By Renee O’Connor, Opinion Editor
Beauty pageants are known to be a world of sparkles, empowerment and motivation. They are also known to be a world of pain, restraint and misery. Just as good has bad and love has hate, beauty has ugly.
Beauty is more than what is on the surface— it has a darkness that’s disguised in makeup. Like all issues, however, there is more than one side. There are many benefits that come from beauty pageants.
Regardless of the fact, behind the scenes lies the truth and pain that contestants are forced to experience, further demonstrating that this is not an experience everyone should undergo.
Young contestants can get huge benefits from their participation in beauty pageants, especially with their early start. However, the monetary costs of competing are a burden on both the contestant and family.
But the opportunities opened by beauty pageants are undeniable.
Of course, winning the entire competition (and the prize money) are the most recognized rewards.
However, successful careers in entertainment, modeling and even politics have been seen many winners and contestants. Some competitions even offer scholarships and grants as prizes.
Though these opportunities possibly await the contestants, pageants are still extremely costly. The entry fee alone can cost between $20- $750. Once the outfits, gowns, makeup, coaching, entry fees and travel fees are factored in, costs soar between $800-$4,500.
One woman said she spent $4,000 for the dress, $400 on entry fees, $50 for a professional coaching session, and $300-$500 for costuming.
Researchers from Harvard found that the average family involved in pageants spent $100-$200 per pageant and entered an average of five per year.
This is money that could be devoted to the contestant’s future. What if they want to go to college? Even worse, what if they don’t win and the family loses thousands of dollars?
Perhaps they’ll be pressured to stay in the “beauty pageant contestant life” where they won’t have time to dedicate themselves to school or work. The cost of beauty pageants can put children and their families in debt to the point where their futures could be less than what they deserve
Beauty pageants can surely teach young girls important life lessons, but even a single negative experience can lead to many mental disorders. These competitions encourage its contestants to have motivation- to have dreams and ambitions as well as be good at them.
Many positives can be seen in pageants. Contestants build their self-confidence and worth, discover and explore their skills and talents, overcome issues like stage fright, and learn to express themselves. Along with this, these girls learn maturity and responsibility through rules and schedules.
They also get the chance to experience healthy competition in which they can learn from their mistakes and improve. However, despite the chances that these girls experience the positive emotional impact, they risk dangerous consequences concerning their mental health.
Based on research from West Virginia University, beauty pageants create a “highly competitive atmosphere that could trigger comparisons, body disconformity, anxiety and other mental disorders.” The issue arose after
Cheslie Kryst, Miss USA 2019, committed suicide in January 2022. Her mother confirmed that Kryst suffered from depression.
Many girls, specifically teens, were heartbroken because they looked up to Kryst. The pressure the former Miss USA faced, whether due to beauty pageants or appearances on TV, may have contributed to her mental health issues.
Pressure of winning, the pain of losing and every negative emotion in between can lead to bad experiences. Girls may constantly feel the need to be perfect and the stress linked with that.
They may develop depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and much more. Even worse is that these issues can carry on into adulthood. These are not issues anyone, let alone children, should be tormented with.
This is tragic; these young minds are the next leaders. If they are not mentally and emotionally well, they can lead to an adult generation filled with misery.
These women deserve a happy future, and if beauty pageants will change that for them, they shouldn’t be a part of them.