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Description
...and considered a form of child exploitation.

And don't give me that "well I learned how to be confident and speak in public from doing blahblahblah...."

No.

You can achieve these skills without having to rely on superficial and materialistic traits. All child pageantry enforces is that as long as you're pretty, you can win. Every time I see shows like Toddlers & Tiaras or Little Miss Perfect I cringe, especially at the parents.

Getting medals, trophies and money for being pretty runs and performing tricks on a stage runs along the same lines as a dog show. Which is pretty much what pageantry is, at the very least, child pageantry.

And how do you practice being pretty? This is what sets it apart from dancing, sports, arts, singing, etc. You can't work on being prettier, you're either born that way or you're not, you've no control over it safe from going under the knife. So why would you want to fill your child's head with false pride?

Ridiculous. They don't look like little girls, they look like tramps. Take that shit off their faces, give them some real goddamn clothes and let them be children.

Also, I won't even acknowledge the "well if they wan to do it, let them?" bullshit excuse for the reason that a lot of them are put into pageants since infant-hood. So tell me, how did they get to choose then? They didn't, and most grow up not knowing much else. You also have to consider that they're children who are emotionally immature, they don't have the mental or emotional capacity to tell their parent(s) that they no longer wish to do this for fear of disappointing or being punished. Don't give me the "that's not so" crap, because you know damn well it is. You didn't grow up making your own informed decisions, they were made for you, especially at that age.

Since a lot of them have been doing it since they were infants or toddlers, they don't know any better so they don't have anything to compare it too, they've barely been alive long enough to experience much of anything.

And after spending all that money on them, on their pageants, their clothes, the transportation, the hair, the accessories, the make up, the entrance fee...You're seriously going to sit there and tell me that those children aren't in any shape, way or form emotionally blackmailed into continuing with child pageants? A lot of the parents get addicted to it and that's what's wrong with it, this is one of the main problems.

The parents are addicted.

It's no longer about the child, it's about feeding that addiction. Children are already emotionally insecure as it is, why would you set up your child to participate in something that tells them that if they're not pretty enough, they're not good enough? Already kids grow up with complexes, insecurities, low self esteem and low confidence. Why enforce these?

Why, for the love of whatever god you do or do not worship, would anyone do this?

Edit:
Another point is that you should not require a panel of judges to have to tell you that your child is beautiful, but most importantly, you should not have to leave it up to a panel of judges to validate your child's feelings. Shouldn't it be the parent telling the child they're beautiful no matter what? You don't need crowns, trophies, medals or prizes to do that.

And also other good points below on how some of them even voice that they no longer wish to do pageants to their parents but are treated as though their opinion and feelings on the matter are invalid. Some parents will even force rather painful cosmetic procedures like waxing, hair weaves, etc, on their children.

And yes, we can't forget how most, if not all, of the mothers are living through their children, which is another thing that disgusts me about pageantry. Are they so emotionally insecure that they have to use their own children in such a manner?

I'm seriously not impressed.

And on the matter of health: A lot of these pageant parents will feed their kids pixie sticks, coffee and other strongly caffeinated beverages, energy drinks and pills, high sugar content foods and beverages, junk/fast food (who has time to cook when you're on the road?), etc. Do they not for even just a moment consider the health risks?

Cons:

-> Focusing too much on physical appearance at such a young age. Being thin, attractive, etc.

-> Far too much pressure to be perfect.

-> Feelings of inadequacies when they do not win.

-> Stress about body ideals and how their bodies should look.

-> Fostering sexualization of children.

-> Unhealthy eating habits.

-> Unhealthy expectations, self criticism and a distorted concept of beauty. They foster the ideal that self worth is defined by physical beauty or that being successful requires being attractive.

-> Feelings of jealousy and comparing themselves to other girls.

-> False self esteem/confidence.

-> False sense of security based on physical attractiveness.

Update.

A pageant mother claims to give her daughter botox injections: [link]

She later recants the story and claims that the story was a hoax, that she was paid to make up her story. She used her daughter as a media tool. She later loses custody of her daughter, signs a declaration that legally states her story was fake in order to get her daughter back: [link]

What the fuck is wrong with these people?

