There is a show on TLC called “Toddlers and Tiaras”. It has been running for 4 seasons, and it premiered in 2009. There is so much I have to say about this show I do not even know where to start. The show exposes the world of child beauty pageants in the USA.
First of all to me, all children are beautiful. Ok, some are cuter that others I am not going to lie. However from birth to about seven years old, all kids to me are beautiful. It is unlikely for them to be again as beautiful and perfect as they are at that age. They have no pimples or cellulite, but most importantly they possess the most beautiful thing in the world: innocence. Now tell me how anybody (especially parents) dares to challenge that?
We are always complaining about eating disorders, suicide attempts, bullying in kids and teens. So do these parents see anything wrong with this picture? To allow their kids to be judged by their looks at such an early age, and compete is horrible to me. Every little girl should be the most beautiful girl in the entire world in her eyes, and every little boy should be the most handsome in the world. Why are these parents playing with their children self-esteem, especially at such a vulnerable age? These little girls are likely to become depressed or have an eating disorder as they grow older because they have only been taught that their worth is in their looks.
Not only are the kids judged on their looks, but they are made up into these ridiculous drag queen miniatures. It is absolutely absurd, little kids have perfect skin and face and hair. However they are turned into these horrendous little adult-looking kids. They don’t look cute, it is actually disturbing. The girls wear big fake hair, more make-up than most adult ladies I know and inappropriate clothing. They are continuously told they need to tan. What message does it send? “Your skin in not beautiful enough, you need to change it”. They need to wear fake eye lashes, and fake hair, because their own does not make the cut in these competitions.
On top of being clowned up they have to learn how to do tricks. Some do routines, dancing as if they were 20 year old women and not little girls. They are trained to laugh, smile and flirt with the judges. There is no component at all that asks for any type of educational skill, like a spelling bee or something of the sort. Putting all the weight on the ability to act like little brainless, fake women, sending the message again, that their value is only measured in what they look like.
The little girls that win get huge crowns and bags of make-up. Do the parents not feel bad when their children are sad that they did not win and they don’t get a crown and prizes?
Most kids I have seen on that show hate participating in pageants. Once I saw a lady who begged her daughter to let her dye her eye lashes because hers were “too blond”. That same lady would bleach both her son’s and daughter’s teeth (both participated in the pageants), and put immense amount of pressure on them winning. It seems to me that all these parents have issues and dead dreams that they are trying to fulfill with their children, which is simply not fair. Oh, and of course there are money prizes which I am sure go to the children’s college fund huh?
In my opinion I do not think tanning and make-up is appropriate for kids. Neither is this notion that their worth is measured by their looks. Do these parents not realize that their life will be hard enough already as adults? Why put this burden on them?
However what alarms me the most, secondary to the self-esteem issues imposed on the kids, is that pedophiles must have a field day when it comes to these pageants. Little girls dressed in little clothing meant for adult women? Flirting around with their practised walks? It is ridiculous that parents do not think about this when parading their children at these events.
Children should be allowed to be children. Their skin should not be tanned because it is perfect, they should not wear make-up, their face is perfect, and so is their hair, smile and personality. No more and no less. If these parents want to enrich their children’s lives they should take them to piano lessons, ballet, swimming, or soccer lessons. Enrich their lives with real skills that will follow them through their lives and make them more secure within themselves and their abilities. Instead of parading them around for a whole bunch of people to pass judgement on them, tell them that they are the best in the world, because in your eyes the always should be.
- Kevin Alcott
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