Toddlers and Tiaras! Banned in France?
While the show Toddlers in Tiaras has not actually been banned from France the following information tells about how France is dealing with the pageant world sexualizing children. (At the end of the list is a link to the full article)
- France's Senate has voted to ban beauty pageants for children under 16 in an effort to protect girls from being sexualized too early.
- Anyone who enters a child into such a contest would face up to two years in prison and 30,000 euros in fines. A pageant organizer lamented that the move was so severe.
- Such beauty pageants, involving girls of all ages often heavily made up and dressed up, regularly elicit public debate in France and elsewhere. While such pageants are not as common in France as in the United States, girls get the message early on here that they are sexual beings, from advertising and marketing campaigns — and even from department stores that sell lingerie for girls as young as 6.
- "The foundations of equal rights are threatened by the hyper-sexualization that touches children ... between 6 and 12 years old," said conservative lawmaker Chantal Jouanno, who authored the amendment.
- "At this age, you need to concentrate on acquiring knowledge. Yet with mini-Miss competitions and other demonstrations, we are fixing the projectors on their physical appearance. I have a hard time seeing how these competitions are in the greater interest of the child."
- She noted the amendment is primarily focused on protecting girls. "When I asked an organizer why there were no mini-boy contests, I heard him respond that boys would not lower themselves like that."
- The amendment's language is brief but sweeping: "Organizing beauty competitions for children under 16 is banned." It doesn't specify what kind of competitions would be covered, including whether it would extend to online photo competitions or pretty baby contests.
- The amendment says it's aimed at protecting children from danger and being prematurely forced into roles of seduction that harm their development.
- Some pageants make an effort to de-sexualize the competitions. One recent pageant in the Paris region specifically banned makeup, swimsuits, high heels or anything inappropriate for the child's age.
- In the same debate, the Senate rejected an amendment that would have restricted the use of models under age 16 to modeling for products or services destined for children.
- http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/18/20564025-frances-senate-votes-to-ban-child-beauty-pageants
JonBenet Ramsey
Links and Information
Jonbenet Ramsey came from a wealthy family and led a seemingly perfect life. At the age of six she was murdered. Ramsey was well known for her success in pageantry. Some say that this made her a prime target for the murder because of her physical beauty and her families wealth or ability to pay ransom. Ramsey's death raises one of the prime question in the investigation; is pageantry at this age sexualization of young girls? I feel that this case provided major information on the topic of how the pageant world is effecting females, specifically in children.
Detailed description of the family, case and after effects
Brief Overview
Detailed description of the family, case and after effects
Brief Overview
- Power full wealthy family has a beautiful daughter who leads a life in pageantry and is surrounded by a luxurious life full of various people
- The family has many large parties or gatherings. One of these being a Christmas party three days before their daughter's murder; the party had more than 100 guests present.
- Days later the family put their daughter to bed and then goes to sleep themselves.
- The next day, just hours later a ransom note is found asking for a LARGE sum of money. And incidentally a number very exact and precisely chosen.
- 911 is called, the police arrive within minutes and begin questioning. Rather than closing off the crime scene or searching the area. People were able to come and go, visiting the scene and family as they pleased--big mistake.
- Some time later the house is searched and Ramsey's body is found in the basement.
- The parents become the number one suspects in the murder.
- The case goes on for many years undergoing numerous allegations, leads and dead ends.
- The parents were harassed by police, lawyers, politician and the media. Although there was very little evidence actually incriminating the parents directly.
- The case was left unsolved, but the information and the story behind this child's murder may be even more reason that child pageantry should be banned or monitored.