Do you think Child Beauty pageants are a form of child abuse?

[Waffles731]

Yes

No

Updates

+1 y

I guess I should have added another option for other/explain

[Anonymous]

Yes it is because these mothers only want the child to live the life that they want them to live and not their own life. When I have a daughter, I will teach her about the importance of inner beauty and a good personality. She doesn't have to be the most beautiful woman to succeed or have the best body, she had to be herself. Unlike me, I don't want her to grow up having low-self esteem and being obsessed with the mirror everywhere she goes. Its about using your Brian's and not your face. When the child is being forced to do these kind of things, they will be obsessed with their looks and will grow up too fast. Let the kids be kids and allow them to enjoy their childhood as children and not as adults. If she wants to do it when she's older then that's OK but I will advise her to never make people feel superior to her. Always remain humble, loving, caring, but most importantly God-fearing.

[lovydoey]

True, that's why I oppose reality shows starting children like Honey Boo Boo. She was an adorable little girl, but she was not living a healthy lifestyle a child should live. They play around not having to worry for TV cameras following them. That and she was big for her age, and unhealthy too. Many children are being diagnosed with diabetes, and although we should teach our kids about inner beauty, we should also teach them about a healthy lifestyle.

[Rainie_]

Not necessarily child abuse but they grow up in a toxic environment that is not healthy for the child's brain development. A child's developmental stage (age 3 up to preteens) is vital in the brains development and when a child goes through this kind of shit it just gets fucked up, especially if the child doesn't even like being a pageant. Some mothers think its "harmless fun", and ignore the reality of it all just for their own pleasure of playing doll dress up and games (competitions). Its all just fucked up tbh.

[Mia12345678]

But technically it harms the child and anything that harms children is child abuse.

[menina]

Yes, they are. These mothers force their daughters to do things that a child shouldn't be doing it. They just want to have a normal life, a life that a little girl should have.
Sometimes they don't even know what they're doing.
I feel sorry for these children. And their mothers should be punished somehow.

[dragonfly6516]

Many beauty treatments can actually harm children and stunt their growth and development. It also encourages unrealistic standards of beauty, which can in turn instill a habit of self harm and self hatred when these standards are not met.

[madhatters4]

i don't think the pageants are necessarily a form of abuse but i definitely think that it can manifest abuse by parents. some children seem to legitimately want to participate in pageants. in some ways i guess pageants can teach some useful disciplines for life (public speaking, learning talents, work ethic, etc).

but there are certainly ways in which it leads or fosters abuse

[madhatters4]

but making it clear i wouldn't want my daughter doing those pageants. i think they teach the wrong values and take way too much time away from much more productive and enriching activities

[rjroy3]

No, but it's robbing your daughter of her childhood and opportunity to form her self identity on more than just her looks.

[rjroy3]

It's not a "other/explain" type question lol. It's pretty clearly yes or no. You're fine man.

[Luci92]

Not child abuse, but I think they're a waste of time and promote nothing but shallowness and temper tantrums/entitled attitudes.
I think they're especially bad if the mother is forcing the child to do them and actually is making them do it for their own fucked up reason (like they wish they did it as a child) but it's not as bad if the child isn't being forced.
I've seen a lot of Toddlers and Tiaras and there are heaps of bratty, nightmare-ish young girls, but there are some okay ones too.

[Hai_tis_E]

I agree some go to the extreme which is wrong. But it's an activity, it puts your kid out there to try something different, I think if the kid wants to do it then it's perfectly fine. You have to remember that they literally look like this for one night, every other day they are normal kids. It's also a great way to teach kids how to lose andvwin with respect. They don't win based on looks it based on performance so it teaches them to focus their energy and improve.

Also that first photo is just trying to make things worse "stripper outfits "? Really? She's wearing a swim suit.

[Mt144]

Totally agree with you

[Darkfairie17]

I think it's sad that we need to pressure children to live up to certain beauty ideals and then compete. I mean 4 year olds shouldn't be wearing false eyelashes and getting spray tans. To me that just isn't a healthy habit to instil in them early on.

Plus what happens with the kids that don't win? It's gotta hit them in the confidence and self-esteem somehow.

