The cost of the crown
maria arnot
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: Opinion
Not many.
Then the question is, who is willing to spend these thousands of dollars for their child to walk across a stage in front hundreds of people in such revealing outfits?
Unfortunately these "pageant" girls are generally trapped from the beginning. That is, as soon as their parents decide that they should start competing, and this is often quite early in life.
In fact, the youngest competitors for the Miss World pageant can be found in the "baby petite" category, which allows girls from ages 0-2 to compete.
These girls, babies in fact, are being subjected to the negative stereotypes of beauty and materialism straight from the womb. Instead of playing outside or with toys that, you know, allow them to create beauty with their own imagination, they are being dressed up and instructed on what beauty is by their crazy, over-obsessed mothers.
And in most cases, these girls do not have the opportunity to escape this lifestyle.
But maybe, just maybe, these pageants are not as detrimental as they seem. Maybe beyond the hardened hair styles and evening gowns there is something more to these girls. Maybe they are taking away something more than the perfect technique to apply make-up.
According to many mothers, pageants can be a very positive experience for the kids if done correctly, asserting that they are a great social experience.
Our own Miss Vermont even said that "it's really a great way for young women to gain confidence, interview skills, and help them attain jobs in the future." And based on the description in the article about Miss Ortiz, she has turned out not only normal but also pretty well adjusted. She graduated high school early and will graduate college early too - with two degrees.
But for the rest of those little girls, the ones who are sitting in salons and dressing rooms for their entire childhood … well, it's sad really.
Until their parent's realize that the environment their daughters are growing up is not the real world but a fake, glitzy environment, than we will continue to stress and promote that these girls are being judged by how they hold their heads -- and not what is in their heads.
Then the question is, who is willing to spend these thousands of dollars for their child to walk across a stage in front hundreds of people in such revealing outfits?
Unfortunately these "pageant" girls are generally trapped from the beginning. That is, as soon as their parents decide that they should start competing, and this is often quite early in life.
In fact, the youngest competitors for the Miss World pageant can be found in the "baby petite" category, which allows girls from ages 0-2 to compete.
These girls, babies in fact, are being subjected to the negative stereotypes of beauty and materialism straight from the womb. Instead of playing outside or with toys that, you know, allow them to create beauty with their own imagination, they are being dressed up and instructed on what beauty is by their crazy, over-obsessed mothers.
And in most cases, these girls do not have the opportunity to escape this lifestyle.
But maybe, just maybe, these pageants are not as detrimental as they seem. Maybe beyond the hardened hair styles and evening gowns there is something more to these girls. Maybe they are taking away something more than the perfect technique to apply make-up.
According to many mothers, pageants can be a very positive experience for the kids if done correctly, asserting that they are a great social experience.
Our own Miss Vermont even said that "it's really a great way for young women to gain confidence, interview skills, and help them attain jobs in the future." And based on the description in the article about Miss Ortiz, she has turned out not only normal but also pretty well adjusted. She graduated high school early and will graduate college early too - with two degrees.
But for the rest of those little girls, the ones who are sitting in salons and dressing rooms for their entire childhood … well, it's sad really.
Until their parent's realize that the environment their daughters are growing up is not the real world but a fake, glitzy environment, than we will continue to stress and promote that these girls are being judged by how they hold their heads -- and not what is in their heads.
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tom
posted 2/04/10 @ 3:42 PM EST
Maria,
Are you really concerned or just jealous that you never mastered the art of walking in heels?
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