Herald on Sunday: Teen pageants steal youth from our young
5:30 AM Sunday Nov 18, 2012
Teenage pageants instil the false idea that beauty and superficial charm are the keys to success. Photo / Thinkstock
Collette Lochore clearly lacks nothing in energy, enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit. During her tenure as Miss World New Zealand, she claims to have raised $26,000 to help children and the disadvantaged around the globe. She is teaching drama to youngsters aged 3 to 18. Such are her attributes that, at just 18, she was inducted as the youngest member of the New Lynn Rotary Club earlier this year.
It is all the more unfortunate, therefore, that her latest venture is a beauty pageant for teenage girls.
Lochore is visiting schools to drum up recruits for her competition, Miss Junior New Zealand. Her target age is girls aged 11 to 17. She insists the contest will be fun for children of all shapes and sizes, and there will be no revealing outfits or swimwear on show. Doubtless, the ploys that entice teenagers into such competitions in the United States and Britain will also be used. Potential entrants will hear how the contest will enhance their confidence, and how they will enjoy the thrill of competition. Most alluringly of all, they will be told this could be their entry point to the world of modelling.
It is all nonsense, of course. Teenage pageants are no better than the wretched American contests featuring even younger girls. Both are guilty of early sexualisation and an unhealthy focus on physical appearance. They also instil the false idea that beauty and superficial charm are the keys to success. It is equally ridiculous for Lochore to claim her pageant will feature contestants of all shapes and sizes. Only those with a preternatural hankering for the unattainable goal of physical perfection will contemplate entry.
The teenage years are characterised by insecurities. Issues of self-esteem and body image are common. The intense scrutiny inherent in a beauty pageant is the last thing that most girls in this age group require. Such competition serves only to magnify customary teen insecurities. This, in turn, is a cue for the eating disorders that are a common byproduct of beauty pageants. When particularly insecure teenagers are involved, the potential for psychological damage can only be all the greater.
Lochore's experience of beauty pageants may have been beneficial to her. But she is part of a tiny minority. Even fewer girls would benefit from a teenage pageant. And far more would be harmed by so hypercritical an examination at such a sensitive time in their lives.
I'm sure it will be run very well, (my guess little to no make up, and flats for those under a certain age).
Collette's "tiny minority" hahaha no she isn't, people just don't seem to like to hear all the positive about pageants.
At the end of the day though, it is up to the parents to protect their child, if they don't believe their child can handle not coming first they shouldn't allow their child to enter, and keep them on the kid athletic field in those games where they "don't keep score".
Let's face it our children are exposed to competition a lot from a very young age already, how is this any different.
Women's behaviour is never their own responsibility of course. As consumers, women's support of the $multibillion international industries in cosmetics, cosmetic surgery and fashion is all due to male conspiracy and patriarchal power and control as we know.
We all know it has nothing to do either with nature or female aspiration to power and wealth. Yeah right.