In the Pageant World...

Forty years after beauty pageants were introduced in America in 1920, child beauty pageants paved their way into the industry. “According to Charles Dunn, publisher of Pageantry Magazine, "Every year beauty pageants show off 100,000 children under the age of twelve". Operated by “for-profit” organizations, pageants are provided at a local, state or national level. There is no concrete way in which a pageant must be operated. The management and rules are set for each specific pageant by the contest director. Depending on the competition size, prizes range from cash awards and trophies to tiaras and puppies. “Some of the criteria considered in judging a pageant are writing skills, interviews, personality, looks, confidence and talent, depending on the specific competition”.

The nation’s largest child beauty pageant, Universal Royalty pageant, features sixty contestants divided into different age groups ranging from 0-30 years old. Competitions are held monthly with an entry fee of $545. This does not include the outstanding costs of contest attire, lessons, travel, overnight accommodations, and food expenses, which several stage mothers claim can cost up to $12,000. Universal Royalty pageants also encourage family values by offering opportunities for fathers of contestants to enter “dad competitions”, which are free of charge and provide a small award for the winner. The director of Universal Royalty Annette Hill, a former child pageant competitor herself, promotes a professional and organized atmosphere for her contestants.

Practicing for hours weekly, and receiving money and prizes for performances, it is surprising that “child pageant contestants are not considered to be “working” children”. Beauty pageants are exempt from the federal child labour laws because of their individually set guidelines. We feel that there should be laws and regulations implemented in the pageant world, to ensure a consistently positive experience for kids. To avoid child abuse and exploitation, guidelines should be enforced to limit the number of hours regarding performance, practice and travel.

Source: http://ttwop.blogspot.com/2009/01/history-of-child-beauty-pageants.html

Stage Moms SPEAK OUT!

Constantly criticized by the public for vicariously living through their children, stage moms are taking a stand against this stereotype. The majority of the public assume that “pageant kids don’t do another damn thing”, and that parents lock them up like “show dogs”. This is COMPLETELY false and inaccurate. Many children who participate in pageants also take part in a wide variety of other hobbies and activities as well.  Stage moms feel that their kids deserve the opportunity to try new things, and will support them in whatever motivates them – yes, even outside the pageant world. Parents argue that the pageants come secondary to the time they share with their children in the experience. Watching their kids grow and flourish in something they truly enjoy is the greatest reward of all.

Sure, this all sounds peachy keen coming from a supportive stage mom, but do you really think this is what’s going on in the mind of her 4 year-old daughter? The fact is, the majority of contestants are “really too young to even form a coherent opinion on pageants”. Critics predict that many children exposed to beauty pageants at such a young age will grow up to resent their parents for exploiting them in a situation that they had no real grasp of.



With an already overwhelming sense of societal pressure on women, we feel that pageants only teach children to succumb to these negative ideals. Young children, especially girls, should be taught and encouraged to challenge the unrealistic image of women present in our culture. Parents are their children’s main influencer – if mommy wants to do pageants, kids are quick to jump on the band wagon. Many stage moms like to believe that they are only doing what makes their children happy, but realistically, how can you speak for what a 2 year-old really wants?

http://suburbanturmoil.blogspot.com/2006/09/one-more-pageant-mom-responds.html