WI no JonBenet Ramsey murder: how would child pageants be viewed?

[Frances]

How would child pageants be viewed if JonBenet had never been murdered and we'd never had that famous People Magazine cover:

 

[Torqumada]

Given the recent reality shows about them, I am guessing that her murder had no long term impact.

Torqumada

 

[Lalli]

Agree with Torqumada. These child pageants are so usual that with no Ramsey's murder hardly change anything.

 

[CthulhuFhtagn]

Never heard of her. When did she die?

 

[Lalli]

Never heard of her. When did she die?

There link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_JonBenét_Ramsey

 

[usertron2020]

WTF was it all for, anyway?

Since I never watch reality shows I can't speak to them, but after JonBenet's murder plenty of airtime was given to the nature of these child beauty pageants. To me, they were little more than slapping an extra layer of clothing over rank pedophilia.

At least those poor children participating were complete innocents, playing "Barbie-dressup". Except those kind of games are supposed to be played with plastic Barbie dolls, not real children who are not even halfway to adolescence, never mind the age of consent.

 

[ramones1986]

Kiddie beauty pageants are still happenin in my country, though.

 

[Emperor Norton I]

I don't see how Child Beauty Pageants can not be viewed as creepy. Beauty, and I mean normal human beauty and not "your dog is beautiful" or "you're a handsome [62 year old] woman/man", is inherently based on sexuality. You view someone as beautiful because they subconsciously are sexually appealing; you would procreate with them, and your sex drive is compelling you subconsciously to procreate with them as they are a desirable mate. The 18+ year old fashions those child beauty pageant contestants take on exist because they make those 18+ year olds more sexually appealing. So when an 8 year old cakes on makeup and earrings and struts down a catwalk, it's disturbing.

 

[usertron2020]

Emperor Norton I Rules

I don't see how Child Beauty Pageants can not be viewed as creepy. Beauty, and I mean normal human beauty and not "your dog is beautiful" or "you're a handsome [62 year old] woman/man", is inherently based on sexuality. You view someone as beautiful because they subconsciously are sexually appealing; you would procreate with them, and your sex drive is compelling you subconsciously to procreate with them as they are a desirable mate. The 18+ year old fashions those child beauty pageant contestants take on exist because they make those 18+ year olds more sexually appealing. So when an 8 year old cakes on makeup and earrings and struts down a catwalk, it's disturbing.

Best single post I've read in years. Ten Gold Stars for Emperor Norton I.​

 

[Remitonov]

Admittedly not all that different from OTL, given that child pageants still go on quite often today. Probably less coverage of the issue in the short term, and one less example to hold up by activists protesting against such events, but overall, not much of an impact.

 

[NoOneFamous]

I don't see how Child Beauty Pageants can not be viewed as creepy. Beauty, and I mean normal human beauty and not "your dog is beautiful" or "you're a handsome [62 year old] woman/man", is inherently based on sexuality. You view someone as beautiful because they subconsciously are sexually appealing; you would procreate with them, and your sex drive is compelling you subconsciously to procreate with them as they are a desirable mate. The 18+ year old fashions those child beauty pageant contestants take on exist because they make those 18+ year olds more sexually appealing. So when an 8 year old cakes on makeup and earrings and struts down a catwalk, it's disturbing.

Well said, describes those things perfectly

 

[Crowbar Six]

I was going to say creepy, weird and strange but Emperor Norton I said it much more eloquently than me.

 

[edvardas]

creepy forties

If you can look at a Life or some other magazine from the thirties and forties, you will see pictures of young girls wearing even less than the girls in the pageants. There were pictures of ten year old girls who were not wearing shirts. then when i was growing up in the fifties, they had pageants for girls who were ten and under. Was society creepy in the thirties and forties?

 

[Doctor Evulz]

If you can look at a Life or some other magazine from the thirties and forties, you will see pictures of young girls wearing even less than the girls in the pageants. There were pictures of ten year old girls who were not wearing shirts. then when i was growing up in the fifties, they had pageants for girls who were ten and under. Was society creepy in the thirties and forties?

Well, yes.

 

[Mike D]

Would it be any different from now?

98% of the world will find them to be deeply creepy live action shows for paedophiles and mentally damaged parents.

2% of the world will be paedophiles or mentally damaged parents and think they're acceptable.

 

[usertron2020]

Well said, describes those things perfectly

I was going to say creepy, weird and strange but Emperor Norton I said it much more eloquently than me.

Five Gold Stars for NoOneFamous & Crowbar Six

Would it be any different from now?

98% of the world will find them to be deeply creepy live action shows for paedophiles and mentally damaged parents.

2% of the world will be paedophiles or mentally damaged parents and think they're acceptable.

Five Gold Stars for Mike D

I would suggest that perhaps within the mentally damaged parents category are included the worst of the worst of the worst of the "showbiz" parents? We all know how damaged "child stars" wind up when they mature, Jodie Foster being the seemingly lone exception (Natalie Wood didn't live a full life).

 

[Alex1guy]

I don't see how Child Beauty Pageants can not be viewed as creepy. Beauty, and I mean normal human beauty and not "your dog is beautiful" or "you're a handsome [62 year old] woman/man", is inherently based on sexuality. You view someone as beautiful because they subconsciously are sexually appealing; you would procreate with them, and your sex drive is compelling you subconsciously to procreate with them as they are a desirable mate. The 18+ year old fashions those child beauty pageant contestants take on exist because they make those 18+ year olds more sexually appealing. So when an 8 year old cakes on makeup and earrings and struts down a catwalk, it's disturbing.

I don't think beauty implies sexual, people call babies beautiful all the time for example but I know what you're gunning at. I'd argue the worst part of it is that these kids always appear compelled into the contests by their parents more than their own volition. They are then subsequently judged by panels and such on their looks and "talent" which is inherently damaging at a crucial time of development, they're taught at a young age that their value is in their looks, when they should be learning their times tables. It fucks them up.

 

[usertron2020]

I don't think beauty implies sexual, people call babies beautiful all the time for example but I know what you're gunning at. I'd argue the worst part of it is that these kids always appear compelled into the contests by their parents more than their own volition. They are then subsequently judged by panels and such on their looks and "talent" which is inherently damaging at a crucial time of development, they're taught at a young age that their value is in their looks, when they should be learning their times tables. It fucks them up.

And that's exactly what they say (scream) when they become adults.

Five Gold Stars for Alex1guy

 

[BlondieBC]

I vote little long term impact.

 

[Ultimate Paragon]

And that's exactly what they say (scream) when they become adults.

Five Gold Stars for Alex1guy

It's an open secret that child beauty pageants are really for the parents.