The Lovely Quirkster

zooeydeschanel:

Miss Representation 

Right now, I am working on my thesis project in college. I’m an art student, so it’s not written. Our theme this year is “Man-Made Monsters” and the topic I chose falls perfectly under this umbrella.

I chose to cover Child pageantry, like Toddlers and Tiaras. In fact, many of my references are based on the children and mothers in the show. Pageantry creates this double edged sword; the mothers, most of whom are driven by their own desire to win and their personal aspirations for ‘beauty’ sign their young daughters and less often, sons, to compete in these beauty competitions. It’s not really about how talented or how smart or compassionate or ebullient the child is, it’s about who can wear it best and who looks the most sexualized. And the children who become self-centered or introverted.

The images from that show make my stomach ROIL with fury towards the parents and despair for these little girls. The mothers become monsters and turn their little girls into monsters. The arguments for pageantry are weak. The best (and I’m not sure the message within is so great) being that “She’s raising money for her own future”. But who thinks her parents are actually saving away that money? How much of it is going towards her future? Probably future pageants more like.

I am so passionate about this because I AM tired of the sex. Who doesn’t want to feel sexy? Sure I do, but society’s view of sexy or my own view of personal confidence? I want every girl to believe and know that she is beautiful, but that doesn’t mean she needs revealing clothes, a sexual attitude and tons of makeup. We are beautiful because we are unique and smart and we matter.

I think this video is wonderful.