Index IntroductionChildren's beauty pageants should be banned (essay)ConclusionWorks CitedIntroductionChildren's beauty pageants should be banned (essay)Children are exposed to many dangers in the of their life. Participating in the world of beauty pageants could double these possibilities in a matter of seconds. Many girls appear in the TLC production "Babies and Tiaras" wearing short, revealing dresses, often demanding the wrong kind of attention. While the attention received is not always negative, the possibility of attracting the attention of sexual predators should never be ignored. They perform dances and skits that sometimes seem sexual, once again calling for attention that should never be a problem for 2-year-old girls. The level of maturity expected of the contestants goes beyond their age. Being judged based on appearance subsequently presents problems for these girls and leads to eating disorders and potential body dissatisfaction. Recent studies have shown that out of 131 women, 26% suffer from eating disorders, 48% would like to lose weight and 57% are trying to lose weight (Dante). Some may decide to starve themselves to have a “perfect” body, or simply not eat enough to stay healthy. This also applies to body dissatisfaction. According to the Journal of Treatment and Prevention it was found that there is “a significant association between participation in childhood beauty pageants and greater body dissatisfaction” (Hassan). Constantly remembering that to win you must be "perfect" can and will ultimately have a negative effect on your perception of your own natural beauty. Therefore, the expectation to be “perfect” presents dangers such as poor eating habits and body dissatisfaction while experiencing a lavish life. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Most girls who participate in beauty pageants are given a tremendous amount of attention growing up. Whether it's good or bad attention, they still get recognized for their appearance. As a result, there may be the potential for competitive and narcissistic behavior in the future. To look beautiful and feel accepted in these competitions, most of these girls have to change almost everything about themselves. There are spray tans, hair extensions, French manicures, wigs and pressed nails needed to walk on the show stage. Frequent winners may begin to believe they are superior. In other words, they may become overly confident and feel like they are “the best.” This leaves those who lose feeling like there is something wrong with them or that they are ugly because they didn't win. Not winning can eventually lower the child's self-esteem and lead to feelings of depression. As stated, much of what a child will learn for their future is taught by experiences, surrounding environments, interactions, and more. The Psychoanalysis of the psychologist Sigmund Freud states: "The development of a person is determined by the events that occurred in his childhood" ("Beauty contests that influence"). If a girl always has to worry about her appearance, it may present problems with her self-esteem in the future. Overall, due to the constant attention in the early years of competing girls, they may suffer from low self-esteem or, just the opposite, narcissistic behavior in their older years. As society teaches, to fit in you have to fit into the same mold as everyone else (Butler). The contestants of the competitionthey are raised with the idea, by parents, judges and competitors, that to be successful you must be tall, thin and conventionally beautiful (Dante). Not to mention, they may also grow up with a high expectation of what perfection should look like. The goal of pageantry is to reward the most attractive, to win whoever is 'nicer'. While in the real world life isn't always about winning. Parents are teaching their kids to do whatever it takes to win, even if that means being sassy and sexy. Some might even go so far as to look for other contestants to make sure it's clear who will win; themselves. With all this competition, there are very few who actually enjoy participating in beauty pageants. TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras show showed that many girls don't want to participate, but their parents force and/or manipulate them into competing. Martina M. Cartwright recognizes that “The potential for fame and fortune may contribute to 'success by proxy bias' in parents” (Blue). Furthermore, because of the prize money, trips, and fame that come when a child wins the contest, the majority of parents seem to believe that their own wishes are more important than what their child actually needs; a normal childhood. Others may argue that participating in beauty pageants is a great way to meet new people and make lasting friendships (Usher). They may also believe that the girls competing are benefiting from every victory and defeat they are experiencing. Those who are pageant professionals will quickly argue that beauty pageants are very similar to most sports. There are some women who once competed and say that the pageants they took part in as children helped them have more confidence when they grew up. All things considered, there is indeed a strong positive side to pageants. As mentioned above, there are many relationships that are formed with other contestants. Some of these can be considered friendships, but the other girls they meet through competition are more likely to turn out to be rivals rather than peers. Those on the opposing side will argue that there are many similarities to the competition between sports and pageantry, however, sports teaches children competitiveness in a group setting, while beauty pageants mistakenly teach girls that the only way to achieve happiness is winning individually (Sohm). Furthermore, beauty pageants send the wrong message to young girls, and even if one were to argue, there is no doubt that beauty pageants affect these girls negatively, rather than beneficially. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a Custom EssayConclusionAfter all is said and done, having a young girl participate in pageantry can present concerns in many aspects of their life. Ongoing conflicts might include body dissatisfaction and eating disorders, negative influences such as parents or society, and the possibility of engaging in narcissistic behavior in the future. These girls are taught only one way to live, and that is to win. Due to the outrageous number of negative effects beauty pageants have on children, they should be banned. Likewise, it is important to realize that there is more to life than winning, and as these girls grow up trying to be the best, there is a greater chance that those characteristics will continue to be a concern later in their lives. Works Cited Dante, J.M. ( 2014). The impact of beauty pageants on mental health: A meta-analysis. Journal of Child and Adolescent, 2(2),_1199429