Competitive. Exciting. Intriguing. These are just a few words to describe an exhilarating, yet controversial hobby of mine--pageants. People have many different views about pageants. Some believe pageants are demeaning and sexist, that they exploit women and force little girls to grow up too fast. Others feel that they are an educational and worthwhile experience. Most likely, many people haven't even thought about them and have no opinion at all. It is true that there are some illegitimate pageants that are costly and are only looking for money however, anyone who is involved with pageants would agree that most pageants are great confidence builders and can help a person a great deal in their life.

My experience with pageants thus far has proven this to be true. Ever since I was very young, being in a pageant had been a dream of mine. I would watch the other girls on television in awe and wonder if I would ever have the chance to be up there in the spotlight. Playing "beauty pageant" with my friends became a regular routine. We would go through every part of competition as if it were the real thing. But being in that awkward preteen stage, self-confidence was hard to come by for me. I couldn't seem to gain that extra bit of courage to take the next step and enter a pageant. I went through my first few years of high school and finally it was my high school cheerleading coach who helped push me through the door. More like a friend or a sister than a coach, she helped me to find enough confidence within myself to follow my dreams.

The first pageant I entered, I won, which wasn't necessarily a good thing. It definitely boosted my self-esteem and helped encourage me to enter another pageant. On the other hand, it made losing for the first time a bit more disappointing. I liked the feeling of winning. It wasn't long though, before I reminded myself why I was there competing. Obviously any loss is a disappointment, however, the fun and excitement are much more important to me. With the strong support of family and some very special friends, I continued competing. This year I become involved with the Miss America Pageant system. I entered my first preliminary pageant that would make me eligible to pursue the title of Miss Massachusetts and maybe eventually Miss America. I went in a little apprehensive not knowing anyone, and came out with so many new friends. This experience helped me realize that competing in pageants was something I really wanted and enjoyed doing.

I began my pageant career as a senior in high school but many children began much earlier, many times before they can even walk. As a child contestant, one must express their opinion when asked questions. A young child may find it difficult to express how he or she feels, especially if it contradicts the feelings of someone they love. No child should be forced into doing something he or she doesn't want to do. However, it does happen. Many mothers coerce their daughters into competition. In many cases it is because they had a childhood dream that was never fulfilled, and they are trying to live it out through their daughter. By doing so, sometimes mothers push their daughters to grow up too fast by wearing too much makeup and inappropriate clothes for their age. They may encourage this so their child looks good on stage. Some little girls would rather be doing things like their other classmates and friends-- things that society deems normal. A child deserves the right to choose.

Children should be ready physically and emotionally for competition. Many hours of practice and rehearsals can be harmful to their health. Being over-tired can run a child down. When parents demean their children, especially in front of other children, it makes them feel worthless and destroys their self-confidence. The focus is on the negative, thus resulting in low self-esteem.

Pageants should improve self-esteem, not weaken it. I have seen many mothers who actually threaten their daughters with the fact that that if they don't win, some type of punishment will take place. All children need positive role models and positive reinforcement. They need to be reminded of how special they are. Leading by good example is something all parents should do. When "stage moms" argue with one another, their children witness it and believe being rude and inconsiderate is acceptable. I cannot even count all the times that I have had to console young girls after losing because they are so afraid what their mothers might say.

Children should be taught that winning isn't everything. Many parents put too much emphasis on the win rather than the experience as a whole, thus placing too much emphasis on being number one. They lack giving positive reinforcement. This may be why many children do not accept losing very well.

In the news many people learned of the horrible death of little Jon Bennet Ramsey. By viewing pictures of her, it is obvious that she was made up to look much older and more mature than she actually was. Some may believe this was a factor in contributing to her untimely death. However, we have no evidence of that as of yet. She appeared to be a happy child who enjoyed performing and competing. Until a murderer is found, no one should blame her death or relate it in any way to her involvement with pageants.

Aside from some negaitive aspects, there is a whole other side to pageantry--the glitz, the glamour, and the lesson of hard work paying off. Consider the pros and decide. Everyday children become involved with extra curricular activities and sports because it is something they enjoy. Pageants should be no different. There are many more who would rather perform in pageants than do anything else. It is in their nature to perform and make people smile. Being on stage and in front of an audience gives many children a charge. Not just winning a crown but winning the applause and affection of the audience is what truly makes them feel like a queen. The positive response of the audience feeds their self-esteem building self-confidence. Children also feed their self-esteem and build confidence by being accepted by their peers, who may look up to them as a result of being involved in pageants. Parents should give praise to a child no matter what the outcome is. The most important thing is that the child tries his or her best and feels good about the accomplishments that have been made.

