Are Child Beauty Pageants Sexualizing Children?
Thursday, October 20, 2011 7:55AM
On Thursday's show, Anderson explores the world of child beauty pageants and examines the impact of pageants on children.
"Toddlers & Tiaras" star Eden Wood's mom, Mickie, defends the longtime tradition of beauty pageants and specifically asserts that her child dancing has absolutely nothing to do with sex.
Take a look at this moment from Thursday's show...
Filed Under: As Seen On The Show
Comments
I am a mother of 5 and I am very concerned about how other so called MOMs do sexualize their children. They call it being "cute" but in reality they are purposely training their children to act like strippers. I am sickened by the whole thing. My children are beautiful and I prefer to teach them to respect themselves.
Eden sang her "patooty" song in a pink frilly dress with modest pantaloons under her dress. That's not what she and the others wear in the pageants. They dress at best like showgirls and nearly every one at some point will turn around and shake their booty to the audience. The mothers don't mention when their child cries at not being the "grand supreme" winner. Even Honey Boo Boo was in tears after losing. I watched it to see what it was about. I stopped watching because I could not stand to see what the mothers were doing to their children. In the last episode I watched, mom said twin "Sally" was prettier and had a great personality, and twin "Jane", well, is just Jane. There was much more from that disturbed mother which can only be described as emotional abuse. You have to see it to believe a mother could be so cruel -and ignorant. Google around and you will find lots of negative response to that mother. By the way, the "pretty" twin acted like a brat.
If you want my opinion,child modeling is SIIIIIIICK!!!!! Why do you think there are so many child molesters, rapists, and kidnappings out there? It's because of the way parents let their children dress and act. Very, Very sick.
It just brings me back to the horrible death of Jon Benet Ramsey.Yes Virginia there are pedophiles.
Of course they are.When did dressing up like a hooker become a part of any kind of beauty pageant? Also,I wonder if these parents realize that pedophiles might be watching this?
Gah, women! No, there's nothing wrong with your child. However, there is something wrong with a lot of people out there and you're just offering up your daughter as an appetizer.
Those little girls should have been taken backstage when the "sexualization" talk was going on! It's bad enough the parents dont have the sense to shield them, the show's producers and host should know better!
These mothers who put their children on display are persons of low intelligence who look at money and fame, which they could not gain for themselves, more importantly then the welfare of their children. Their value system is flawed.
I watched your show on the pageant moms and had to leave the room several times. I am a retired teacher. My students were all male, teens, and convicted sex offenders, living in a facility receiving constant therapy. They would not hesitate to watch those little girls, over and over and over and masterbate. They would not hesitate to work in the pageant arena just to get close to those little girls. Those mothers are hanging their children out as bait and those pageants should be stopped. Sick, really sick.
I view these type of parents to be irresponsible, clueless and in denial of their brainwashed beliefs that a child should be portraying a sexy adult. Absolutely they are living through their child. Their reinforcement of subjecting a small child to behave this way is appalling and should be banned. As well as the Dance Studios allowing suit. What kind of example and image are they portraying at such a young age? Let them be innocent and young until after 18 yrs. o****e. I felt it was insulting to compare themselves with Shirley Temple! She was a beautiful, descent, innocent, talented, bright loving child that did not ever show any sexuality. She showed and taught us compassion, empathy and a caring heart! All these new young children are all plastic and superficial, with no depth..... Poor examples reflecting their parents images and attitudes.... focusing on greed and self gratification.
The clips from T & T only represent a tiny portion of pageantry as a whole. This show is also largely scripted, some of the pageants held soley for the purpose of the filming of that episode. They show only a glimpse into glitz pageantry and the moms that agree to be followed are not representative of the pageant moms I know or of myself and my own experience participating in glitz pageantry as both a parent and a contestant. I would never agree for my child or myself to be used as entertainment in this fashion. This show has hurt the perception of glitz pageantry in the same way that extreme couponing has hurt the normal coupon user as an overweight obsessive hoarder of unhealthy food items and household products. I have both adult children that grew up doing pageants as a hobby as well as a child that competes now. I also did pageants growing up. We are all normall, my adult children are degreed professionals, happy & healthy will positive body image and high self-esteem. IMHO this has MUCH more to do with parenting & growing up knowing you are loved & encouraged to follow your interests by your parents much much more then the particular hobbies during childhood.
Why can't these children be judge on their natural beauty?
Ok this show drove my daughter and I crazy. I'm sick to death
about people judging about things they have no clue what the are talking about.
You can say there is bad parenting in everything a child does. Have you been to a dance, cheerleading competition ? You should know that tv only shows bad
Conflicts. They do it every reality show! Those little girls looked like they loved
singing and dance.
I used to think and feel the same way as many of those who disagree with children's beauty pageants but now I have a new perspective about it. The only opposition I have about children competing in any arena (be it pageants, sports, spelling bee, science fair, music, etc.) is when a parent becomes too demanding and doesn't allow the child to have other interests. I think people are making too big a deal over this. Remember, it is just "acting" - something all kids love to do. They like to play pretend and model after grown-ups. It is only "sexualized" when we make it to be that way. If we're so concerned about children modeling wrongful behavior than we have to be "better" role models. Perhaps we should stop giving recognition to celebrities, reality stars, "sexualized" figures, etc. and then our children will not feel compelled to idolize and mimick them. Our children idolize these same people - not for the same reasons as we do - but in their own innocent way but then we reprimand them at the same time. The entertainment industry did not grow into a billion dollar industry on their own. Honestly, anybody who has a problem with children's beauty pageants are looking at these beautiful children through their own dirty minds and should first look at their own society.
Get Real! To teach an innocent child that beauty and talent is based on all these FAKE attributes bought by the all mighty dollar is criminal! To rob a child of their youth is WRONG! To strip them of their innocence and dress them up like a barbie doll ? Come on - someone please wake me up from this nightmare!!
We have an obligation to nurture our children, in a loving, creative and SAFE environment. To teach a child their self worth is skin deep - based on fake makeup, fake hair, fake skin, fake teeth.......? HELLLOOOOOO - is any body home? How will this affect their young and developing minds? There self esteem? What happens when beauty fades? I am sure the nip tuck loves this industry!! One thing leads to another and before you know it we live in a world with anorexic 13 year olds with breast and lip implants???? $$$
I understand we live in a world powered by money, sex, power and greed - but for God's sake LEAVE THE CHILDREN ALONE!!