Susanna Barrett files a $30 million dollar lawsuit suing the media for sexualizing her child And why? Because she had her five (5) year old daughter sing LMFAO's I'm Sexy and I Know It in a bar. She has the audacity to blame the media...

Edit 2:

A friend of mine brought up this point earlier today.

There are some people who argue that pageantry is really no different than any other activity, that any argument we come up with can also be applied to sports, dancing, singing, arts, etc.

Yes, they are indeed correct, however, saying this does not change the fact that pageantry means comparing your child to other children based on how they look, and don't think for one second that they're not comparing themselves either.

How many of those girls are overweight? How many are disfigured or born with a birth defect? Why don't we see kids with Down's Syndrome or other mental disorders? Physical disorders?

And before you argue "Well, other activities exclude kids like that too..."...No, they do not. These activities are open to even those with special needs, however, would a panel of judges award a little girl with Down's Syndrome a crown based on her being attractive or sympathy? She didn't work on being pretty, none of the girls have, but would a judge really treat them them the same as the other girls?

And yes, I have heard of pageants having special events just for little girls with special needs, but really, why isn't it more common and why aren't the competing with other girls who aren't special needs?

Because pageantry is based on being attractive, beautiful and so on and so forth. Yes, it's cruel and perhaps even a bit sick to even mention, but you know it's the truth.

How many women who a special need or disability have become Miss America? Or even Miss Universe? And no, I'm not talking about things like Miss Wheelchair America either, but a pageant where women regardless of shape, size, color or disability compete equally.

It's things like this that drive the point home that a beauty pageant is based on a panel of judge's distorted view of what beautiful is, and only those who meet a certain criteria need apply. It goes with child beauty pageants as well.

I would love to see a family bring their wheelchair bound daughter to participate in Toddlers & Tiaras and see what happens. Would they look at her the same as the others? Would they feel sympathy?

And don't give me the "the judges would be fair and blahblahblah" or "it's not like that!", because to be frank, it seems that way and I've yet to see any proof that it is not. Why are there pageants for special needs kids and pageants for those who are not? Shouldn't they compete together equally since people keep arguing that child pageants aren't about being attractive?

Description
...and considered a form of child exploitation.

And don't give me that "well I learned how to be confident and speak in public from doing blahblahblah...."

No.

You can achieve these skills without having to rely on superficial and materialistic traits. All child pageantry enforces is that as long as you're pretty, you can win. Every time I see shows like Toddlers & Tiaras or Little Miss Perfect I cringe, especially at the parents.

Getting medals, trophies and money for being pretty runs and performing tricks on a stage runs along the same lines as a dog show. Which is pretty much what pageantry is, at the very least, child pageantry.

And how do you practice being pretty? This is what sets it apart from dancing, sports, arts, singing, etc. You can't work on being prettier, you're either born that way or you're not, you've no control over it safe from going under the knife. So why would you want to fill your child's head with false pride?

Ridiculous. They don't look like little girls, they look like tramps. Take that shit off their faces, give them some real goddamn clothes and let them be children.

Also, I won't even acknowledge the "well if they wan to do it, let them?" bullshit excuse for the reason that a lot of them are put into pageants since infant-hood. So tell me, how did they get to choose then? They didn't, and most grow up not knowing much else. You also have to consider that they're children who are emotionally immature, they don't have the mental or emotional capacity to tell their parent(s) that they no longer wish to do this for fear of disappointing or being punished. Don't give me the "that's not so" crap, because you know damn well it is. You didn't grow up making your own informed decisions, they were made for you, especially at that age.

Since a lot of them have been doing it since they were infants or toddlers, they don't know any better so they don't have anything to compare it too, they've barely been alive long enough to experience much of anything.

And after spending all that money on them, on their pageants, their clothes, the transportation, the hair, the accessories, the make up, the entrance fee...You're seriously going to sit there and tell me that those children aren't in any shape, way or form emotionally blackmailed into continuing with child pageants? A lot of the parents get addicted to it and that's what's wrong with it, this is one of the main problems.

The parents are addicted.

It's no longer about the child, it's about feeding that addiction. Children are already emotionally insecure as it is, why would you set up your child to participate in something that tells them that if they're not pretty enough, they're not good enough? Already kids grow up with complexes, insecurities, low self esteem and low confidence. Why enforce these?

