High Glitz
I consider this site an “oddities” blog, and I find few things as odd as the plastic, alarmingly precocious world of child beauty pageants.
Susan Anderson has a new exhibit at the Kopeikin Gallery featuring these mini beauty queens.
From the author bio:
High Glitz, is shot on location at several of America’s child beauty pageants. Setting up her studio amidst the colorful spectacle, she captures the young girls at the height of their performance. Hours of preparation are spent on each child’s appearance, and her camera records it all in graphic detail. Children’s pageants are a fascinating subculture, but more than anything they represent a strange microcosm of America itself. Our own values of beauty, success and glamour reflected in the dreams of thousands of young girls
I find myself struggling through a very strong reaction when I look at these photos. Childhood is the one time in life that should be (relatively) simple. Sometimes I long for the days before the dawn of self-consciousness, when I would never consider things like makeup or extravagant hairdos. The business of being a “woman” was far off on a distant horizon.
What unnerves me most of all is the vague sense of discomfort that seems to lurk beneath the phony smiles and “flippers” (prosthetic teeth designed especially to give small children that Hollywood smile).
Perhaps I’m highly misinformed and I’ll allow for that possibility. I can’t get myself to research the topic of child pageants (or watch those horrendous reality shows) for fear of breaking down in tears at the sight of lost innocence, extreme pressure, and of course…a very unnatural sexualization.
No one could pay me enough to do this to a grade school child:
To me, these poor creatures seem lost in space and time; children with adulthood painted on. They must suppress all the natural movements, drives and freedom of childhood for the sake of frozen expressions and perfect posture.
Sure, I loved to play dress-up as a kid (still do!). But it was all about imagination and fun. In these pageants, I never know where the will of the child begins and ends…perhaps the children themselves don’t even know.
See more from the photo exhibit here.
Or visit the photographer’s website.
Found here
November 6, 2009 at 2:36 am
That’s just sick for parents to put their child through this.
November 6, 2009 at 1:26 pm
It’s more frightening than any Halloween theme I could ever come up with.
I watched a documentary about it once. Only got half way through the program and I couldn’t take it anymore.
November 7, 2009 at 1:07 pm
I’m with ya Dana. These things always made me sick. I have an actual viseral reaction of disgust and anger whenever I see it.
Let’s sexualize and objectify girls who aren’t old enough for a bra. Yeah, what could possibly be wrong with that. I’m sure they’ll grow up to be totally well-adjusted adults with healthy self-esteem.
November 8, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Blegh. I’ve always hated these, they are disturbing and unfortunately I know people who have their children in these types of competitions.
May 24, 2010 at 11:01 am
After viewing these photos i am truly disgusted with the amount of make up these young girls have on, these young girls are younger than us (17) and i can honestly say i have never worn as much make up in all my life these girls have on!
You would think these young girls were much older than their years, i am 100% against these young girls’ “careers” they should have the life of a 6/7 year old, as they are, rather than being caked in make up and dressed up to the nines. These young kids are not supermodels! they need to live their lives!
Sincerely,
Alicia & Sophie
July 3, 2010 at 3:25 pm
I know…I’m profoundly saddened by pageantry culture for small children.
June 23, 2010 at 12:29 am
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November 6, 2010 at 5:37 am
wow ang gaganda ng mga hairdos i love it…