[lovydoey]

I think so, because a child is supposed to play and eat candy (of course have a healthy diet) and not be judged on beauty. Because then they will think beauty is the most important thing. And then they have a false image on what beauty is. And besides is creepy/weird to have judges looking at them and critize them like if they are Miss America. I mean they are children let them run and jump not walk in heels and be judged for how they look

[Anonymous]

I personally think it's something that they shouldn't even be in pageants that young I mean there are some sick fucks out here and when they are in beauty pageants they will only grow up to just care about their looks then what actually matters like learning and being smart. Society pretty much is going backwards with shit like this

[alice55]

It's not abuse, they doesn't force their child to do that (when I was child I myself like to wore stuff women wore, i liked to play the "women"). The problem is that for the child they're only playing but for their mother it's a lot more important plus I sure they're some pedo who enjoy the show...

[nala_rawr]

Abuse is a harsh word... but definitely not something we should push on our children...
We're teaching them at such a young age that looking Better than the next girl is way more important than it actually is. Also the clothing and makeup? Seriously?

[Anonymous]

I think it's a terrible idea, should just leave it for the adults. It over emphasizes and focus way too much on physical appearances and physical attractiveness. Maybe some of them would grow up and become strippers, hookers, or even porn stars one day and they would not think or feel there is any problems with it. Or they may end up spending a lot of their money on plastic surgery, etc.

[jp612612]

I don't see it as child abuse as just more the distasteful sexualization of children. I mean, we already highly sexualize children in our culture so doing it in the form of some sort of contest is just a sick continuation of that.

[CyberToothTiger]

I feel that Child Beauty Pageants shouldn't allow all that make up on them girls to look like grown women i think that is form of child abuse right there but parents don't care they allow it to go on and really parents should stop to think this is form of trauma. I think they need to rewrite the rules of Children Beauty Pageants and there should be a age limit or they need to do something.

[Saoirse_Nua]

Child Abuse is a bit strong but they are a form of bad parenting - That second meme is so spot on, it is the mothers fantasy being fulfilled - While I say it is wrong, does that mean that all "Tiger" parents are wrong, go to school, study, get good grades, get a big job, live the life I never could - Sometimes when you take a step back and think logically, it can be frightening.

[snowangle]

Not necessarily. If the child hates doing pageants and none of the body modifications are consensual, then yes that could be considered abusive. But if the child genuinely loves the pageant life, then that's fine.

[lovydoey]

Is not the life a child should live. They follow their mothers because they see them as role models and trust them. A child is not going to know that in the long term is hurting them. Some go to diets, a child with a restrictive diet. And wearing makeup at a young age will destroy her skin later on, as well as heels affects posture if wear too long. Also they don't look like children, and that is not healthy. They are not mini woman, they are children.

[snowangle]

@lovydoey You may be right, but I don't see child pageants as much different from child dance or theater and such. Either way, they're wearing makeup at a young age (and with dance, they often wear very "mature" costumes). But if the child has a passion for it, good for them.

[lovydoey]

Yea well as long as is something they decide from themselves and not being pushed by their parents. I guess I was just thinking of "toodlers and tiaras" 😕

[MarkRet]

These child beauty pageants seem to be primarily a southern thing. You don't see nearly as many of them in the north. It looks like the moms are trying to live glories through their daughter's lives. Teaching these kids to strut their stuff when they don't have any stuff to strut is exploitation.

[bedroomdweller]

Imagine if it was men who put their daughters to compete, and teach them this sort of beauty standards and whatnot. Feminists would have exploded on them. Since its mostly women indoctrinating these children to those beauty standards, and make them compete for it, then it's cool...

[tricia103]

I think that if your child enjoys doing it and wins often then it's fine. However, once the child start protesting and stops wanting to do it, I definitely don't think that the parents should make them continue on with the pageants.

[GraveTruth]

yes, I do believe that throwing that amount of pressure on a child is abusive.

AND... let's not forget that any father or guy who is involved with these pageants is DEFINITELY a child predator.

[mike5150]

Depends on how much there family forces it on them compared to how much they personally want to do it. Those things always seemed like they would be loaded with pedo's.

[Blonde401]

Probably. I just can't help but think about what happened to Jon Benet Ramsay who did these pageants but was murdered by her family and they covered it up.

[cth96190]

I find the to be weird, creepy and designed to excite paedophiles.

[mecca99]

i think that it all depends on how the parent is treating the child