Pageant Parents

by Katie Duff - Blog 4
Source: TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras Webpage, “Top 10 Controversial Parents” Video Playlist

For this blog, I decided to do some exploring on the TLC webpage for the tv series Toddlers & Tiaras. I found a video playlist that showcased video clips of some the more extreme parents who involve their daughters (or sons) in the pageant world. After seeing some very over-the-top parent personalities and actions, I have documented several of them below. I found that an overall theme of pageant parents was the fact that these moms (or dads) seem much more dedicated to pageantry than the actual children themselves. It seems as if these parents are taking their role of pageant parents too far, as they are forcing their kids to do things they don’t always want to do instead of letting them just have fun. Instead of enjoying the competition, the parents get so competitive in winning high titles that they don’t allow their children to enjoy themselves. I also noted several quotes and characteristics that seem to have negative impacts on the kids.

Mom: Jamie Sterling, was a “pageant girl” herself Children:
Twins Brianna & Ashlyn
The Sterlings have five daughters competing in pageants, including their set of twins. Mom says twin Briana wins the most.
Ashlyn says “I don’t like competing against my sister because it’s hard to win”.
Mom: “Brianne does look a lot like mommy, and is probably the prettiest out of the five. Ashlyn is really skinny with a little bit larger nose than Brianne. She’s very timid and reserved, usually takes the back seat when it comes to Brianne.”
Ashlyn wins princess and Brianne wins Queen.
Dad has concern with glitz pageants because they’re competing against each other, but he doesn’t “oppose” because of fear of creating friction in marriage.

Putting the twins against each other is clearly a huge issue. It is already evident that the competition between her twin sister is having a negative effect on Ashlyn, as she always takes the lower titles. With her twin getting so much praise, spotlight, and high titles, it is creating emotional issues with Ashlyn, who is described by her mother as “timid and reserved” while her twin Brianne is very outgoing, friendly, and social which her mom describes as a “great personality”. Mom also is vocal in noting the physical differences between Brianne and Ashlyn, and not afraid to say that Brianne is her “prettiest” daughter. Ashlyn seems to be very aware of this, which seems to be setting her back and adding to her shyness.

Parent: David & Tanya Perez
Child: Ava, age 2
David has “always been “ interested in pageants. He always knew if he had a daughter that he would get her into the pageant world. Dad titles himself as the “SuperDad of Pageants” – “I’m her coach, makeup artist, costume designer, and her biggest cheerleader”. Dad is extremely upset that she lost out on talent competition, crying. It is clear that David is much more interested in Ava participated in pagaents than Ava actually is.

Parent: Heather Hughes
Children: Hayden and Maverick
“When I see little girls, I always think that I can turn my little boys into girls. These are my girls that I never had so I’ll just turn them into girls.”
“I don’t consider myself a pageant mom because I have a lot of background in child development”.
Hayden seems very distracted and uninterested. Call me crazy but it looked like the boys had a lot more fun in the beginning of the clip when they were shown riding toy fourwheelers outside. While a lot of pageant moms seem to be living through their daughters when it comes to pageantry, it seems far too over the top to live your pageant dreams through your sons. She is definitely forcing it upon them.

Parent: Stacie Fitzgerald
Child: Paige, age 4
Paige has been winning pageants since she was 2 years old. Her parents both go all out when it comes to her participation in pageants. Paige’s dad is a chiropractor who gives his daughter an “adjustment” before each pageant so that she is “at her best”. Paige also gets a caviar treatment for her hair before each pageant.

Parent: Julie Blair
Child: Cassidy
“What makes Cassidy stand out from the other pageant girls is mainly her behavior. She is a nasty little brat a lot of the times. You can see her and think she’s such an angel, but you can turn around and she’ll tear your head off in a second”. I’m not sure why Cassidy’s mom finds this so humorous.

Mom bribes Cassidy’s pageant participation with toys. (“The bribery for this pageant is some video game that she really wants. I told her that if she can win Queen, we’ll stop and get it for you on the way home. I promised it to her because I knew she wasn’t going to win the overall highpoint.”) Mom describes herself as always having been very competitive, which definitely is the driving force behind Cassidy’s participation in pageants. She is very overcritical of Cassidy’s performance, which could be crucial to Cassidy’s mentality, seeing as how when she won the Princess title instead of Oueen in her very first pageant, her mom states that she herself “stormed out, tossed [her daughter’s] crown in the parking lot and ran it over”.

