Pageants: A Source for Strong, Productive Young Women
Catina Burrell
Columbia Southern University

Abstract

The pageant circuit has been surrounded with a lot of interest and debate since TLC’s Toddlers and Tiaras hit the airwaves, sporting fake hair and flippers! People of all ages, races, and backgrounds are debating the effects pageants are having on our children and society as a whole. Why has the issue of pageants sparked so much debate? Why it is that child activists and psychologists are so concerned for the children who enter pageants? And lastly, are pageants really that bad? There are many articles, blogs and papers that have written on this topic. This paper seeks to answer a few of the many questions surrounding pageantry. The paper brings light to the many “types” of pageant and further seeks to explain the benefits of pageantry; giving the reader a clear idea of what actually goes on in the world of pageantry.

Pageants: A Source for Strong, Productive Young Women
My experience with pageants is that of both a contestant and a “pageant mom.” I began competing in pageants at the age of 14. I do not come from a pageant family; my mother knew absolutely nothing about pageants and only allowed me to enter because I wouldn’t stop asking. I won the very first pageant I entered and I was hooked after that. Many pageants later, I had gained several crowns, trophies and prizes, but most importantly I had gained a heightened level of self-esteem and confidence. As a parent, I have allowed my daughters to compete in several pageants, being very selective of the type of pageant. Like myself, their experiences have been very positive. Because of my experiences, I have become an advocate for pageants; the right pageants.
Pageants have been around for hundreds of years; however, most recently, the popularity of reality television has shed a negative light