As a mom, I find this kind of thing very troubling.

I wonder....has there been any "follow-up" with these young girls? These things have been going on for so long. Has anyone gotten a group of these girls and done a "Where are they now" (20 years later) type of thing? Ask them as adults...How do they feel now about pageants?

This is what I wonder. Does anyone know?

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
also at Women 4 Hope and Informed Voters

Those "eyes" in the picture are FREAKING me out!

They look like Chuckie's...or maybe the life-size doll I had when I was 6 that I always dreamed was going to kill me in my sleep.

Wheat Among Tares

Having worked in the magazine industry for many years, I've seen what people can do with Photoshop (the Dove "Evolution" viral video is just the beginning). I would absolutely not allow my daughter to get involved in anything involving modeling/pageantry, after seeing some of the soul-crushing rejection and self-esteem destruction that goes on in these industries.

The Mamahood
themamahood.typepad.com

Let me start by saying that I am not disagreeing with anything that has been posted here.

However, let's take some of the responsibility back to the parents.

My daughter, now 16, was involved in modeling and acting when she was 3 - 9 years old. She was in ballet, swimming and gymnastics when she was young but I still found her to be restless, bored, always seeking something else to do.

Over the years she did some mall runway, local kids clothing line catalogs, TV commercials, a radio spot, educational pamphlets, etc. Nothing overwhelming, no pageants.

SHE HAD FUN. She's not blonde, no curls, no extensions. She did not wear anymore makeup than a little eyeliner and some lip gloss.

Benefits: confidence, amazing ability to interact with adults and a few thousand dollars into her RESP account.

She has also gone on to write a couple of good papers on confidence, image and self-preservation versus social expectations in teenage girls.

There were parents who had the "porcelain dolls" and put unreasonable expectations on their kids. There were also many "normal" parents like me (so I think).

So, my point is, this industry can be a huge enabler for warped parents to further warp the next generalization. However, to those parents without personality disorders who think their kids might enjoy it, don't be deterred, be prepared.

Kim
http://whats-next.typepad.com

Oops.....

That last paragraph was supposed to be "next generation", NOT "next generalization". Fingers going faster than the brain, once again.

Kim
http://whats-next.typepad.com

Kimber, in my furor, I probably overgeneralized. Don't feel bad about letting your daughter do something she enjoys. That's what I meant about dance - I don't fault my parents from letting me participate in that world, even though it can be competitive and freaky, too.

Surrender, Dorothy - When I was your age, we just let them ride in the back window.

Like Kim, my preschooler models occasionally. My decision to allow her to model was two fold.

One, she is a multi-racial child and I wanted to try to get more color in marketing ads that are out there.

Two, my daughter enjoys it. We chose an agency that has a national client that does not have makeup artists or wardrobe consultants. They allow her to bring her own clothes (clothes I have choosen and deemed appropriate on a daily basis) and they allow me to do her hair. No makeup asked. No makeup used.

That being said, I have already prejudged pageant families and wouldn't allow my little one to enter contests. I know it's wrong but some of the stories that have come out of pageants scare me. The pageant vanity that includes teeth whitening and brow waxing at a young age are values I do not want to instill in my child.

www.Mom2Amara.com
www.NorthCoastMoms.com

of links to other bloggers, particularly www.suburbanturmoil.com, who had also written about it before me. There was some lively discussion, and lots of followup.

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/ninjapoodles/2006/09/in_which_i_share_with...

Belinda

Lindsay's pieces:

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/ninjapoodles/2006/09/in_awe_of_the_power_o...

http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/ninjapoodles/2006/09/in_which_we_make_an_a...

http://www.nashvilleistalking.com/archives/2006/09/little_girls_in_prett...