Parent: Stacy Berg
Child: Madison age 10
Madison, who use the “stage name” of ‘Tootie’ during pageants, has competed in over 100 pageants over the course of five years. She came up with the alter-ego stage name idea from the television show Hannah Montana. The two personas seem to get a bit confusion at times, such as Stacy writing a note to Madison’s teacher referring to her as Tootie, and when Stacy called Madison by her real name at a pageant (in which Madison then demanded that she is “not Madison right now” and is instead Tootie). This situation seems like it could have a negative effect Madison as she develops into an adult. Another negative affect could be that her mom refers to herself not as a stage-mom, but as “Tootie’s personal assistant”. She claim she does everything for her and it is clear that she waits on her hand and foot. Tootie also has been spray tanning since age five, which she does not enjoy and often makes clear to her mom that she no longer wants to tan. However, the hard work of getting physically ready for a pageant pays off in Stacy’s eyes, as she states “When I see her on stage, it’s just like having a life-size doll”.

Going too far in “Pageant Life”

           I read an online new article by Paul Bentley titled “Child welfare services investigate pageant mother over Botox injections given to her eight-year-old daughter.”
I was completely shocked by the title and as I read on it got worse. A California mother was giving her eight year old daughter anti-wrinkle Botox to prevent the “wrinkles” she had when she smiled. The reason she was giving the injections was to minimize the lines that were showing with her daughters smile. The mother reports that she got this idea from other pageant moms when they began to point out her daughter’s wrinkles and they brought up the idea of Botox, saying they have used it before. Botox injections are painful and are not suppose to be given to anyone under the age of eighteen. The mother also stated that she waxed her daughter’s upper legs “in case she hits puberty and any ‘fluffy hair’ starts to appear.” She states that judges will take points off for stuff like this and pageant life is rough to deal with. The mother, who is a part time beautician, also administers Botox to herself. She says that they only time she gives it to her daughter is when they are applying it for pageants and she asks for it to be done. The mother says that her child has “watched me do it before, so when we first did it she was fine with it.” These treatments consist of five injections in three different places to improve the sight of the eight year olds “wrinkles.” The daughter, Britney, stated that “I just don't think it's ladylike to have hair on your legs. I did that one time. It was super, super hard. It hurts.” She is referring to getting her legs waxed and the pain she remembered. When she was asked if she would like to be waxed again she quickly replied “No.” Experts say that this mother is at serious risk for having Britney deal with psychological and physical issues throughout her life due to everything she has been put through at such a young age. The mother insists that she is a good parent and isn’t doing anything that the other pageant moms wouldn’t do. She states that “I have a normal child. It’s not breaking her spirit. She’s happy. She runs around. She’s smart. I’m a great mother. I’ve taken care of her by myself my whole life and nobody can really tell me what I’m doing is wrong because it’s me. I live in my shoes and she lives in her. She’s a happy kid and that’s the bottom line.”  Britney says that “it hurts sometimes. It makes me nervous but I get used to it. My friends think it’s cool I have all the treatments and they want to be like me. I check every night for my wrinkles, when I see some I want more injections. They used to hurt, but now I don’t cry that much.” I think that this is pushing it too far for a pageant. By administering injections to prevent an eight year olds “wrinkles” and waxing her legs, I think it is giving her daughter the wrong image about what pageants are suppose to be about.

Toddlers & Tiaras: Eden vs. Makenzie

Katie Duff - Blog Post 3

(Season 4, Episode 1- “Universal Royalty: The Ultimate Showdown”)

This episode of the controversial TLC series Toddlers & Tiaras focuses on a rivalry between two of the most top-notch competitors in the southern pageant world. Eden, a sophisticated six-year-old pro, will compete against underdog Makenzie, a spunky five-year-old self-professed diva from Louisiana, in Texas’ Universal Royalty Pageant. This 80’s themed pageant features a “glitz canopy bed” fit for a queen, as well as $1,000 cash for first prize.

Eden, who introduces herself as “I’m Eden, I’m 6 years old, and I have the biggest name in all of pageants”, is described by her mother as “the prima donna of the pageant world, way more than a pageant superstar”. Eden is clearly no stranger to the pageant world, having won over 250 supreme titles. She also is making tracks in the entertainment industry, with a book, an album, a music video, and even a doll. Eden is embarking on a mall performance tour this summer, with her hit song “Cutie Patootie”. It is overwhelmingly evident that Eden’s mother is a driving force behind turning her innocent six-year-old into a Hollywood diva. At times, it seems like too much for such a young girl. Eden’s introduction ends with a full-fledged massage and cucumber facial at a local spa.

