I saw little girls forced to get spray tans or wear fake eyelashes while screaming and crying, parading around stages in $2000 dresses wearing fake hairpieces, fake teeth or "flippers", a pound of makeup, blowing kisses or making seductive faces in their "routines," wearing sexualized costumes, dancing around in tight swimsuits, and generally being objectified as showpieces. Most of these girls are 2-6 years old! The "older girls" are 8-10.
make little girls parade around in bikinis and dance in "sexy" costumes for judges? To teach them that their self-worth is entirely about how they look and how to put on a pleasing performance??
And of course these children are facing extreme pressure to win at all costs. And these pageants cost thousands of dollars - one mom said she spent 30,000 a year on pageants! Even if you win, the cash prize is usually 1000 dollars or less;
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