I think you have to stand back and just let people do what they want and resist the urge to regulate everything in everyone's lives.

I don't have any interest in child beauty pageants, but don't want them regulated till they become a reflection of the most ardent opponent's values. Where does that end? If we subscribe to the lowest common denominator on every issue, every event, every activity .. why, we'd have pretty well nothing left as there is always going to be someone who doesn't agree.

Sheesh, get a life and stay out of other people's lives.

"It’s easy to be outraged" .. for you perhaps, not for everyone, in maturity comes an acceptance of things other people want to do or be.

"In condoning beauty pageants we are saying it is okay to judge and reward our children for their physical beauty"

Yes, we are and as a society we allow people to make choices.

It's ok to recognize beauty and to do it in whatever way you want to, if you don't like it or disagree, fine, but don't try to regulate it.

I'm happy for you to have this view, and do not suggest we regulate the views of people like yourself.

After all, it is free country .. some people don't like F1 Grand Prix racing, which I completely do not understand, but I am tolerant to their views.

I agree that regulation is not the answer to everything, but I think you should reconsider your use of the word 'choice' when it comes to 3-10 year old girls being entered into beauty pageants.
Agreed- physical beauty is a competition, but it's got nothing to do with skill or talents or training. You either have it or you don't. And most of us don't. How sad if your four year never wins the trophy. It's not like sport where you can say to the child- well perhaps footy/cricket/swimming isn't your thing, or maybe you're not interested, or maybe you didnt train enough, or maybe you'll grow up to be stronger and faster. No you have to say to her- you are not pretty enough, you are physically inferior, that's why you didn't win. We all eventually find out where we stand in the hierarchy of beauty. Generally in early adolescence and it's usually a disappointment, particularly for girls who are constantly told to measure up to a standard that perhaps 1per cent reach. Why make that disappointment earlier than it needs to be?

Actually - it might be sadder if your 4 year old kept winning trophies for being pretty- but ended up a rather ordinary adult. Adjustment issues. Anyhoo- I think we should probably get all those beauty pageant girls into go - karting. Future formula 1 drivers? ;p

"The Victorian Government is ignoring the concerns of thousands of people who want to see the regulation of child beauty pageants not only in Victoria, but nationally and internationally."

Read that as "The Victorian Government is ignoring us busy bodies that want everyone to behave as we think they should. We don't have any justification, but have lined up some professionals that are just as anal as us."

Come on love, we reward people for being smart, we make them professors & pay them twice what they are worth.

We reward people foe being able to sing, particularly if they are sexy.

We reward people for being able to run fast, or kick a ball, or punch each other hard.

We reward people for being good salesman.

Why the hell shouldn't we reward them for being good looking, & extroverted?

They are going to have to learn that life is not fair sometime, why not while young, when they can use that knowledge to best advantage. Maybe it will help them to grow up, something some others have trouble doing.

But Chandralekha please drop that idea. Formuls 1 racing is dangerous enough, without adding a bunch of silly little girls, who will want to use the rear view mirror, to check their makeup.

How child pageantry isn't already listed as both a form of child abuse, but also a form of child labor/exploitation/slavery (they're being coerced into dedicating their time working for free on behalf of adults), I don't know.
It is also an obvious link to very poor mental and emotional development to raise young children to feel they have to make sacrifices to their lives simply to satisfy other people's vanity, and only know a world where other kids their age are not potential friends- only competition that will get in the way of the goal of being the best (and thus the justification for their suffering to pay off), and seeing themselves only as something to be promoted, compared and rated 1-10, and only worthwhile when they are awarded first prize.

I do find it quite amusing that some people are tying laws to prevent child abuse to the 'nanny state'- quite telling actually.
And thanks to them, come an issue where government regulation might actually BE too far, people are going to look on the anti-regulation crowds and think they're the same kind of people who think child pageantry should be protected.