Title Do child beauty pageants degrade young girls? Should developing children be allowed to enter beauty pageants? Beauty pageants is a form of child abuse. The pageants are mainly judging one’s appearance. Therefore, it will provide the children’s immature minds with unrealistic expectations and unhealthy values. Moreover, the pageants may lead to misunderstandings about the young contestants’ self-worth. The first recorded beauty pageant in the United States took place in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, in 1880. Contestants had to be under 25 years old, weigh less than 130 pounds, at least 5 feet 4 inches tall, and unmarried. The most well known of American beauty pageants today is probably the Miss America pageant, which has been held since 1921. It started as a publicity stunt to draw crowds to Atlantic City, New Jersey, in the off-season. Throughout the years, the Miss America Pageant has slowly developed into a scholarship contest, and although it still judges women's beauty, it includes other components, such as a talent portion and an interview. Soon, Miss Universe and Miss USA followed, and by the 1960s, beauty pageants were firmly entrenched.
An over-emphasis on look and attractiveness , or an unrealistic expectation to be thin and physically beautiful will cause a negative effect …show more content…
Martina M. Cartwright, who has more than 20 years of education, said, “Intense participation that spotlight physical appearance instills the idea that physical beauty and superficial charm are the key to success.” Beauty pageants leads young contestants’ value in an unhealthy way. A protest convenor Carlie Alison quoted, “ The pageants teach girls from a very early age that their worth is based on appearance.” A task force of the American Psychological Association noted that “girls who are sexualized early will tend to gather their self-esteem as an adult based on their
An over-emphasis on look and attractiveness , or an unrealistic expectation to be thin and physically beautiful will cause a negative effect …show more content…
Martina M. Cartwright, who has more than 20 years of education, said, “Intense participation that spotlight physical appearance instills the idea that physical beauty and superficial charm are the key to success.” Beauty pageants leads young contestants’ value in an unhealthy way. A protest convenor Carlie Alison quoted, “ The pageants teach girls from a very early age that their worth is based on appearance.” A task force of the American Psychological Association noted that “girls who are sexualized early will tend to gather their self-esteem as an adult based on their