No beauty contests? That’s un-American! Well, actually it is. The
ban on beauty contests is the goal of some French politicians and it’s not a
total ban. Sadly. However, American’s take
note. Please. Too many people don’t have a clue what true beauty is. Hint: it’s not the part that turns to dust.
France is at least getting the
idea. Their upper house of parliament voted to outlaw beauty contests for girls
under 16 years old or be liable to prison and heavy fines. They want to halt the
“hyper-sexualization” of youngsters. Finally!
During the Seventies, feminists protested
outside the Miss America Pageant complaining that such pageants trivialize
women. I don’t usually cheer feminists
on, but at least they noticed that men do not hold beauty pageants or handsome
pageants. That would be dumb. And it is
for women too. It promotes the value
that anything less than physical beauty is, well, less.
The pageant supporters say: “Oh,
they have a talent and their answer to an important question (the poise and intelligence
portion of the contest) affects the outcome, so it’s not just about beauty.”
Yeah, right. And the swimsuit portion of
the contest is about what? Physical
fitness? Then why can’t a very fit but
very skinny or husky woman ever compete?
Or how about women with scarred faces or wheel chairs or Down’s Syndrome
or any number of conditions that will keep a woman off the cover of fashion
magazines, advertisements and any and all beauty pageants. If people believe beauty is not skin-deep,
why the obsession with skin-deep beauty?
ban on beauty contests is the goal of some French politicians and it’s not a
total ban. Sadly. However, American’s take
note. Please. Too many people don’t have a clue what true beauty is. Hint: it’s not the part that turns to dust.
France is at least getting the
idea. Their upper house of parliament voted to outlaw beauty contests for girls
under 16 years old or be liable to prison and heavy fines. They want to halt the
“hyper-sexualization” of youngsters. Finally!
During the Seventies, feminists protested
outside the Miss America Pageant complaining that such pageants trivialize
women. I don’t usually cheer feminists
on, but at least they noticed that men do not hold beauty pageants or handsome
pageants. That would be dumb. And it is
for women too. It promotes the value
that anything less than physical beauty is, well, less.
The pageant supporters say: “Oh,
they have a talent and their answer to an important question (the poise and intelligence
portion of the contest) affects the outcome, so it’s not just about beauty.”
Yeah, right. And the swimsuit portion of
the contest is about what? Physical
fitness? Then why can’t a very fit but
very skinny or husky woman ever compete?
Or how about women with scarred faces or wheel chairs or Down’s Syndrome
or any number of conditions that will keep a woman off the cover of fashion
magazines, advertisements and any and all beauty pageants. If people believe beauty is not skin-deep,
why the obsession with skin-deep beauty?
Toddlers and Tiaras
And would someone PLEASE tell my
why the television show Toddlers and
Tiaras is not grounds for child abuse?
In France, under the proposed law, pageant organizers who disregard the
minimum age limit would face up to two years in prison and a €30,000 (around
$33,000) fine. That would be justice for
screwing up a little girl’s mind and self-esteem.
why the television show Toddlers and
Tiaras is not grounds for child abuse?
In France, under the proposed law, pageant organizers who disregard the
minimum age limit would face up to two years in prison and a €30,000 (around
$33,000) fine. That would be justice for
screwing up a little girl’s mind and self-esteem.
I watch very little TV but I watchedToddlers
and Tiaras after hearing about it. It is worse than I imagined. Little girls
practice, practice, practice, flaunting their stuff, getting dressed up in
heavy makeup, foo-foo hairdos, and obscenely expensive dresses that have no
other use outside of pageants. Pettiness and jealousy are instilled in these
innocents alongside learning to walk just right and present a cute but sassy
impression.
Parents insist that their little
girls just luuuuuv these pageants and
the minute they don’t enjoy them anymore they will quit. Hello? If you brainwash a child as to what she needs
to do to have value, then perhaps she might not notice the sick world she’s
being raised in. Give the girls baby dolls and tricycles and let them play
outside and make mud pies. To have their lives revolve around pageants, shows
that the parents need therapy. Leave
little girls out of their parents’ personal self-esteem issues.
