"Raised to do nothing but try to be attractive" Pageants aren't every weekend, We dont spend our entire time practicing for Pageant.
Most of my daughters weekends are spent at the Riding Stables. In the run up to Pageant we will have a few shopping trips for dresses and costume fittings its all part of the fun. Routines are worked on for about 10 minutes a day. A day or two before Pageant she has a hair cut, her nails done and a spray tan.
I believe my daughter is very lucky, she has a huge friend group, from her school friends, Cheerleading friends, Horse Riding friends and Pageant friends from all over the world, who she keeps in contact with via email, skype and facebook.

"Takes time away from other developmental activities, play, and skill development; which also reduces the child's ability to actually acquire any new skills or recreational pursuits."
So Horse Riding, Cheerleading and Voluntary work isn't enough for you. I wont mention the social skills obtained during Pageant.

"The largest downside for pageant is that unless the participant can move up constantly to the next 'age group' and eventually get into a modelling career- the whole thing becomes a wasted investment."...... sorry but I find that laughable, every minute spent with my daughter is a worthy investment. Career wish what she actually wants to do is study Occupational Therapy and open a Riding School specializing in Rehabilitation for people with Disablities.

Following the recent Universal Royalty Pageant in Melbourne, we decided to stay in Melbourne for a couple of extra days and do some sight seeing as we had never been there before. We enjoyed time at the Melbourne Zoo, The Tutankhamun Exhibition, we saw a show, met lots of lovely people. All things my daughter would never have done had we not been in Melbourne that week

First I should own to disliking the idea of child beauty pageants for my own children. However, if you ban pageants you may as well ban sporting events or academic competitions where there is a risk of dodgy parents placing ridiculous pressures on kids to win. Better to ban dodgy parents instead.

How far should governments go in deciding what is best for families and based on whose moral dictate.

I have met equally as many in the academic world who push kids to be the best in their PARENT'S chosen field. There may be an argument for an age limit in beauty pageants as there is in some sports.

The driving argument in banning pageants is not about sexualisation. It is more about the lifestyle that includes a procession of child beauty pageants possibly placing undue pressures on a kid. The idea of child beauty pageants might not sit well with many people's idea of childhood and I reckon there is merit in that view, however we cannot make decisions for every parent or family based on our own beliefs, unless there is a real risk of harm. Are there any statistics on the long term effects of child beauty pageant regulars?

One only hopes that the children get some say in their hobbies and interests.

The bad press for pageants isn't helped by the fact that many of the girls interviewed are perceived as precocious, many presenting a faux image of maturity but it is distorted maturity that is practised rather than felt. Is this ultimately bad? Parents decide.

King you have it so wrong. You only have to look at a bunch of our aging beauties to see that being pretty is a short term thing.

Being strikingly attractive, at least for a lady, is a matter of self belief.

I have a couple of cousins who were always invisible ladies. Nice people, good mothers, good workers, the type we need in Oz, but never actually notice. The type who don't have much confidence, & would eat worms rather than speak in a public forum.

Then in her mid 40s one of them screwed up all her courage, & went into party plan marketing, for a small income, & later talked the other into joining her.

To start with I have seen her almost sick with nerves before a party, but she persevered. She found she was OK, & her confidence grew. Over time she studied the more successful ladies in the group, & she became quite good.

Now she has a hair style, [that suits her] rather than a hair cut, she has developed a dress style, does a bit of exercise, & knows how to use minimal, but effective make up.

It has been amazing to watch both of them develop poise & grace with their confidence.

From invisible, they are now 2 striking ladies, people notice. They have not been to plastic surgeons, they simply shine with self confidence, & value themselves more highly now. People do seemingly take us at our own valuation of ourselves.

I can't see much wrong with teaching young girls to value themselves

People used to defend organised cock fighting. 'No one can tell me what to do with my cock', 'my cock was bred for fighting', 'my cock wants to do it', but it was recognised for the cruel and exploitative competition it was.
Young children pitted against each other in a beauty competition might not literally fight to the death for the crown, but the messages about beauty delivered to pageant entrants (winners and losers) can have a detrimental and lifelong impact.
I assume beauty pageant defenders would also think it OK for employers to have a 'beauty score' box on the job application form? What's so wrong with restricting the 'beauty' component in pageants to those over 16? Who would miss it (apart from pageant organi$er$)? Let kids get up and sing, dance, parade around - whatever they want to do, but don't let them be judged on their physical features. It's one thing to teach your child deportment, grooming and social skills, it's another entirely to engage them in competition based on physical features that has NOTHING to do with talent.

Good points, Catherine.

My youngster took part in a concert recently. His troupe did so well and he did a solo for which he was roundly congratulated. It occurred to me afterward that his feeling of accomplishment wasn't derived from any form of competition, merely from achievement.
And, as you point out, competition to display one's prowess or talent is a completely different ball game to being judged on physical attributes.

For some reason dousing a child with fake tan and tarting them up like a showgirl at such a tender age for no other reason than be judged for their looks, doesn't sit right with me...even if they do have heaps of cheer-leading friends.