Child Beauty Pageants

Living Dolls

December 18, 2007

When I watched Little Miss Sunshine again over the weekend, I remembered why I loved the movie so much. The scene where Abigail Breslin boogied down the runway and unintentionally made a mockery of the pageantry process, left me in stitches.

But, it also reminded of the people who take pageants seriously and put their hearts, time and money into making sure their daughters get crowned. This clip is from the HBO Living Dolls documentary about a real-life pageant mom and daughter.

Do you think the parents in these clips are just sincere, nurturing moms or fame seeking stage mothers? There's more video after the jump so read more.

20 Comments

natkubichar 5 years 22 weeks

i saw something on VH1 about these girls 2 .... and its just crazy what mother in her right mind would ever want her little girl looking like a grown woman at the age of 5 ?

oiseaux 5 years 22 weeks

putting gobs of make-up on a small child and having her perform in outfits like swimsuits and "gowns" in that way is inappropriate and irresponsible. young girls should be taught that they should be appreciated for actual merit - creativity, acts of kindness/charity, intelligence, talent, etc. women are already subject to so much judgement about their physical appearance throughout their lives and it shouldn't have to be inflicted on female children when they are so young and impressionable.

oiseaux 5 years 22 weeks

cbgmick 5 years 22 weeks

I agree w/ minaminamina!! It does seem odd to parade around in a bathing suit to win a scholarship. But I I really really really have a problem w/ the pagents for little kids... it sexualizes these children which is completely horrible.

cbgmick 5 years 22 weeks

apinkpony 5 years 22 weeks

Well LOL i did pageants when I was little... hmm. My dad was the one who brought it to my attention but I wanted to do it, definitely. If I hadn't wanted to, I wouldn't have. I will say the discipline really helped me with things later on, like horse shows -- which are basically pageants in their own respect. Anyway I am pretty normal and pretty laid back person. I don't think those sort of things really tweaks out girls and makes them into hoochies as much as people think. Maybe a few but definitely not the majority.Although I have been watching kid nation and that little brat taylor is awful. I guess I didn't really like dirty work when I was her age either, but still. She's pretty bad example.

apinkpony 5 years 22 weeks

Well LOL i did pageants when I was little... hmm. My dad was the one who brought it to my attention but I wanted to do it, definitely. If I hadn't wanted to, I wouldn't have. I will say the discipline really helped me with things later on, like horse shows -- which are basically pageants in their own respect. Anyway I am pretty normal and pretty laid back person. I don't think those sort of things really tweaks out girls and makes them into hoochies as much as people think. Maybe a few but definitely not the majority. Although I have been watching kid nation and that little brat taylor is awful. I guess I didn't really like dirty work when I was her age either, but still. She's pretty bad example.

amber_castaldo 5 years 22 weeks

THis is so sad, I am all for it if their older - 11 and up but 4 year olds, this makes me sick.

minaminamina 5 years 22 weeks

I know a lot of these pagaents, especially when the girls are a little older, like to see intelligence also, and offer rewards such as scholarships and the like, but I think it's a weird way to go about proving intelligence. It makes me uncomfortable, and I think these girls are learning about womanhood in the wrong way - first lipstick, THEN be smart - but cuteness pays! I don't like it.

chancleta 5 years 22 weeks

though it may be done with the best of intentionssomething tells me the wrong message is being senti wonder what kind of self image those girls will have as adults

chancleta 5 years 22 weeks

though it may be done with the best of intentions something tells me the wrong message is being sent i wonder what kind of self image those girls will have as adults

myconscience 5 years 22 weeks

that is so *sad.*

myconscience 5 years 22 weeks

that is so *sad.*

letsgetloud21 5 years 22 weeks

these girls look like mini hoochies,it is really sad :(

elaine 5 years 22 weeks

i couldnt even make it past 20 seconds.....if my daughter really wanted to do that, and she came to me with the idea, id think about it, but i wouldnt shove her into it.

kerneschick2005 5 years 22 weeks

hmmm I would encourage you to look into pageants such as American Coed Pageants. All natural, all-American girls (NO makeup until after age 13...) They frown upon the girls who look over-done (nothing more than chapstick, and if their hair is overdone...well they don't like that...) and over-rehearsed.

kia 5 years 22 weeks

I hope the parents are trying to be sincere and nurturing, but I don't like how they are going about it. I find these clips disturbing. Then again I get irritated when little girls get all uber-crazy about the Disney Princesses culture. And I love how Dwayne tries to protect his sister at the pageant in Little Miss Sunshine.