Analysis of Ethical Dilemma from Current Events
Karen Perion
Grand Canyon University

Analysis of Ethical Dilemma from Current Events
“A dilemma is a problem that requires a choice between two options that are equally unfavorable and mutually exclusive” (Burkhardt, 2008, p. 118). Ethical dilemmas involve conflicting moral debates. People deal with dilemmas daily; whether or not they realize it. Deciding between two different jobs, figuring out which party to attend on the same night, or giving a patient pain medication knowing they are addicted are dilemmas one might be faced with. Knowing how to overcome and work your way through a dilemma is the expectation. I found an article in The SUN discussing a mother, Kerry, injecting her eight year old daughter, Britney, with Botox and giving her body waxes to make her a superstar. Every three months, Britney watches her mother prepare needles of Botox and fillers to be injected into her face (Pearce, 2011). Kerry, who is a beautician, buys these products online and injects them into her daughter’s lips, forehead and around her eyes. Britney also receives body waxes in hopes her hair will stop growing once she reaches puberty. Kerry says the reason she does this is because her pageant-daughter is destined to become an actress, model, or singer one day. Ethically, this could damage her daughter. The insecurities, self-esteem, and body image issues could be detrimental to her growth and development. Using the decision-making model, the problem is the idea of a mother injecting her daughter with Botox and its repercussions. A child does not have the right to choose to if she gets the procedure, she depends on her mother to make the most beneficial choice for her. She relies on her mother to cause her no harm, keep her safe, and to protect her. The mother wants to make her daughter a star by doing these injections and waxes, even though physicians have advised against them. A child should not have to be caused pain, and think it is okay to better your life. “All this pain and effort now will benefit Britney no end” (Pearce, 2011).
I feel no harm should ever come to a child. There is no reason a mother should be giving her eight year old child injections to make her more attractive to be a superstar. There are so many ethical principles being manipulated in this article. The issues of beneficence and nonmaleficence are important. Kerry is not benefiting her daughter appropriately. She feels by doing this, Britney will look younger and be baby-faced longer. Kerry was quoted as saying, “She is a lucky little girl and is going to be famous because of the benefits I am giving her so early” (Pearce, 2011). The sad part is that Britney regards the waxing and fillers as part of normal life. She asks for the top brands because she feels she can see wrinkles and wants them gone. What is this teaching our children? Is the goal really promoting the total well-being the child? Some pageant parents would probably agree with what Kerry is doing, but non-pageant parents may look at Kerry with disgust, disbelief, and confusion. Nonmaleficence is also an issue brought up by this article. Is Kerry really causing harm to her child? “Despite doctors and plastic surgeons recommending Botox only be used by adults, Kerry claims Britney is in no danger” (Pearce, 2011). Kerry is the one drawing up the medication and administering it. She feels she is qualified because she does it on herself and is a trained beautician. Kerry has a home-assembled kit of needles from the local chemist and a diabetic friend. Does she know how safe those needles are or if they have ever been used? She also stated she buys the Botox and Restalyne over the internet and from one of the local “beauty dealers,” a mother at her daughter’s school (Pearce, 2011). “She also has her virgin wax monthly, which gets rid of her fluffy leg hair and makes sure she won’t develop pubic hair in the future” (Pearce, 2011). Britney is now so obsessed with what her mother has taught her, she wants to get a boob and nose job, eyebrows waxed and tattooed, and permanent light pink lip liner tattooed as well. The alternatives are to allow your child to enter beauty pageants and compete because it is fun. Allow them to feel beautiful based on how they really look. A child can have their makeup and hair done for a pageant without injections and waxes. A mother should tell her daughter she is beautiful everyday based on how she is and acts as a person, her internal beauty, and her personality. Another alternative is to educate your child on Botox, waxes, and tattoos as they grow up, and allow them to explore the risks and benefits on their own with the proper explanations. When a child is old enough to give consent for a procedure like this they can make that decision. They should be able to make a choice for themselves, and as parents we have to trust we did our job. The alternative consequences are all beneficial. They allow the child to grow up learning beauty is on the inside and not just the outside. A child can grow up making their own decisions and judgments based off what their parents have taught them. Respecting yourself as a person is a much bigger reward in the long run than a trophy or sash. Education is powerful and allowing your child to make a decision is a great way to form independence. I would prioritize my child and their safety as number one. Keeping your child safe and protected is a parent’s responsibility. Allowing them to alter their appearance with injections and waxes is not right. Teaching your child about inner beauty is a great tool to have. Building self-esteem and self-confidence is also a priority. Allowing a child to make a decision like Botox should be done when they are able to understand the consequences, risks, and benefits to their choice. Regardless of any of the consequences I listed; your child’s safety, well-being and confidence should remain top priority. My plan of action would be to allow Britney to be an eight year old girl. Going to school, getting good grades, playing with her friends, and riding her bike are the things that should be on her agenda. If she wants to compete in pageants I don’t see anything wrong with it. Friendly competition is something that should be experienced. Pageants give you a chance to meet people. They teach poise and the concept of winning and losing in friendly competition. Every child should have an opportunity to be a child and know what it is like to be loved for who they are; not for what they look like. The mother needs more education how parenting skills and how to prioritize those skills. I feel I did the right thing in allowing a child to be a child. They have to learn right from wrong and make their own mistakes. A child looks up to their parents as a role model and expects to learn from them. A child should not be worrying about how she looks on the outside and whether or not she will be famous. Ethical dilemmas occur all the time around us, but how we handle and learn from them is the optimal outcome.
References
Burkhardt, M. A., & Nathaniel, A. K. (2008). Ethical Decision Making. In Ethics & Issues in Contemporary Nursing (3rd ed., pp. 117-146). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage Learning
Pearce, D. (2011, May 19). I’m injecting my eight-year-old with Botox and getting her body waxes so she’ll be a superstar. The SUN. Retrieved from http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/3485305/I-give-my-girl-8-Botox-for-pageant.html