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Girls from a Universal Royalty beauty pageant, and (left) company owner Annette Hill. - Source: Supplied -
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No. No. No! When I read about American style beauty contests for kids coming to New Zealand, I wanted to get a placard and take to the streets.
They're tacky and tragic and we don't want them here. Mothers exploiting their daughters.
These pageants represent the very worst of American culture. All the cliches. Fake, superficial, plastic. All about appearance with no substance.
Beauty pageants themselves are questionable. But to subject children to them is appalling.
I'm not reserving judgement on Universal Royalty . I'm not prepared to be impartial or give the woman behind these awful shows the benefit of the doubt.
Troll through a few websites and the true horror of what she's created is all too apparent. Photos of little girls dressed up to look like adults.
Their young faces covered in makeup, their little-girl lips all glossy and pouty. Their hair piled high on their heads. Teased and curled and tweaked and sprayed in place. They're posing in hugely expensive, completely over-the-top outfits covered in sequins and frills and feathers.
But this is no kids dress up game. This is not for fun. These are little faces trapped in their mother's dream.
The official website talks about the $10,000 prize money awaiting the next winner in America.
"Come experience the glitz and glamour," it proudly states.
Annette Hill who runs these pageants also offers courses on modelling and tips on how to ensure your child excels in the competitions.
"Every child receives a trophy. No one goes home empty handed. We give you what you want in a beauty pageant."
Missing
What if we don't want one at all? And funnily enough, searching the website, the one photo missing is hers. I'm keen to know what she looks like.
One of these pageants is being held in Melbourne at the end of July. It's heartening to know there have been nationwide protests.
Outrage in fact, with people saying these pageants are bad because they sexualise little girls.
"Babies are not Barbies" one placard stated.
Wouldn't it be exciting if Australian parents boycotted the event entirely and there weren't enough contestants to make it viable.
Wouldn't it be exciting if Annette had to pack up her sad little circus before the curling tongs got a chance to warm up.
Or what if shoppers boycott sponsors' products. That could be effective.
It's good to have a plan because this woman is apparently bringing her beauty pageants to New Zealand as well. She isn't saying when or where at this stage, but we need to be prepared.
Some say beauty pageants teach their children confidence. Maybe they do. But they also teach them that looks are the only thing that matter, and looking perfect is everything.
And if anyone needs proof about what lengths some mothers will go to get a prize winning tiara on their daughter's head, there's the shocking story of the beautician in America who was giving her eight-year-old botox injections to get rid of her wrinkles.
Britney's mother is obsessed with beauty pageants. And obsessed with winning.
Tragically, she's convinced Britney will one day be a superstar and the botox and body waxes are helping her on her way. After all the publicity and the uproar she's lost custody of her daughter, and has now claimed the botox story wasn't actually true.
We need less emphasis on what we look like, not more. Kiwi kids don't need these beauty pageants or what they stand for.
What do you think about kids' beauty pageants -
confidence boosters for children, or exploitation? Leave a comment
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentcricketmad said on 2011-06-10 @ 07:51 NZDT: Report abusive post
It's madness and an extreme example of mothers living vicariously through their daughters. Let the kids be kids for god's sake. What will they be like when they are teenagers when they've done all their teenage style stuff as young kids?
RachelHansen said on 2011-06-09 @ 12:03 NZDT: Report abusive post
Loving your heart-felt commentary! I wholeheartedly agree with you. Girls are under such immense pressure to look a certain way and NZs statistics on eating disorders, self-harm and depression are frightening. We don't need beauty pageants for little girls! I am the NZ coordinator for 'Pull The Pin' and we aim to ban such pageants in NZ. If anyone is interested in learning more please see https://www.facebook.com/PullThePinNZ
RosieCD said on 2011-06-09 @ 11:56 NZDT: Report abusive post
I am pretty sure the story of the mother giving her daughter botox was a hoax, wasn't she paid by a tabloid to fabricate the story?