Why, for the love of whatever god you do or do not worship, would anyone do this?

Edit:
Another point is that you should not require a panel of judges to have to tell you that your child is beautiful, but most importantly, you should not have to leave it up to a panel of judges to validate your child's feelings. Shouldn't it be the parent telling the child they're beautiful no matter what? You don't need crowns, trophies, medals or prizes to do that.

And also other good points below on how some of them even voice that they no longer wish to do pageants to their parents but are treated as though their opinion and feelings on the matter are invalid. Some parents will even force rather painful cosmetic procedures like waxing, hair weaves, etc, on their children.

And yes, we can't forget how most, if not all, of the mothers are living through their children, which is another thing that disgusts me about pageantry. Are they so emotionally insecure that they have to use their own children in such a manner?

I'm seriously not impressed.

And on the matter of health: A lot of these pageant parents will feed their kids pixie sticks, coffee and other strongly caffeinated beverages, energy drinks and pills, high sugar content foods and beverages, junk/fast food (who has time to cook when you're on the road?), etc. Do they not for even just a moment consider the health risks?

Cons:

-> Focusing too much on physical appearance at such a young age. Being thin, attractive, etc.

-> Far too much pressure to be perfect.

-> Feelings of inadequacies when they do not win.

-> Stress about body ideals and how their bodies should look.

-> Fostering sexualization of children.

-> Unhealthy eating habits.

-> Unhealthy expectations, self criticism and a distorted concept of beauty. They foster the ideal that self worth is defined by physical beauty or that being successful requires being attractive.

-> Feelings of jealousy and comparing themselves to other girls.

-> False self esteem/confidence.

-> False sense of security based on physical attractiveness.

Update.

A pageant mother claims to give her daughter botox injections: [link]

She later recants the story and claims that the story was a hoax, that she was paid to make up her story. She used her daughter as a media tool. She later loses custody of her daughter, signs a declaration that legally states her story was fake in order to get her daughter back: [link]

What the fuck is wrong with these people?

Susanna Barrett files a $30 million dollar lawsuit suing the media for sexualizing her child And why? Because she had her five (5) year old daughter sing LMFAO's I'm Sexy and I Know It in a bar. She has the audacity to blame the media...

Edit 2:

A friend of mine brought up this point earlier today.

There are some people who argue that pageantry is really no different than any other activity, that any argument we come up with can also be applied to sports, dancing, singing, arts, etc.

Yes, they are indeed correct, however, saying this does not change the fact that pageantry means comparing your child to other children based on how they look, and don't think for one second that they're not comparing themselves either.

How many of those girls are overweight? How many are disfigured or born with a birth defect? Why don't we see kids with Down's Syndrome or other mental disorders? Physical disorders?

And before you argue "Well, other activities exclude kids like that too..."...No, they do not. These activities are open to even those with special needs, however, would a panel of judges award a little girl with Down's Syndrome a crown based on her being attractive or sympathy? She didn't work on being pretty, none of the girls have, but would a judge really treat them them the same as the other girls?

And yes, I have heard of pageants having special events just for little girls with special needs, but really, why isn't it more common and why aren't the competing with other girls who aren't special needs?

Because pageantry is based on being attractive, beautiful and so on and so forth. Yes, it's cruel and perhaps even a bit sick to even mention, but you know it's the truth.

How many women who a special need or disability have become Miss America? Or even Miss Universe? And no, I'm not talking about things like Miss Wheelchair America either, but a pageant where women regardless of shape, size, color or disability compete equally.

It's things like this that drive the point home that a beauty pageant is based on a panel of judge's distorted view of what beautiful is, and only those who meet a certain criteria need apply. It goes with child beauty pageants as well.

I would love to see a family bring their wheelchair bound daughter to participate in Toddlers & Tiaras and see what happens. Would they look at her the same as the others? Would they feel sympathy?

And don't give me the "the judges would be fair and blahblahblah" or "it's not like that!", because to be frank, it seems that way and I've yet to see any proof that it is not. Why are there pageants for special needs kids and pageants for those who are not? Shouldn't they compete together equally since people keep arguing that child pageants aren't about being attractive?