Five-year-old Makenzie, is described by her mother as “not just your average pageant girl”. It is clear that Makenzie has tons of personality, and is sassy, spunk, and demanding. She’s got a “diva attitude” and is often times whiny and fussy, yet this is normal for a five-year-olds. With Makenzie’s example, it seems as if the pageant world depicted on TLC can be all too mature for such young girls. In her introduction, it is questionable at times whether Makenzie really enjoys pageants, because she is always fussing and whining when getting ready for these pageants. It is clear that she still has some setbacks, because she requires a “flipper” (often used in the pageant world as a mouthpiece to create the illusion of straight adult teeth) because her teeth are so crooked and misplaced because of her excessive pacifier usage. While Makenzie is very emotionally distressed over having to use a flipper, her mother insists on it because it will help her chances in the competition.

Upon the weekend pageant that the girls will be competing in, they take a trip to Hollywood with their mothers to appear on Entertainment Tonight, as well as a meet-and-greet with fans while Eden performs one of her songs. While Eden is in Hollywood to further her entertainment career, Makenzie is just along for the ride. Eden clearly comes from a wealthy family who is putting out lots of money for her to do all this. Eden professes, “I’m going to probably be famous and have everything that superstars do”. Her mom, Mickie, is clearly obsessed with the luxury and lavishness of the Hollywood lifestyle, and has high hopes for her daughter (“[Eden] is gonna be somebody”) in ensuring that this lifestyle will become reality. While in L.A., Makenzie seems to get a bit of the Hollywood bug from Eden, and with her mother she meets with an acting coach to assess if she can do this professionally. Makenzie’s huge personality shows through in this meeting, and it is clear that she is excited. While her mom states that she requires “proper training”, the acting coach states that Makenzie “has an emotional light that is incredible”. Throughout the course of the Hollywood trip, it is clear that Eden and Makenzie are not strangers to the limelight, for they are constantly taking pictures with young fans.

It is noted that that last time Makenzie and Eden competed against each other, Makenzie won the title of Supreme Queen, which was a step down from Eden’s top title of Ultimate Grand Supreme. The Universal Royalty pageant will give away only fourteen titles to the over 100 contestants. The pageant director states that “Makenzie and Eden are frontrunners, famous in their own right”. Whoever wins the top title is in the hands of the judges, based on a matter if they are looking for “trained professional” (Eden) or for “personality and babydoll” (Makenzie). Back in hair and makeup, Makenzie is preparing for the beauty sector of the competition. She is constantly fussing, whining, and crying. The room is filled with hairpieces, wigs, curling iron, hairspray, and an excessive amount of makeup. Eden, who usually appears much more mature than Makenzie, is also being very fussy and whiny during the process of getting ready. Her mother often feeds her pure sugar- Red Bull energy drinks, soda, and candy. Both girls have issues sitting still as well, and it all goes to show that they are only little children. They wear exquisite fancy dresses, full of glitter, sequins, and ruffles.

In the beauty competiton, they girls will be judged on facial beauty, personality, modeling, overall appearance. One judge states that she looks for a girl “who’s got the perfect hair and tan, whose got that winning smile and her personality comes through”. Because Makenzie and Eden are in different age groups, they are not competing against each other for the group titles (best dressed, best smile) but are competing against each other for the supreme titles. Before Makenzie goes on stage, her mom reminds her “remember not to blink too much and not to bounce too much, walk smooth, and bright eyes”. On stage, Makenzie exhibits lots of personality and sass. She seems very confident and sure of herself. However, her mother is concerned over the fact that she did not use her flipper. While the other is onstage, the two girls pay close attention from the audience. While they were obviously friends in California, they seem to be obsessive rivals now. Eden’s stage performance is very different from Makenzie’s; she is very poised, sophisticated, and elegant.

