Courtney Hostetter
Mr. Fields
English Composition II
5 September 2013
Positive Effects of Beauty Pageants
Many people look down on beauty pageants. This issue matters to me because I have friends and family who have participated in pageants and they are some of the best people I know. Most people do not realize the positive side to the pageants. People base their views on what they have seen on television and social media and they only see negativity because it keeps the views or listeners wanting more. I believe beauty pageants are actually a great way for girls and even guys to develop themselves.
Beauty pageants became popular in the 1920s. They served as educational and entertainment for most people. In the beginning, the pageants were used to keep tourists in Atlantic City. During the Great Depression, the pageants died down but they picked right back up after the depression because of the spirit they were creating for everyone.
A couple years ago I wanted to participate in a beauty pageant. I never did because I got busy with school and extracurricular activities. Although I decided not to, I looked up guidelines and rules for the pageants because they interested me. I have had friends and family members participate in pageants so it made me realize how much work and effort is involved with them and how busy it can get. I still watch the Miss USA and Miss America pageants, which are two of the most well-known pageants around and appear on television. I look up to the women on there because I realize how much work it takes. I would like others to realize this as well.
Beauty pageants are not degrading to girls’ as some may believe. Most girls in pageants are very intelligent and win many different scholarships for just participating and helping others. Those who participate in the pageants also do a lot of community service. My good friend, Grace, won Miss Popcorn Queen this past year, which was a pageant in my town of Marion, Ohio at the Popcorn Festival. She won scholarship money and she also helps around the community with other girls who participated in the pageant. Currently, the popcorn festival is going on in my town and this year my cousin participated and had one of the best experiences in her life there. It is a great pageant in my community. A lot of the younger girls look up to the winners and participants. In my town, it is a positive activity to be a part of or watch every year.
A big controversy that people have with pageants is when there are children involved. Obviously since the children are young and do not have much of a say, the parents are the ones who make the decision of putting their child in a pageant or not. It seems unfair for a child to have makeup and their hair done at such a young age but the television and media shows you only the ‘glitz’ pageants which are far more extreme than a normal or ‘natural’ pageant. A natural pageant is a pageant for children of thirteen years of age of younger and they do not allow for makeup, hair extensions, or fake teeth like they do in the glitz pageants. At most pageants there are many things for the children to do. They keep the children entertained with different activities back stage. The children are able to interact with other participants. There are also events for the parents to be a part of. In reality, the parents are very helpful to each other. This is another negative thing that the media shows that is not necessarily true.
Being in pageants can teach a person a lot about themselves. It can boost their self-confidence as well as their speaking skills. Organization and how to be on a schedule can also be learned throughout participating in pageants. Manners and respect are also two things that are learned in a pageant that many do not realize. There is always a section in the pageant when the contestants show off their special talent or skill. They can show the person what they are interested in too and help them with their skills in
