Does beauty help or hinder? After a discussion about JonBenet Ramsey in class, I decided to delve deeper into issues surrounding beauty pageants. JonBenét Patricia Ramsey was an American beauty pageant queen who was murdered at just six years old in 1996. Her body was found in the basement of her home in Boulder, Colorado, just eight hours after her family reported her missing . Her murder and sexual assault are believed to have been caused by the girl's overly sexualized image in beauty pageants. The media often describes her as "a painted child, a sexualized child beauty queen." she looked like a miniature woman and not a six-year-old girl. The case was later reopened and his brother was a suspect. Unfortunately the case still remains unsolved, I believe that the image portrayed at beauty pageants could be the reason for her tragic death. My opinion is that children's beauty pageants are very harmful to girls, even into adulthood. In the documentary about Ramsey, a former beauty pageant participant stated: “However, beauty pageants often cause long-term effects and short-term effects are made to be competitive “fun,” there is a clear and harsh reality of beauty pageants for children and its negative impact on young children, this experience may be more harmful than helpful a situation more horrific than a “horror movie”'. Beauty pageants can cause many mental problems for these young girls, especially the fear of never being “good enough.” Beauty pageants for children range from three to eighteen years old, but some also have children. categories. These young girls are covered in makeup, high cheeks, "perfect" smiles, perfect bodies, their hair is curled and messy, everything... middle of paper... can often have an effect on girls too. into their adulthood with long-term effects. These girls often suffer from depression, low self-esteem and eating disorders. Girls are taught to always be the "best" and when they aren't they are losers, these girls grow up with that mentality that affects their daily adult lives. They will often be afraid of failing or losing. When they don't do their "best," they may suffer from depression or feelings of worthlessness. These competitions are said to help build this confidence, but this clearly hinders more than helps, most of these 'competitions' see girls questioning their self-worth or always second-guessing their abilities. Girls are taught that appearance is all that matters and they are always judged. Child beauty pageants are more painful than helpful for girls, even into adulthood.