During the crowning of age groups, if you are not given any award it means you have been pulled for a higher title. Makenzie is not pulled, and is given the award of “future queen”. Her mother is concerned for when her daughter realizes that she “did not win anything”. She starts to get emotional and does not want her daughter to see her. While Eden is very obsessed with winning the luxurious bed, she is clearly under pressure from her mom, and states ““I think my mom’s nervous. She really wants me to win this pageant”. However, Eden does pull for a higher title either, but also wins best dressed and most beautiful among her age group. Eden’s name is then called for Grand Supreme, and she is immediately overwhelmingly excited. Her mother is now concerened with the fact that Eden did not yet realize that she did not win Ultimate Grand Supreme (and the bed). Ultimate Grand Supreme is given to an older girl. Eden becomes heartbreakingly sad. You can tell that her feelings are hurt, and it is hard to watch. It is clear that Eden really takes pride in competiting. The loss of the highest title hits Eden harder than it does Makenzie, who is just whining and crying that she does not have a crown. Overall, the day ended on a distressing note for both girls, when in the beginning they had to much optimism and pride in themselves. At the end of the day, it really shows that they are only five and six years old, and not the mature beauty queens that the pageant makes them out to be.

The Pros & Cons of Beauty Pageants

While the general public and recent success of TLC’s series Toddlers & Tiaras leads to a bad rap among the controversial subject of young girls in beauty pageants, the good is generally overlooked. Although they are many red flags among the process of pageantry, there are some positive aspects. This blog is geared towards a well-rounded view of focusing on the good as well as the bad factors that come out of youth participation in beauty pageants.

One of the most crucial positive factors of beauty pageants is that of confidence and self-esteem. Competing in pageants at a young age can instill strong self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-worth in early on in a girl’s life. This can diminish any inklings of shyness or introversion in a girl’s personality which will help her at succeed in all stages of life. However, pageantry can lead to superficiality and high values of materialism that stem from the overall concepts of beauty pageants.

Because beauty pageants place extreme focus on beauty and other feminine ideals, young girls are highly susceptible to gaining a corrupted view of what makes one beautiful. Emphasis is taken away from inner beauty and personality attributes. Gender stereotypes of women being only known for their good looks are enforced, as well as the stereotypical view that in order to be feminine one must exhibit poise. Young girls who participate in beauty pageants also learn to place a greater emphasis on physical perfection because of all the materialistic aspects of pageantry. In order to place high in a pageant, girls strive to present the most perfect hair styles, outfits, makeup and teeth. They are under extreme pressure to always look good and be thin. The positivity that comes out of this is a high emphasis on being physically fit and in shape, but pressure can be emphasized too much on these aspects. However, this can all lead to a high value of self-worth in the lives of these girls.

While the preparation and participation that beauty pageants require can be extremely expensive and time consuming, pageantry reaps other rewards. Besides from developing a go-getter spirit and becoming comfortable in front of large audiences and strangers, young girls who take pride in beauty pageants can become dedicated competitors. This can give way to dedication to a variety of other hobbies, such as dancing, drama, and music. Also, the opportunity to make life-long friends who share the same values presents itself in the world of beauty pageantry.

Lastly, while the fierce competition of beauty pageants can create negative feelings of hurt when they don’t earn a high title, winning pageants can be rewarding in the physical and emotional sense as well as the materialistic sense when cash prices are won. Like I said before, this can cause young girls to become dedicated competitors with a high sense of self-worth and self-confidence. Sometimes, the good can outweigh the bad.

