Well, some women are primarily valued for their appearance, at least for their day job. If an underwear model can make some easy money lounging around on cushions or on the sand in some tropical paradise, it would be stupid of her not to. Sure she could get a 9 to 5 job or a corporate job, or make her own business. But really, if shes hot and smart she can do both. Look at Heidi Klum, she is a business woman with her own line of items. She is smart and beautiful. Sometimes you can have it all.

Absolutely, because it serves a great purpose of ogling at a beautiful body. And there's nothing wrong with that. Pageants have come a long way in terms of including bathing suit competition. Its done less tastefully than it used to be, but that is mostly a problem with choice of musical score, and lighting.

So? Just because some people can't achieve something based on predetermined attributes does not mean that said thing is bad.

But it also doesn't mean that said thing is worth honoring either. It's just how a person was born. The way one looks is determined by his/her genes. It's not a skill they have achieved. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being beautiful, just that beauty is not a skill.

Just because you single out an attribute and judge it does not mean it is the most important attribute.

Agreed, but pageants single out an attribute that takes no skill or talent and then judge and honor people based on that. It's giving importance to something that ought to have none and it makes us superficial.

If they want to keep that beauty then they do, there are tons of people who were attractive when they were kids but lost their beauty because of stupid choices and not exercising.

They did not lose their beauty. They simply do not fit the current cultural ideal of beauty, which changes over time. Being thick in size was once the ideal, but now it is to be stick thin. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Well, what have athletes, singers, actors, comedians, etc. ever done in terms of contribution to society? Just because they give no practical use does not make them bad.

Athletes, singers, actors, and comedians all provide a service to society called entertainment.

If you want to blame society for being too focused on looks then your gripe is with the magazines and tv commercials that are telling unattractive girls they are useless and not with pageants.

It is with both. The problem is that pageants compound the problem of over-emphasizing beauty (with only one standard of it, which makes it that much worse).

I would not say that there is no achievement in them, while looks are hereditary the people in the pageant must still go through a lot of hard work in order to stay in shape to keep that beauty.

As for it being unfair for an unattractive woman not being to win it, seeing as intelligence is mostly inherited wouldn't that mean it is also unfair to judge a person based on smart they are?

Pageants are a good thing because like in sports, it displays the very best athletes, for as in pageants, it displays the beauty in women and even men in Body Building. It is competition by striving to be the best and beautiful.

I would suggest dancing; tap dancing if she is active and ballet simply because a lot of little girls enjoy it. The recitals allow for her to get dressed up and pretty plus she gets some great costumes and meets many new friends. Plus it's also quite healthy and helps improve coordination.

Thank you everyone for answering. I will try to do less pageants 1-2 per month.

Although my husband is supporting my decision, Katelyn isn't so much. I will do less pageants though and do more child things with her. My husband says thanks. Katelyn hasn't warmed up to the idea, like I said before, but she will. I cant thank you guys enough for bringing me to the other side of the story. You guys are truly amazing.

THANK YOU!

PS what would make Katy realize that the best thing for her would be to cut down on pageants?

My daughter is the one that chooses it. before ANY pageant, I ask her if she'd like to participate in it.

The reward:

She learns to choose things for herself

Most of the pageant money goes to her college

*We donate money to charities, cure finders, and animal rescue teams.

I'm 22 and have been doing beauty pageants since I was 2 months old. My daughter also does pageants. She started when she was 1 1/2 months and now is 2. She loves it! THE DAY SHE TELLS ME "MOMMY, NO MORE" IT WILL BREAK MY HEART AND I WILL PROBABLY HAVE A HEART ATTACK, BUT SHE WON'T DO ANOTHER PAGENT.

She does have a choice in beauty pageants. look at mu picture she's GORGEOUS! She loves pageants, and that's why she does it. She is 2 and has over 100 trophies and tiaras. She loves her trophies, and that is why we put her in 1 or more pageants per week. Pageants are expensive, but we want to see her happy. She chooses it, not me. I put her in pageants when she was 1 1/2 months old because she was beautiful and loved to look at my pageant crowns. She won EVERY pageant she got in and I do it for her smile! She has a pageant coach that she loves, and she has so much fun doing pageants and practicing for pageants. Now see it from her side:

me:

KATELYN, DO YOU LIKE PAGEANTS

katy / katelyn

YES MOMMY !

me

WHY DO YOU LIKE PAGEANTS?

katy

WE GET TO DRESS UP AND PRACTICE WITH MAIDYN (her pageant coach) AND PUT ON MAKE-UP AND SPRAY TAN AND LOOK GOOD. WE GET TO GO SHOPPING IN L.A OR BEVY HILL (beverly hills)

me

WHAT ARE YOU?

katy

ALL ABOUT THE GLITZ AND GLAM

BLAZE

A NATURAL IN PAGEANTS

EXPERT IN BEAUTY

(she winks)

So you can see she loves what she does.

I would suggest trying out new activities/hobbies she might enjoy. At her age, gymnastics is a fantastic activity, which gets her comfortable with moving her body in different ways and would set her up for a healthy, active lifestyle later on. Dance is also fun for children at her age. Above all, if she's not already part of one, I would suggest putting her in a preschool program (Not a daycare) so she can be around other children her age and learn the fundamentals that will set her up for academic success.

I stated that a poised, well-spoken, educated, and talented unattractive woman would be unable to win. Being intelligent does not necessitate that you will also be talented, poised, and well-spoken.

So? Just because some people can't achieve something based on predetermined attributes does not mean that said thing is bad. That same woman would not be able to make it as a singer, but does that make singing competitions bad?

It's a damaging idea because there are far more important attributes to be honored in people than beauty.

Just because you single out an attribute and judge it does not mean it is the most important attribute. By judging singing ability we are not implying that singing is more important then intelligence, by watching sports were are not implying that being athletic is more important then intelligence, and by judging beauty we are not implying that looks are more important than intelligence. If people want to compete with each other by using attributes other than intelligence who are you to say that it is wrong for them to do so?

Beauty is something that people do not go through "a lot of hard work" to achieve.

If they want to keep that beauty then they do, there are tons of people who were attractive when they were kids but lost their beauty because of stupid choices and not exercising.

What have beautiful people done for us? Given us something to masturbate to?

Well, what have athletes, singers, actors, comedians, etc. ever done in terms of contribution to society? Just because they give no practical use does not make them bad.

If you want to blame society for being too focused on looks then your gripe is with the magazines and tv commercials that are telling unattractive girls they are useless and not with pageants.