Todays topic for debate - Pageants

[Sarahkka]

There are many many ways I can teach my sons self-esteem, poise, healthy competition and artistic expression.
As far as I am concerned, pageants do not teach even one of those things, despite their claims. It is not a culture I agree with in any respect.

 

[annawrigley]

This thread made me wanna go watch Toddlers & Tiaras (I dont have the channel, whatever it is...) and all I can say is
This clip, from 1:34
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=on2VoS6CJeQ&feature=autoplay&list=PLA878CBFF5EC6B316&index=12&playnext=2
Makes me wanna cry! I dont know if anyones seen it but she bribed her daughter to be in it with a pair of sunglasses and a video game, she doesnt want to do it at all but her mum makes her, its awful! "I dont really like being on stage, my mum forces me to smile"

 

[annawrigley]

Oh and if she doesnt come 1st her mum runs over her crown!

 

[lily123]

That clip is awful
I'd never in a million years enter my daughter in a beauty contest, ever.

 

[BlackBerry25]

No.

And they do have boys in some of them.

 

[redpoppy]

No. Not at all. But luckily me and OH agree in a slightly more extreme and prudish view that anything which idealised looks and valued superficial things or even baby/child modelling would not be something we would ever encourage, allow or find acceptable.

I would be greatly disappointed if my child became a model or won a pageant in her early adulthood too.

I know she's beautiful and blessed with relatively good genes for the industry (tall and thin) but it's just not what I want her to be about. And I think it's far more an issue with girls than boys. I think it's very damaging for any individual to think their value or worth is defined by the way they look in any way shape or form. Even if they are stunningly beautiful as age and time will take their toll. I think beauty pageants encourage such things.

 

[oread]

Most definitely not, pageants absolutely horrify me. I agree with pretty much everyone else who doesn't like them. They emphasize all the wrong things and seem so obscenely twisted and sexist to me that I just can't get over it.

 

[twinkle1975]

I've just watched that clip as I've not see it before - that is SO sad! One mum saying she turned to the woman next to her & said ' that's not my daughter, she doesn't belong to me!' because he daughter didn't smile on the stage and the little girl at the end feeling inferior - no child should have to feel like that!

 

[ttc_lolly]

Noooo way would I let my LO compete in a pageant! It's more of an American thing though isn't it? Although I do know it is growing over here in the UK.

I don't see a problem with thinks like child modelling, but when I think of pageants I just think of dressing little girls up like adult women - short skirts, make up, fake tan, big hair not for me! x