Questions to Consider:
* What are the criteria on which pageant participants are judged?
* Do the girls seem to enjoy being in pageants?
* What skills or lessons are the girls learning?
* Why do you think Toddlers & Tiaras was renewed for a third season?
What We Think:
Who at TLC came up with the messed-up idea of publicizing pageants for little girls? Now in its third (third!) season, the documentary-style show follows children (usually girls) through preparing for and competing in a beauty pageant. Each episode shows more than one grotesque transformation of otherwise smart, wonderfully childlike children into made up, dolled-up, sexualized little women. Toddlers & Tiaras demonstrates just how much performance goes into being the “right kind of girl”. Most of the pageants come with cash prizes or scholarships, but I’d rather see the girls using their brains to get those scholarships, instead of their doll-like faces and stripper-like dance moves.
The pageant contestants are learning what a girl has to do to get approval. But in the end, these adorable kids just want the crown. Because it’s sparkly. (by Jennifer Berger)
Take Action! Contact:
David Zaslav, CEO
TLC
c/o Discovery Channel
One Discovery Place
Silver Springs, MD 20910
Discovery Channel online contact form corporate.discovery.com/contact/viewer-relations
Discovery Communications: (240) 662-2000
Why is there such a sugary approach to this show? What about that the show essentially, is TV for pedophiles, and by sexually objectifying children we’re just sending the message that it’s not sick to see children as sexual objects?
It’s much worse than, these girls not being prized for their brains. This show, and their station has no qualms that they’re putting on a show that is a pedophile’s dream. The parents don’t seem to care, that they’re sending the message to their girls that being sexy is something to aim for.
When I was these girls age I didn’t even know what sexy meant. When I went to grade school, when the teacher used gender instead of sex, and then mentioned if he didn’t use gender he’d have to use sex we all giggled in a innocent “I don’t get why people are so worked up about this word!” sort of way.
This show is sending the message that it’s alright to see 8 year old girls as sexual objects, that is beyond wrong. Please, next time you consider this show don’t hold back because their kids. In fact, you should be more outraged because these are kids being regarded this way.
Toddlers and Tiaras is just plain creepy. I do not understand parents who would allow their young child (always female) to be objectified and in the spotlight of a child molester’s wet dream! There is something wrong, wrong, wrong with this!