To ask your thoughts on Baby Beauty Pageants??

[rackhampearl]

One side of me think it's fun when not taken too seriously but the other side of me doesn't like the thought. What are your opinions? Is it all harmless fun or is it unfair/cause potential damage to a child.

It's a no from me.

I really don't like the idea of judging babies on their looks, sorry. I just find it really distasteful and shallow.

Absolutely awful, can't understand the mentality of any parent who would do that to their child.

its not about the baby though, is it? she/he is hardly in a position say whether they want to get involved, so it's really all about the parent(s) wanting the reflective glory.

Waves to the journalist.

Ha. Aldi, I'm not a journalist I can assure you. SAHM, just saw an article pop up on Facebook so pondered people's thoughts on here. There was a mixed response in the comment section is all.

Horrifc. No baby looks nice dressed ridiculously and possibly with make up on. Bloody stupid idea and there is no need to judge a baby on bloody looks!

I'm inclined to agree. In all honesty when I saw the article I had a fleeting moment where I thought I may enter my DD into one in Peterborough. She's 2 and she gets lots of attention for the way she looks. She has massive blue eyes and is quite tan with blonde hair. That moment has now gone. Just needed a slap round the chops from fellows MNs I think. I don't wear much make up at all and don't judge people based on looks so I certainly don't want to bring my girls up that way. Think I'll let her be the pirate she wants to be everyday.

No, horrid. It never is just harmless fun, is it? People take it far too seriously for it to be either harmless or fun. Unpleasant fetishisation of young girls. Incidentally, I've never heard of a beauty pageant for young boys - is there such a thing? (Not that I'm saying it would be any better)

I Hate them.
A baby is a human being, not a bloody show pony used to win prizes.
Very distasteful and starts teaching children from a very young age that their looks are the only thing of value about them.

I think baby beauty contests are the least sexist and damaging of all the beauty contests...but that's a long way from being non-damaging.

I personally think all beauty contests should do one, but particularly those for children should be straight up banned.

Sorry op.

My thoughts are "UGH!". It's bad enough that we place such worth on physical beauty anyway, without inflicting this on babies, who have no choice in being pitted against other innocents. Tacky, shallow and generally unpleasant.

Oh god, a quick google search has strengthened my doubts. I didn't realise how sinister it had gotten. The make up and outfits? Shocking. I thought it was still a case of a pink frock and curly hair. Some of them are wearing nurses outfits at 4 years old! Shouldn't be allowed that. I think I've been very naive about it all up until now.

My DD is not a doll. She isn't for dressing up and looking at.

No worries Aldi
Can see why you would think that.

It's a no from me too.

Awful. Beauty should never be an assessed quality.

But I'd rather see a baby beauty pageant than a child one. At least a baby can't be damaged by it as they won't know it's happening.

I think child pageants should be banned.

The 'baby' pageants where they're literally babies are awful because judging one baby as better than another is just horrible.

The toddler/child pageants where they're done up in frills and parade in front of judges are even worse because they are not only being judged on looks but also taught to smile and pout and pose for the reward of winning. It's creepy and horrible.

Don't get me started on the pageants that put prepubescent girls in makeup and evening wear.

Nope, nope, nopity nope. More the parent(s) living vicariously through the child.

Absolutely not. It's all about the parents. Dressing children up to the nines and have them parade about is degrading and teaches them it's all about looks. I think they can be terribly damaging.

I saw a documentary about a US baby pageant where (yes, the babies!) they were getting spray tans and make up. It really seemed tone a competition between the mums rather than the babies. Grim.

Dreadful.

The ones involving makeup, fake tans and massive bling are absolutely revolting. There's something wrong with parents who do that to their kids.