Even little boys compete for the crown of "beauty kings". Controversial children's beauty pageants are no longer the preserve of girls
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word beauty pageant? Probably a competition for the title of most beautiful woman, right? Beauty contests have always been the preserve of young ladies. And those that focus on children, on little girls. The world has long divided activities, interests, manners, even colours into more masculine or feminine. Whether this is a social construct given by upbringing and role models of significant others in socialization, or whether we are born with a certain set given by our gender (please don't confuse this with sex!) is a question scientists are still exploring. Either way, there are industries that are clearly dominated in the public mind by the female half of the population.
In America in particular, child beauty pageants have an ingrained tradition and have even lived to see the famous reality show Toddlers & Tiaras. The show involved watching individual families and little participants compete for the crown. The whole world got a look under the hood of the preparations for such an event. From the training sessions, to the expensive clothing and accessory solutions, the long commutes and the stressful situations. In the end, there were a few happy winners and the rest disappointed. As it is in more or less every competition. However, there was rightly a discussion about whether such an onslaught on the children was bearable.
In the Czech Republic, we do not often encounter classic competitions where children walk down the runway dressed in bold clothes, "beautified" with layers of make-up, and even often groomed beyond recognition thanks to fake tan, artificial nails or even perfectly straight and snow-white tooth handles. It is also for these drastic modifications that children's pageants have become a target of criticism. Images of little girls crying with fatigue, reluctant to perform again; of determined mothers insisting that another coat of spray-on bronzer or longer false eyelashes is needed have swept the world. Success and failure are experienced with unprecedented commitment, so it seems that this is not just a one-off event but a lifestyle.
Thus, on one barricade there are supporters of similar competitions who argue that every hobby or game is motivated by success and sometimes there is also a loss. Of course, any intensely pursued sport or other interest is demanding and can come with high expectations and pressure to be the best. Indeed, one of the arguments of critics is that children in beauty pageants often encounter so-called conditional love, which is extremely risky for the development of the individual. And what does that mean in layman's terms? Simply conveying the impression that a child is loved only if he or she is successful, obedient, beautiful... Such impressions are very easily ingrained and then carried over into every other action in adulthood.
However, it is not only little girls who take part in similar events, sometimes making their debut in front of an audience long before they start kindergarten. Boys also apply. Although they are a fraction of the number of girls, there are also competitions for them. And just like the girls, they often have not only their parents in preparation, but also a coach, who, for example, makes sure that the little participant is able to present his hands nicely, has a good attitude, can smile in any situation, and performs at his best.
And what does such participation cost? According to the mother who entered her son in the competition (supposedly just to try it out and then rather criticized the whole concept), it was not only necessary to get suitable costumes and do some home preparation. The entry fee cost her $45. And that's just the basics. In order for her child to compete for titles such as "Best Eyes", "Best Hair", "Best Personality" or "Best Clothes", she needed to pay an extra ten dollars for each category. The possibility of being named the most photogenic boy cost her an additional $15. You think you'd pick just a few categories? Well, there was a catch. The points from the categories were added up at the end to give the final tally. Simply put: Without the additional categories, the chances of winning the main title are rapidly diminishing. And so, just for participating, the proud mother of a little boy left $115 at the door. That's about $2,500.
In the end, the boy won in every category, and that's because he was... a boy. He didn't face any competition, so he could be at ease while the girls were pressured by the simple slogan: "Go big or go home!" However, as Toddlers & Tiaras proved, boys don't always get such individual attention. Increasingly, they too are finding themselves entered into a competition where they will face more than one opponent.
According to ravishly.com, child beauty pageants have come into massive awareness in America, especially after the death of a little beauty queen named JonBenét Remsey. She died in unexplained circumstances at her home. The body of the six-year-old cute blonde was found in her basement in December 1996, and to this day, there is debate as to whether her family had anything to do with her ordeal. The child was originally thought to have been abducted. A letter was found calling for a ransom to be paid, but no kidnapper was ever identified and it is questionable whether the girl ever left the grounds of the home before her death. The case is still full of question marks and exclamation points. The other driver of public awareness of child beauty pageants is, of course, movies, TV shows and series. You can watch them for yourself. On behalf of our editors, we recommend the light-hearted comedy Little Miss Sunshine (2006).