In France, the amended law will return to the lower
house, the Assemblée National, for approval.
I pray it gets approved and then spreads to the United States and
beyond. Vanity is something to fight
against, not to whip up into frenzy.
I know it’s nothing new. I know the problem begins
with the parents in department stores, buying sexy little outfits thinking
their little girls will look sooo cute wearing them. But I wish the world would start waking up to
this image of beauty that results in poor self-esteem, eating disorders and over-sexualization
for girls.
girls just luuuuuv these pageants and
the minute they don’t enjoy them anymore they will quit. Hello? If you brainwash a child as to what she needs
to do to have value, then perhaps she might not notice the sick world she’s
being raised in. Give the girls baby dolls and tricycles and let them play
outside and make mud pies. To have their lives revolve around pageants, shows
that the parents need therapy. Leave
little girls out of their parents’ personal self-esteem issues.
In France, the amended law will return to the lower
house, the Assemblée National, for approval.
I pray it gets approved and then spreads to the United States and
beyond. Vanity is something to fight
against, not to whip up into frenzy.
I know it’s nothing new. I know the problem begins
with the parents in department stores, buying sexy little outfits thinking
their little girls will look sooo cute wearing them. But I wish the world would start waking up to
this image of beauty that results in poor self-esteem, eating disorders and over-sexualization
for girls.
Fixation on Beauty Leads to
Abortions
Abortions
The obsession with beauty results in more abortions.
Maybe that has not crossed your stream of consciousness but think on it a
moment. Consider that babies are not just aborted because they are inconvenient.
Maybe that has not crossed your stream of consciousness but think on it a
moment. Consider that babies are not just aborted because they are inconvenient.
If our country was not so obsessed with physical
beauty and perfection, then maybe 9 out of 10 babies with Downs Syndrome would
not be killed in the womb. Maybe parents would not freak out if all their child
had to give them was love rather than glamour and high achievement. Maybe more
parents would consider the ultimate value is a soul and not long lashes, dimples,
and good hair.
With less emphasis on beauty, maybe fewer women
would die like Jennifer McKenna Morbelli of New Rochelle, NY. Jennifer was a
very pretty, 29-year-old kindergartner teacher, pregnant with a much-wanted
baby. When she learned that her baby had
abnormalities, she no longer wanted it. At the time of her death last February from a
33-week botched abortion, her name was still on an Internet baby gift registry.
 |
| Jennifer Morbelli |
Jennifer and her baby both could be alive today, loving each other and
being loved by others. Instead, obsession with beauty and perfection led to
both their deaths.
being loved by others. Instead, obsession with beauty and perfection led to
both their deaths.
When I was a contributing writer for Woman’s World magazine for 10 years
and later co-authored the “Amazing
Grace” series, I came
across many, many stories of unborn babies given the diagnosis of a
disability that had happy-ending scenarios. In some cases, either the ultrasound that
caused a doctor to recommend abortion turned out totally wrong, or perhaps God healed
the babies and they were born healthy. Or, the baby did have a
handicap but brought great joy and love to their families.
Babies are miracles and gifts from God. Their physical
disabilities often cure people of spiritual disabilities. They were created for
a reason. Some are so disabled as to be living saints, never able to sin, but
given to a family to care for, so parents and siblings can grow in
holiness.
I know my rant is not going to cure the world from
obsessing about beauty. But I hope that one day, the United States can see
clear to outlaw all the Little Miss pageants. After all, lobotomies are no longer legal in
this country. We’ve learned it’s best to
leave the brain intact. The same can be said about the self-esteem of little
girls.
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For uplifting reading: Big Hearted: Inspiring Stories From Everyday Families a collection of stories on love and life, and Dear God, I Don’t Get It, children’s fiction that presents faith through a fun and exciting story.
Follow Patti at Twitter or like her Facebook pages at Dear God Books, Big Hearted Families, A GPS Guide to Heaven and Earth