Belinda

for use on football players' gloves, but pageant girls use it to keep their swimsuits from riding up while they're walking the runway (best college friend was in the Miss USA system for a short while). An alternative would be Grip-Tite or the same "No Slip Spray" I have in my own tackbox for use in dressage riding, to keep your breaches more firmly in the saddle during transitions. ;-)

Belinda

Surrender, Dorothy - When I was your age, we just let them ride in the back window.

As a beauty queen, some of this stuff is shocking, and some of your comments, while i can understand them, are somewhat wrong. your all generalizing pageants as all bad. That every child that enters them will be messed up in the head, and have issues later in life. Let me say this to that:

There are two different kind of pageants out there. Natural or Glitz. competitions like sunburst, East Coast USA and the one posted above are examples of glitz pageants. I challenge you, however, to look at American Coed Pageants, National American Miss, America's Outstanding Teen, America's US Miss, International Junior Miss, all pageants that are natural, all pageants that dont have a swimsuit competition and are geared toward girls ages 3-26. Pageantry isnt about whose make-up is flawless, and who is a better liar, its about who you are and how your personality is outstanding. Ive been competing since i was 11, the only systems that I will compete in are natural because to me, glitz is disgusting. The girls that i have seen win national pageants are genuine and real, and while not every girl is that way, its unfair to say that all pageants are gross.

In Miss Congenality, it is said that its not a beauty pageant, its a scholarship competition, and a lot of the times thats true. My friends have gotten so much for their college funds for competing, for being asked "How has your favorite book impacted your life?" and "What flower relates to you the most and why?" Being in a pageant is about being able to laugh at ourself even when you mess up and being able to feel the sting of failure, but still congradualte the winner with the most sincerity. 

American Coed Pageants dont believe in make up in age groups under 13. you get points off if you do, pageants like Miss America were started as a scholarships and the reason they had a swimsuit competition was becuase a baithing suit company was one of their sponsors. I have seen little girls come out of their shell in the pageant world. They have gone from insecure quiet children to confident, self assured young women. There are a lot of merits to doing pageants as a young child, its the overbearing stage mothers that create the glitzy girls. 

I activley support young girls doing pageants because it is a great way to meet new girls (I met one of my best friends at a pageant.), you can gain self confidance, and you can learn a whole new set of skills that you will need for things like business interviews and how to present yourself to others. I never would have known the right way to sit and talk during an interview, and it makes meeting new people easier because when thye put me on the spot to answer questions, i can do it without hesitation. 

You dont need to be skinny to compete, I am a proud Size 12 in dresses, size 9 in pants, a 38D, and before i took up kickboxing i was 155. You dont need to be a twig, you dont need to be tall or need a talent, you dont need to look like a model, or eat like one (or rather not eat like a model does). My sister argues that pageant girls are not the type of person that she wants my niece to be, that were sneaky and snotty, and flat out fake. but how can she judge me and my pageants when she takes no interest in them. She presents the idea of wanting my niece to be a dancer, but dancers are the same as Pagenat girls, only they dont have to do interview and evening wear. Sure everyone has their moment when the girl we like the least wins and for a day we are sore losers, but who hasnt been upset when the brown nosing office jackass got the promotion that you deserved? 

I'm sorry if im coming off a little bitchy now, but its hurtful to see everything that you have worked hard at be torn down because of glitz pageants that have girls wear the fake teeth and have makeup loaded onto their faces.

Im not going to lie, if I'm ever in a swim suit cometition (which is judged based on physical fitness and not being lazy) im going to glue my butt, i mean, who wants to have every one see that, and it has comedown to meusing a spray tan to even out my tan lines, but does that make me less of a person? Does that negate organizing a blood drive and working for the American Cancer Society?

