Are beauty pageants exploitive? [ENDS 06/03/2011]

[rokgal]

I find that the younger ones are creepy like age 3-9 because they wear loads of makeup ect at a really young age but if its like 12-19 i think thats alll right as long as its there choice i mean if thats what they want to do you cant really stop them can you?
I think adult ones are fine.

[beth]

to say the girls who enter pageants are stupid is simply wrong, these girls are very clever in that they know how to work an audience, how to perform and how to win. intelligence isn't a one-dimensional thing, there are different types + these girls (and boys, cause there are guy pageants) and clever in what they do.

i don't find them exploitive at all, i think they're interesting and they allow a person to do something they're good at, if they so want to. obviously an "ugly" person isn't going to win, but that isn't unfair; that's the way it is. if you know yr not beautiful in the eyes of society, then don't enter, yr not gonna win (i'm not saying that society's view of beauty is wrong or right, but that's the way it is.)

[Conservative,]

I think it's stupid to have pageants for 1/2/3/4 year olds - because they barely understand what's happening, and it's just the parents trying to make some money out of the "beauty" of their daughter/son. << Not all pageants are for girls may I say.

However, I think once they're at the age of 12/13/14/15 where they KNOW what it is, and it's their choice, then I don't see the problem.

And as others have said, it's not just beauty that is judged, and it's not going to help by letting fat girls win beauty pageants. Beauty pageants are for BEAUTY (and other skills etc.). People are naturally biased towards pretty girls, I don't think letting fat girls win beauty pageants would change that, nor would scrapping them.

If people want to hold them, then let them. It doesn't harm society really. Maybe the way to solve it is to have pageants for "bigger" girls, boys, whatever. But I still doubt that would change how people view beauty in general.

[lawrawrrr]

I think it's stupid to have pageants for 1/2/3/4 year olds - because they barely understand what's happening, and it's just the parents trying to make some money out of the "beauty" of their daughter/son. << Not all pageants are for girls may I say.

Agreed - but IMO I don't think it's WRONG as such, it's just like being models as a baby - only exploitive if something happens that probably shouldn't...

However, I think once they're at the age of 12/13/14/15 where they KNOW what it is, and it's their choice, then I don't see the problem.

Still at this age, the parents have a MAJOR influence over the decisions of the child - and the parent has to sign the release forms saying that the child is allowed to do it so...

And as others have said, it's not just beauty that is judged, and it's not going to help by letting fat girls win beauty pageants. Beauty pageants are for BEAUTY (and other skills etc.). People are naturally biased towards pretty girls, I don't think letting fat girls win beauty pageants would change that, nor would scrapping them.

It's a common disbelief that only stick thin girls win beauty pageants. Just because we see the "Miss America 2k10" as this pretty, blonde, anorexic girl, all contestants have to look like that? And "miss *insert county/country name here*" aren't the only beauty pageants - there's a lot more worldwide, using all kinds of contestants as winners.

If people want to hold them, then let them. It doesn't harm society really. Maybe the way to solve it is to have pageants for "bigger" girls, boys, whatever. But I still doubt that would change how people view beauty in general.

This could honestly be seen as discrimination. Can you imagine the competition? "Beauty Pageant for Fat Girls" - that's going to go down a storm... and there are pageants for boys already out there, although less - due to the lower demand for them.

[sophiethenerd]

Seems wrong to me,to insult "ugly" people and make them lose in these sorts of things.Why should some perfectly nice person have there self esteem lowered just becuase they have a big nose, or beady eyes,or frizzy hair.

[beth]

Seems wrong to me,to insult "ugly" people and make them lose in these sorts of things.Why should some perfectly nice person have there self esteem lowered just becuase they have a big nose, or beady eyes,or frizzy hair.

because in all fairness people are aware of how attractive they are in the eyes of society, and why enter if yr not that "attractive". that's not saying society's view of beauty is right, or wrong.

it's like, you wouldn't enter a dance competition if you couldn't dance.

[FlyingJesus]

Seems wrong to me,to insult "ugly" people and make them lose in these sorts of things.Why should some perfectly nice person have there self esteem lowered just becuase they have a big nose, or beady eyes,or frizzy hair.

Because it's a beauty contest :S people are not all equal and if you want pageants stopped because of how it might make some utter disasterface feel then surely no competitions should exist in anything? Here I feel I have to repeat myself:

I don't see anyone calling for a stop to spelling bees or sporting events