Child Beauty Pageant Analysis

Miniature sized madonnas of their era gracefully parade down the stage as their names are called, covered in full glam from head to toe in extensions galore. The authenticity of these young girls wears thin as their costumes exhibit a mature look while their bodies have yet a long way to develop. As pure and glamourous the art of pageantry might seem, behind the curtains lie a different show. Karen Kataline, President of The Center for Leadership Communication and author of award-winning “Fatlash! Food Police & the Fear of Thin,” reveals the perspective of the child beauty pageant craze as she was once a “Little Miss Pageant” Princess. Kataline explains how detrimental the pageant world was on herself and her relation to the world as many …show more content…
Samuel asserts that because of the societal problem, the French Parliamentary has made actions to banning “children’s lingerie, child-sized adult clothing,” and predominantly, “Mini-Miss” beauty pageants. While this occurrence is happening away from America, the importance of the issue remains the same. Young girls who participate in child beauty pageants are faced with a predetermined outcome that may hurt their future. Alissa J. Rubin and Maïa De La Baume, authors of “French Senate Approves Ban on Pageants for Young Girls,” consolidated the truth that goes behind beauty pageants. Beauty pageants have entirely shifted the mindsets of young pageant participants, creating a larger focus on the importance of beauty rather than qualities such as intelligence.Due to the shuddering history and societal impact of child beauty pageants prompts the question: How does the hypersexualization of young pageant participants expose the true image of American child beauty …show more content…
Through the different influences and inspiration from France’s push to ban pageantry for young girls, the creation of new pageant guidelines was inspired by the words of Chantal Jouanno, former junior minister for environment and Paris’ representing senator, where she states in an interview to “let us not make our girls believe from a very young age that their worth is based only on their experience.” With this statement in mind, Maud Chevalier, founder of Graines de Miss, is one of the few pageant directors who has implicated new pageant guidelines like forbidding young pageant participants from wearing heels over 1.4 inches high, short dresses, wigs, makeup, and swimsuits. Chevalier’s changes have shown a different perspective of the pageant community, in which the meaning of pageantry is really for the participant rather than the idea of entertainment for others. Overall, the true purpose of beauty pageants has been twisted out of context to the point of absolute delusion as expressed by the detrimental effects on America’s beauty pageant industry. Through the new pageant guidelines, the life of pageantry can be restored for the children, pageant industry, and society as a