Assertion journal, Little Darlings: Inside the elaborate, disturbing and downright riveting world of child-beauty pageants

This is a response to Amelia’s journal, and the article Little Darlings: Inside the elaborate, disturbing and downright riveting world of child-beauty pageants by Amada Fortini.

I agree with Amelia, high glitz beauty pageants are creepy and sadly captivating. The little girls or tweens are prancing around a stage trying to look sexy and mature, when really they are only children. I can understand older girls wanting to be in a beauty pageant, but a 4-year-old does not walk up her parent and ask to sign up to be in the next pageant. These children are forced to learn routines, practice, and spend time at pageants instead of being a normal child and playing with neighbors or friends.
Parents who force their child into these types of pageants are normally obsessed with winning the crown and prize money. The mothers try to live through their daughter, and it is harmful to the child. Pageants may teach them confidence, but it reinforces the idea that “looks” and “talent” will get you the prize. There can only be so many winners in pageants, and the sport (if you can call it that) does not teach sportsmanship, or cooperation, all it teaches is to look out for yourself only.
These little girls are being paraded around, and most look like they are mature women with little bodies. It is really disgusting and sad to see these girls trying to act like something they just aren’t yet, the children should be playing outside, not twirling around in a $600 dress blowing kisses to judges. Glitz beauty pageants don’t teach girls as much as other sports can, and it can lead to low self-esteem, and even eating disorders, as girls grown into women who are still trying to be perfect, because that is the only way the know how to get love.