A good pageant emphasizes being a well-rounded individual--one who is well-spoken, educated, and ready to meet the challenges of being the pride of the present and the hope of the future. In my opinion, one of the most rewarding parts of pageants is the friendships that you make each time you enter. Children can learn different facts from other children their age about different places and cultures. Many times winning a title will also allow you to travel and meet people from all over the world. This is a great way for children to learn about different cultures and ways of life.

Prize money won can be saved up and used towards college. Some pageants may also award clothing, gift certificates, trips, and almost always, a crown and banner. Overall, the most important thing for a child is having fun. The fame and glory should not be their first priority, and it is up to the parents to instill good values in their children.

As an adult, there are many times in life when we must speak in front of people, whether it be giving a report in a class or going to an interview. Many people find this very difficult and stressful. Pageants provide women with experience in performing and speaking in front of people. All pageant systems are broken down into different categories of performance. In almost every pageant, there is a required interview. These interviews force women to think quickly on their feet, and be up to date on current events. The interviewing skills learned by women are extremely useful later in life when interviewing for jobs. It gives women the advantage over others because they have received more experience in interviewing than most young women their age.

Much the same as young children, the friendships made by adults through competing in pageants is a prize within itself. As women get older, the friends they make tend to be more lifelong. This is because they have so many things in common and many of the same goals and dreams. They can relate to each other and share different experiences.

As a young woman in college, expenses can get very high. In many pageants, scholarship money is awarded and is very helpful in paying for education. The Miss America Pageant System is the largest source of scholarship money to women in the world. The challenge of looking your best is not enough anymore. You also need the brains to go along with it. In some cases such as in the Miss America system, winning a title allows you to travel around the state, and sometimes the country, making appearances and taking part in events that you ordinarily would not be able to take part. It's not only the fun and excitement of performing but also the many new and different things you can experience as a result of being involved with pageants.

When people hear the word pageant, right away they probably visualize the ones they see on television. These are the Miss USA Pageant and the Miss America Scholarship Pageant. To people who are not involved with pageants, these 2 pageant systems may seem very similar. However similar, they are also different. The Miss USA Pageant falls under the stereotypical category of "beauty pageants". It focuses equally on looks and a woman's outer appearance as it does on how much knowledge the woman has. The swimsuit competition, evening wear competition, and interview each count for one-third of the contestant's final score. There is no talent competition or area to perform a special ability (i.e. singing, dancing, musical instrument) for the judges. The only specific requirements are having a good body and being able to speak in front of people.

A big downfall with the Miss USA Pageant is the entrance fee required to compete in any state pageant. The fee can be as high as $700.00 per contestant, and added in with the cost of buying an evening gown, a swimsuit, an interview outfit and accessories, costs get extremely high. On the national level, out of 51 women, only one will receive enough prize money to cover the expenses. Miss USA receives a car, jewelry, hair supplies, make-up, a cruise, and an excess of $40,000.

On the other hand this pageant system puts most of its emphasis on the talent competition which counts for 40% of the contestant's final score. The interview, which has the second highest percentage, counts for 30%. The swimsuit and evening wear competitions count for the least at 15% each. This pageant teaches women that looks aren't everything. In the Miss America Pageant, outer beauty is as important as intelligence. It goes against the myth that beauty is all a woman needs for success. Also, the Miss America System requires no entrance fee at the local, state, or national level.

A large part of the Miss America Pageant is having a platform-- an issue of high importance to you. Miss America, once chosen, dedicates a year of service to her platform. It could be something anywhere from being a mentor to young children to working with AIDS patients. Anything that helps others and improves society would be considered a good platform. In the interview, many questions asked are focused on the woman's platform. She needs to be well-informed and ready to defend any issue that may be discussed.

In conclusion, there are good pageants and not so good pageants. Before anyone enters a pageant, research must be done. Find out who is sponsoring the pageant and any costs that may be incurred. Be a wise consumer. Once a decision to enter a pageant is made, one should make sure that one is ready emotionally to handle any loss. If it is a child, a parent should seriously consider if both the child and parent are ready for the possibility of criticism. Obviously, one enters to win. However, one should not base their self-worth on winning. As the saying goes, "You win some, you lose some." The only way to grow as a person is to learn from your mistakes. Having fun is the most important thing. If you're having fun doing something you enjoy, you've placed yourself in a win/win situation and despite the results in the pageant, success has been accomplished. It is, in my opinion, that the pros certainly out-way the cons and I will definitely continue competing in pageants. .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background by::