Katie Duff - Second Post

Hooker Outfit: Not Funny

One of the recent controversies I have heard about on the show “Toddlers in Tiaras” is about a mother dressing her daughter up as Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman; she dressed her 3 year old daughter as hooker. She had the thigh high boots and a tight mini skirt and a top that showed a lot of skin.
I read an article on ABC news.com titled: “Tot Dressed as Prostitute: ‘Toddlers and Tiaras’ Blasted for Airing Image of 3-Y-O Pageant Contestant in Racy Costume” where they discussed the most controversial outfit on the show so far. The other mothers who dress their daughters up in outrageous costumes every week are angry that Wendy Dickey, mother the daughter dressed as prostitute, is bringing more controversy to the show. The article quotes another mother saying, “Us pageant moms already take a huge rap for what we’re doing with our little girls and it’s outfits like that that give us a bad rap” Dickey doesn’t agree with the other mothers and justifies this costume by saying that the costume was meant to be funny. In an interview by Good Morning America Dickey said, “The whole idea was for people to see the comedy behind it. It’s like when you take your children to a kids’ movie, there’s always adult humor that the parents get that the children don’t get and that’s what it was about.” This idea may be true but the jokes for adults in movies are not teaching the children in the theater that dressing like a hooker is acceptable. It is also not like the situations in the movie are anything like the situation Dickey is putting her child in.
The article goes on to discuss the issue of pedophiles and Dickey’s take on this topic. Although she realizes that there are pedophiles everywhere in everyday life, she doesn’t believe that they are present at these types of pageants. It is unbelievable how naïve Dickey is to think that pedophiles do not go to pageants to see little girls dressed up in skimpy outfits. She is quoted saying, “When you take your children to the beach you put swimsuits on your girls, bikinis on your little ones or your big ones or teenagers,” she said. “I think there are just as many or more pedophiles at the beach and in the park and anywhere ... I do not believe pageants are a breeding ground for pedophiles.” To compare wearing a bikini at the beach to a hooker outfit in a toddler beauty pageant is outrageous. For one thing, a bikini is acceptable in our society; there are not sexual connotations for young girls wearing an ordinary swimsuit. Swimming involves showing parts of your body in your swimsuit. There is however, a problem with a child wearing a hooker costume at a beauty pageant. This sends negative connotations and makes the rest of society wonder how the mother of this child could let them walk around this way.
If Dickey doesn’t think how she and other mothers dress their daughters is suggestive and sexualizing them, she is greatly mistaken. The mothers are condoning maturity and sexuality these toddlers could not possibly understand or need to understand at their young age. The mothers, whether they realize it or not, are sexualizing their daughters way too young.

Psychological Issues Related to Pageants

            I read an article called “Toddlers and Children Beauty Pageants—Risk Factors for Severe Psychological Turmoil’s,” from a website called Psychological Corner. There are many examples given about the influence parents have on their children who participate in pageants and the psychological affects it has on these young kids. I found this website helpful because it allowed me understand more medical related illnesses linked to beauty pageants that I did not realize before. Pageants hold a lot more behind them besides the fake hair and nails; make-up, tanning, tiaras, trophies, screaming crowds, money, and costumes. Many people don’t realize that eating disorders, paranoid features, hysteric behaviors, stress, anxiety, and poor relationships all are possible relations to pageants.

            People have to look through the positive sides of pageants and accept the fact that there are negative views on pageants. Children who compete in these pageants are normally from the ages 2/3-10 and sometimes younger. Each child, parents and family come in with the same goal of winning the tiaras, money, and other prizes. Many of these little competitors are influenced by their mothers. Of course these little beauties do not enter the contests at their own, their mothers are the ones to fill in the applications on time, pay the participation fee, create or buy the outfit, make up the talent and hire the hairstylist and person to do make-up, along with many other things. When mothers are asked why they put their children through this experience the answers are normally the same. Common answers are, because I used to participate in contests myself, for the money, because he/she enjoys being dressed up, and to have them experience a more complex environment.

            Having experience on stage is good to develop a sense of competition, having a hobby, and spending time with your family. It can also lead to problems when a child becomes a “winning machine.” When winning several pageants becomes a common theme in their life, it can cause psychological issues. These children who win will promote physical beauty as the main value. Females especially will pay a ton of attention on her looks and know that she is being asses for it, which makes her feel that she must meet the “perfect” physical standards. When children are extremely concentrated on their physical appearance they are highly prone to developing eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia. Paranoid features may occur due to the high competition set at these pageants because “no girl is your friend, they are your competitors.” Anxiety also plays a role in these girls’ lives. They may seem to be prepared to go onto stage, but really there are some out there who are only doing the pageants to please their family, especially mothers. This also leads to embarrassment if they go up on stage feeling uneasy about the dance they will be doing, song they will be singing, and any other talents that are performed.  These are only some examples of psychological problems that occur due to trying to be something you’re not at a very young age. Being all dolled up and looking ten years older than their actually age may be a good thing for on stage, but may be very dangerous in public. This may attract pedophiles and even worse lead to participants being victims in murder cases.  

            Unfortunately, most mothers of these beauty queens are trying to live their life through their children.  This is what causes many children to feel uncomfortable but they want to please their mothers, so they continue doing things they don’t enjoy which leads to several psychological problems. Common psychological problems such as eating disorders, paranoid features, hysteric behaviors, stress, anxiety, and poor relationships all are possible relations to pageants are happening more often then what people think. This is why it is important for parents to address their children’s opinions and see if they really want to be performing in pageants.