Beauty Pageants: Selfless or Superficial?
High glitz, glamour and beauty may sound like every girl 's dream, but is there more to beauty pageants than what appears on the surface? Many believe beauty pageants are a wonderful opportunity for women to raise money, gain confidence, find an enjoyable hobby, and better themselves. However, others find that pageants waste money and turn women into sexual objects. Also, critics say that girls are sometimes forced into the pageants by parents and are pushed too far by unrealistic expectations. Although many believe there are beneficial aspects to beauty pageants, others believe the pageants only have negative contributions.
Although beauty pageants may not seem very popular, the pageant industry is …show more content…
When competing in a pageant, the women are surrounded by other successful individuals. This pushes the women to strive to be a better version of themselves. Also, the beauty pageant industry “empowers women to achieve their personal and professional goals, and also provides a forum in which they are encouraged to express their opinions, talent and intelligence” (“Beauty Pageants”). Beauty pageants are a positive atmosphere for contestants where their positive qualities are celebrated and rewarded. Pageants teach contestants multiple life skills such as “learning to be comfortable onstage and around strangers, gaining poise, determining the best way to present oneself (including how to dress appropriately), realizing the need for practice, learning good sportsmanship, becoming more outgoing and learning to listen” (“Child Beauty Pageants”). Through participating in pageants, women can push themselves to be better which helps them become more successful. Beauty pageants are a great opportunity for women to really see how far they can go outside of their comfort zone and better themselves in the process. Overall, pageants help contestants strive to become a better …show more content…
First, the topic of money and whether contestants spend more money than they receive or raise for a platform can be solved by entering a different type of pageant. There are three different types of pageants which include “‘high glitz,’ ‘professional’ or ‘full glitz’ for pageants expecting contestants to wear makeup, false nails, etc.; glitz and ‘hobby glitz’ for pageants allowing, but not requiring makeup; and ‘natural pageants’ for pageants forbidding makeup” (“Child Beauty Pageants”). Rather than entering high glitz pageants and spending hundreds of dollars on dresses and makeup, women can participate in hobby glitz or natural pageants and spend a fraction of the cost. Although some women enjoy the glamour of high glitz pageants, if money is an issue natural pageants are an easy solution. Another issue at hand is whether pageants help women with their confidence or turns them into objects. This problem can be addressed by the judging of the pageants. Most pageants celebrate fitness and judge contestants on their character as well. A main example of this is “Miss America is an all-around package of being fit and healthy, talented, intelligent, selfless and passionate” (Kaplan). The women are not judged on just their body and physical appearance but who they are as a person as well. The stereotypical portrayal of a pageant girl being
High glitz, glamour and beauty may sound like every girl 's dream, but is there more to beauty pageants than what appears on the surface? Many believe beauty pageants are a wonderful opportunity for women to raise money, gain confidence, find an enjoyable hobby, and better themselves. However, others find that pageants waste money and turn women into sexual objects. Also, critics say that girls are sometimes forced into the pageants by parents and are pushed too far by unrealistic expectations. Although many believe there are beneficial aspects to beauty pageants, others believe the pageants only have negative contributions.
Although beauty pageants may not seem very popular, the pageant industry is …show more content…
When competing in a pageant, the women are surrounded by other successful individuals. This pushes the women to strive to be a better version of themselves. Also, the beauty pageant industry “empowers women to achieve their personal and professional goals, and also provides a forum in which they are encouraged to express their opinions, talent and intelligence” (“Beauty Pageants”). Beauty pageants are a positive atmosphere for contestants where their positive qualities are celebrated and rewarded. Pageants teach contestants multiple life skills such as “learning to be comfortable onstage and around strangers, gaining poise, determining the best way to present oneself (including how to dress appropriately), realizing the need for practice, learning good sportsmanship, becoming more outgoing and learning to listen” (“Child Beauty Pageants”). Through participating in pageants, women can push themselves to be better which helps them become more successful. Beauty pageants are a great opportunity for women to really see how far they can go outside of their comfort zone and better themselves in the process. Overall, pageants help contestants strive to become a better …show more content…
First, the topic of money and whether contestants spend more money than they receive or raise for a platform can be solved by entering a different type of pageant. There are three different types of pageants which include “‘high glitz,’ ‘professional’ or ‘full glitz’ for pageants expecting contestants to wear makeup, false nails, etc.; glitz and ‘hobby glitz’ for pageants allowing, but not requiring makeup; and ‘natural pageants’ for pageants forbidding makeup” (“Child Beauty Pageants”). Rather than entering high glitz pageants and spending hundreds of dollars on dresses and makeup, women can participate in hobby glitz or natural pageants and spend a fraction of the cost. Although some women enjoy the glamour of high glitz pageants, if money is an issue natural pageants are an easy solution. Another issue at hand is whether pageants help women with their confidence or turns them into objects. This problem can be addressed by the judging of the pageants. Most pageants celebrate fitness and judge contestants on their character as well. A main example of this is “Miss America is an all-around package of being fit and healthy, talented, intelligent, selfless and passionate” (Kaplan). The women are not judged on just their body and physical appearance but who they are as a person as well. The stereotypical portrayal of a pageant girl being