Sugar and spice: the problem with Australian child beauty pageants
By: Archer Magazine
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Guest blogger Abby Corson comments on controversial Australian beauty pageants and the dangers of sexualising children, both for the girls on show and society at large.
Fake tan. Spider eyelashes. Push-up bras. Acrylic nails.
No, I’m not describing a night out in Hollywood. Disturbingly, these are all common attributes of the underage entrants of the children’s Australian Royalty Pageants.
The sexualisation of children in beauty pageants is a controversial topic and even more so following the television debut of American reality show Toddlers and Tiaras. Like many others, I watched the seemingly crazed mothers parade their mini adults around and I tutted to myself, “Only in America.”
But it is no longer only in America. In 2011 the full-glitz beauty pageants arrived in Australia. A recent online poll asked whether Australia should continue holding these American-style pageants. Of the respondents, 92% said no, but for now, the remaining 8% have got their way.
As I perused the entrants’ handbook provided by Australian Royalty Pageants, I was interested to see that they market themselves as “…an opportunity to showcase and develop deportment skills, confidence and self esteem.” Yes, entrants may learn to walk gracefully, and of course everyone feels confident when they are told they look nice, but to be frank, the pageants seem to me an opportunity for parents to compare their children in a forum that believes that this sort of behavior is OK.
There is something extremely disturbing about a child wearing revealing clothing while blowing kisses and winking at an adult audience.
It would be naive to think that these pageants do not have the potential to head in the same outrageous direction as the Americans.
In America, parents make headlines for dressing their children as Julia Roberts’ character in Pretty Woman, or providing boob and butt implants for Dolly Parton costumes. The Australian Royalty Pageant states that children can wear heels from age 10 and that all children under 10 must wear dresses which sit above the knee.
While this particular pageant also offers public speaking lessons which they promote on their Facebook group, this feels like a façade to distract society from the true message these beauty pageants are sending – that outer beauty is far more important than inner beauty.
On the same Facebook page, which has just over 1000 fans, the pageant also posts pictures of young girls with comments such as, “Now everyone can see how cute she is.”
Children should not be judged on their looks. A recent report from Eating Disorders Victoria states that over the past 10 years there has been a 270% increase in the number of girls hospitalised with eating disorders in Victoria. Children as young as seven are now being treated for anorexia and in my opinion, this is a statement against these sorts of pageants.
The backlash towards these pageants has been huge. Over 7000 people support the Facebook group Australians against child beauty pageants.
Pull the Pin is another Australian organisation that aims to stop child beauty pageants by taking the issue to the government. For those of us who are against comparing children based on their looks, we can only hope that these pageants will be more closely monitored to ensure that they are not sexualising children or promoting body image issues.
Babies are not Barbies, and it should stay this way.
This article is a joke! Maybe attend an Australian pageant before you state the fact that they are similar to American pageants and judge on facial beauty. Wrong and WRONG! Get your bloody facts right people!
Geoffrey,
As a dance teacher and a qualified kindergarten/primary school teacher not all dance schools dress children inappropriately or teach children inappropriate dance steps/choreography. This is a gross generalisation! I agree there are some teachers (mainly unqualified teachers) that don’t think of the children’s well being just think of winning competitions. My school is not a competition school, my students have danced professionally which is quite different from competition dancing. There are many professional dance schools and teachers that would never put children in harms way, dress children inappropriately or choreograph inappropriate routines. Those are qualified must attend regular professional development courses and when completing their teaching exams must do child development courses and in particular learn what is and what is not appropriate for children. It annoys me when dance is seen in a negative light when clearly those that are commenting are not educated in the world if dance. There are good and bad in all children’s activities. I have seen parents behaving inappropriately at football games but that’s not noted. Personally seen football coaches shout at children telling them to win at all costs and degrading them but is that ok? I personally don’t agree with pageants, parading children around seeing who is the most beautiful. I personally believe it’s the Anercian influence that is the main issue. Unfortunately whatever trend is popular in America, we seem to follow. Some people think if it’s ok in Amercia we should follow suit to keep up
Candice,
The research us abundantly clear, sexualising little children is dangerous and it’s not only pageants, it’s dancing and modelling too.
You don’t need to be Einstein or particularly clever to work that out. And you also don’t need to attend one of the pageants to understand the dangers. That’s akin to telling your doctor that breast cancer doesn’t kill people. The doctor’s never had it themselves, but they know the dangers of it through research.
I have actually done the research and attended similar things to these pageants, they feel creepy and wrong and I also know for a fact, that pedophiles love the images and the television shows, and the girls parading around. Maybe YOU should do some research in to the dark side of the internet and how creeps love this kind of stuff.
Has Abby ever attended one of these pageants?? Has she spoken to any of the parents or children? No!!! Fact of the matter is she is baseing her views by what she see’s on an axed american tv series!! If she had actually done her reasearch instead of snooping through facebook pages and handbooks she would realise that Australian pageants are completly different from USA pageants. The photo you have used is from a USA pageant! Our pageants are based around modelling, deportment and personal speaking. Not once is “facial beauty” or looks judged in Australian Pageantry. Children and young adults develop self esteem and self confidence and most of all, life long friendships. Until you decide to research your facts correctly instead of hideing behind your intentions then please refrain from reporting on something you know nothing about.
Candice (pageant mum of two girls aged 3 and 6)
From their website: “Australian Royalty Pageants are Australia’s premiere Full Glitz Modelling and Fashion for toddlers, children…” Somehow I doubt that an event that advertises FULL GLITZ modelling and fashion has nothing to do with facial beauty or looks of the contestants.