It’s not pretty

By Sasha Petrova
CARDINIA activist Catherine Manning has organised a protest in opposition to US-style child beauty pageants being brought to Australia.
Thousands of concerned citizens yesterday (Tuesday) rallied on the steps of parliaments across the country.
The Pull the Pin protest came after Universal Royalty, an American-based beauty pageant company decided to bring their services to Australia in the form of the Australian Beauty Pageant scheduled to be held in Melbourne in July.
Ms Manning’s goal was to call on State and Federal governments to impose age restrictions on entry into these pageants which children can now participate in straight from birth.
She also wants an age restriction to be placed on adult beauty procedures such as waxing, tanning and botox infusions associated with these pageants.
“It’s up to governments to protect children from being exposed to situations that are harmful to them,” Ms Manning said.
Liberal Bass MP Ken Smith said he disagreed with beauty pageants but said that imposing age-restriction laws wasn’t necessary.
“I’d rather mothers have a bit of common sense,” he said.
“We shouldn’t have to be making all those laws to make mothers and fathers actually behave like mothers and fathers.”
But Ms Manning thinks Mr Smith’s response is typical of the government.
“Sometimes parents don’t have the best interests for children at heart,” she said.
“We know the girls are already bombarded with images about their physical appearance, so to pit them in a competition against each other from toddler-hood is just crazy.
“It’s teaching girls that their currency is their beauty. The majority of the community feel that these pageants are, in fact, harmful.”
Indeed, a Facebook page dedicated to the Pull The Pin campaign has gained nearly 2000 members since being set up in early April.
Many have commented on the site’s wall.
One member, Betty wrote: “Let children be children. These are parents using their kids to fulfil some kind of ego trip!”
While David said: “Child beauty pageants are an affront to Australian culture.
“Your demonstrations will serve to reaffirm our values.”
And Kerry added: “This is an American phenomenon, and has no place here.”
After coming to Melbourne, Universal Royalty will hold a Texas Open State Pageant which offers $200 prizes for a category of “Mini Supremes” split into age groups of 0-3, 4-10 and 11 and over.
Other events include the beauty competition, most beautiful/most handsome (judged on facial beauty), Miss/Mr Personality/Congeniality, best dressed and most photogenic.
Mr Smith, who has five grand-daughters, said he would hate them being “dolled up” just to be exhibited in a beauty pageant.
Ms Manning used even stronger language.
“We don’t want this exploitative, toxic pageant culture for our girls in Australia,” she said.