Hey everyone, my name is Elizabeth I am 15 and have been competing in pageants since I was 6 months old. I have been in glitz and natural, but I mostly compete in glitz. I have been through the whole Jon Benet times and have seen pageantry transform into what it is today. I know that most americans think the child beauty pageants are disgusting..and who can blame you..dressing your 6 month year old up in make up, fake hair, and giving hera spray tan would seem very odd to someone not involved in pageantry. No, I never did say to my mom I want to be in a pageant. I am the only girl in my family and I guess after 3 boys they couldnt wait to do everything girlie with their only girl. I must tell you that the whole world of Beauty Pageants is a very tight community. Usually the babies competing are sisters or brothers of older contestants. There are some very good qualities in young girls that come out of competing, they are self confident and outgoing. I read a review saying how the mentallity of the child will be altered while growing because they are subject to be being judged all the time. This doesnt happen..I think the biggest problem with pageant children growing is they tend to be a little full of themselves and feel more power than other girls. Worrying non stop about their appearences really is not a problem as they grow. All beauty pageant girls know that when they are in "pageant mode" they act like a little fake doll and try to have no flaws. Parents are basically taking what they think to be their perfect child and letting some random person tell them that they either are or are not. That is what it is all about, making that person know that you are the best. My parents are big stage parents dont get me wrong, they are the ones that put me into all of these competitions and dance classes and singing classes and piano and acting and the list goes on forever. I can truthfully tell you that sometimes I just HATE pageantry, my pageant coach is very hard he likes to win and he always has. We are also not rich people and sometimes I do feel burdened that if i dont win we wont have enough money. I dont think pageants EXPOSE your children If I were to ask they only pageant children you probably could name are Jon Benet and maybe Swan Brooner. So I think parents enter their babies more for the feeling of superiority to other mothers because their child is prettier or more outgoing. I think if Jon Benet never died, people wouldnt have that much to say about pageants, I think people are more afraid to accept the fact that a murderer killed Jon Benet and not pageants. In closing, it is an odd activity..an odd lifestlye..but people should try to find the good things about it before sterotyping every family involved in them. Take it from the pageantgirl... I know best.

Hey everyone, my name is Elizabeth I am 15 and have been competing in pageants since I was 6 months old. I have been in glitz and natural, but I mostly compete in glitz. I have been through the whole Jon Benet times and have seen pageantry transform into what it is today. I know that most americans think the child beauty pageants are disgusting..and who can blame you..dressing your 6 month year old up in make up, fake hair, and giving hera spray tan would seem very odd to someone not involved in pageantry. No, I never did say to my mom I want to be in a pageant. I am the only girl in my family and I guess after 3 boys they couldnt wait to do everything girlie with their only girl. I must tell you that the whole world of Beauty Pageants is a very tight community. Usually the babies competing are sisters or brothers of older contestants. There are some very good qualities in young girls that come out of competing, they are self confident and outgoing. I read a review saying how the mentallity of the child will be altered while growing because they are subject to be being judged all the time. This doesnt happen..I think the biggest problem with pageant children growing is they tend to be a little full of themselves and feel more power than other girls. Worrying non stop about their appearences really is not a problem as they grow. All beauty pageant girls know that when they are in "pageant mode" they act like a little fake doll and try to have no flaws. Parents are basically taking what they think to be their perfect child and letting some random person tell them that they either are or are not. That is what it is all about, making that person know that you are the best. My parents are big stage parents dont get me wrong, they are the ones that put me into all of these competitions and dance classes and singing classes and piano and acting and the list goes on forever. I can truthfully tell you that sometimes I just HATE pageantry, my pageant coach is very hard he likes to win and he always has. We are also not rich people and sometimes I do feel burdened that if i dont win we wont have enough money. I dont think pageants EXPOSE your children If I were to ask they only pageant children you probably could name are Jon Benet and maybe Swan Brooner. So I think parents enter their babies more for the feeling of superiority to other mothers because their child is prettier or more outgoing. I think if Jon Benet never died, people wouldnt have that much to say about pageants, I think people are more afraid to accept the fact that a murderer killed Jon Benet and not pageants. In closing, it is an odd activity..an odd lifestlye..but people should try to find the good things about it before sterotyping every family involved in them. Take it from the pageantgirl... I know best.