.
They might have been depressed for a while but they get over it.
GIRLS LIKE HAVING MAKE-UP ON AND BEING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION!
You need a daughter to know this.
Or have a heart.
lillyrose | Sep 8, 2010 | Reply
I do have a daughter and she would rather have eaten mud than taken part in a pageant but all to there own tastes and if you loved it and had full respect for yourself then thats okay, you are one of the lucky ones.
TwiKnight | Sep 11, 2010 | Reply
Do I seriously need a heart to agree with you, Samantha, or whatever your name could possibly be? ‘Cause I really hate the taste of lipstick when I was a kid. It would most likely, though not entirely, be analogous to forcefeeding a vegetarian with monkey brains. Only saying this to cover up the fact that I know something about these pageants, which I don’t. Until now. Probably. Children should be given a choice to choose between a plateful of putrid mud and equally putrid make-up, I guess. Hmmm…
Samantha | Sep 28, 2010 | Reply
I will admit that you guys are partially right. And I am not just one of the lucky ones who love pageants. The pageants you watch on tv, with all the drama? yea. Their 100% FAKE. You know what people on tv are called? ACTORS. The people on the shows are paid to make drama. I have a choice for what pageants I do but when I was younger, my mom put me in a pageant and I loved it and I asked to do more. So its all a matter of what the girl wants to do.
I’m surprised people don’t say this about dance, or gymnastics, or soccer. Mothers force their children to do these things, sometimes the kids wont like it, in dance they have some perogative clothing, and just as many kids get kidnapped at these things.
Oh yea, my name is samantha.
carla | Nov 7, 2010 | Reply
funny how you delete all the articels dissagreeing with this article my little sister does pagents and my mom puts her in because she loves them. untill you have ben to a pagent and see how much fun all the little girls have doing them don’t decide your opinion is a fact.
Samantha | Nov 12, 2010 | Reply
Thank you. They are just amazing.
DiaRose | Dec 1, 2010 | Reply
I disagree with how some people compared child beauty pageants with soccer or dance or other similar activities. I know that some girls would prefer to be in a beauty pageant over being on the soccer team and vice versa, but that’s not the issue to me. And the issue also isn’t the parents forcing the children to participate, because parents having been forcing their children to do things since the beginning of time. The issue is that unlike soccer or ballet or 4k, pageants take the natural beauty and innocence of little girls and sexualize it, and mutate it into something adult and completely un-childlike. I loved playing dress up and trying different types of make up and hair styles when I was little–and still do–but I never did it to look sexual or make me feel better about myself.
These pageants make me very angry. There’s nothing wrong with dressing up and learning routines, but this takes it too far, especially for young impressionable girls.
Courtney | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
I am not trying to be too blunt but how many times did you contradict yourself Samantha?
Children in pageants are just living out their parents dream. Parents aren’t happy enough with the way their lives turn out so they use their children as puppets. And people say it gains confidence? That is entirely false. What happens when you don’t win a pageant? You wonder what YOU did wrong, or what is wrong with you… You wonder why the person who won in better than you. It brings your self-esteem down and makes you lack confidence. You gain confidence as a kid after learning how to walk, or read and write NOT by prancing across the stage in costume from HEAD to toe.
And then, there are people who some people may say are “ugly”. They aren’t given an equal chance. You are born with beauty and you can’t change the way that you look. It ISN’T a talent, and saying that in these pageants it also isnt natural. Beauty is only skin deep, beauty is unimportant.
With the time and money that people spend getting ready for these worthless pageants they could be doing something worth while. Such as using their actual TALENT to excel in life. Life isn’t about beauty and how far that takes you, it’s about experience and what you do and learn from that.
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KenzieRae143 | Apr 27, 2012 | Reply
I think that it can be both good and bad i dont know which yet
Samantha | Apr 29, 2012 | Reply
I made those comments when I was 13. I was idiotic. What can I say? I know that pageants have really been a plus side in my life and have helped me achieve things that I wouldn’t have been able to do before. Any girl can grown self-confidence issues with or without pageants. I am actually very comfortable with myself. More than most girls I know. I have been able to speak in front of large crowds without getting nervous and even known how to glam myself up at appropriate times. I have been able to mature and deal with loss. But I never thought “I’m not good enough” because of a pageant. I thought, “Next time, I’ll work on my kinks to be even better!” or even most of the time I know the girl who won over me and know she truly deserved the crown more than I did because she tried harder or I didn’t try at all. I always say “different judge different day”. Plus.. Guys, I’m 15, my mom can’t force me to do pageants anymore I choose to do them. Do one or watch one in person. Then you can judge.