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The Forum > Article Comments > ‘Pull the Pin’ on children’s beauty pageants > Comments

‘Pull the Pin’ on children’s beauty pageants : Comments

By Catherine Manning, published 23/8/2011

The beauty myth and children: making beauty a sexualised competition is unhealthy for children and society.

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Houellebecq:"It's equality for women; The bonus being positioning women by default as universally disadvantaged, so any attempt at equality where men are disadvantaged should be ignored."

Yes, indeed. I note that Catherine seems to have an approved copy of the script: "Exeunt STAGE LEFT chanting slogans"...
Posted by Antiseptic, Tuesday, 30 August 2011 12:54:46 PM
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Houellie,

Your point about your daughter just wanting to be like mummy is pertinent. she doesn't want to be "hot", she wants to be like mum.

So obviously, the reasonable extension of that is to whack the kid on a stage next to other tots who just want to look like mum and get someone to tell them who's the most beautiful...I can see that it's a natural progression : )

I mean to say, when mum is looking hot, the first thing she does is rush to a beauty pageant venue and have herself judged. Notwithstanding that (according to Shakespeare - and I agree) that all the world's a stage, such blatant scoring and judging when all the kid wants to do is imitate mum is a little over the top, don't you think?

You guys can't ever argue anything on its merits without introducing your sexist theories, can you...I don't think women are universally disadvantaged....but these tots didn't dream up this stuff for themselves...their mums did it for them for some vicarious thrills.
Posted by Poirot, Tuesday, 30 August 2011 1:09:52 PM
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Just to clarify my term " your sexist theories" - what I meant was your "theories on sexism"...(before either of you gentlemen jump down my throat :)

I might add that in my experience all the blokes I know tend to dance to the tunes played by their wives - even the ones who think they're running the show. It's you fellas who should be agitating for equality.
Posted by Poirot, Tuesday, 30 August 2011 1:41:02 PM
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Poirot "I might add that in my experience all the blokes I know tend to dance to the tunes played by their wives - even the ones who think they're running the show. It's you fellas who should be agitating for equality." - now who's posting theories on sexism ;)

Completely agree though.

R0bert
Posted by R0bert, Tuesday, 30 August 2011 1:54:54 PM
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Yes of course Poirot, happy wife happy life.

I think a lot of women just have an innate talent of making their partner's life so miserable when they don't get what they want, that guys who don't put their foot down end up dying that death by a thousand cuts that is nagging.

More fool them, I don't see it as an equality issue. They should be more assertive.

You seem to think beauty pageants are not a miniaturised version of adult beauty pagents like kids footy is a miniaturised version of adults footy.

Over the top? That's subjective. It's not something that appeals to me. But I understand group pampering and showing off is something women enjoy. That's why they like to get ready for a night out together. It's a saphic thing. That they turn it into a competetive sport just formalises things like boxing formalises some guys need to belt the sh1t out of each other. Which is homoerotic of course:-)

Some men and their sons go hunting and fishing together, to bond over killing defenceless creatures, and some mothers and daughters like to bond by engaging in an orgy of competetive vanity. All harmless hijinks.

This is all irrelevant to the central point. Why should kill-joys override the wishes of the parents and daughters involved. Where's the direct *proof* that it's harmful? Not some psychologist theory or gender political hobby horse. Proof.

Even with that proof, the risk of harm has to outweigh the enjoyment gained. Should we ban football because the odd kid ends up in a wheelchair?

Should Ian Thorpe decide to sue his parents for encouraging him to swim as a young kid. Does Kate Moss enjoy her millions? Should every asian kid sue their parents for pushing them so hard at school? No, that's what their culture values. Our culture values sport and good looks.

You're anti-sexualisation, I'm anti-politicisation of children. It's sinister. It's the thin edge of the wedge. They might ban my satinic chicken slaughter rituals next, my daughters will be devastated.
Posted by Houellebecq, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 8:49:13 AM
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Houellie,

LOL...."...an orgy of competitive vanities" - love the term, which sums up Western civilisation beautifully.

Parading female tots about on the a stage and judging them on their blinged-up "beauty" to satisfy the competitive vanity of their mothers, in my opinion, warps whatever is psychologically healthy in the normal course of emulation and competition.
Posted by Poirot, Wednesday, 31 August 2011 10:03:11 AM
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