France Moves to Ban Child Beauty Pageants

What did the French government decide?

In September 2013, the French Senate moved to ban child beauty pageants. What an incredible step!

What triggered the ban?

This French move against banning pageants started when Vogue Enfants published photos of a 10-year-old girl in high heels, a suggestive outfit, and full makeup. Many people were disgusted, and this pushed the French government to debate banning these pageants. On September 18, 2013, the Senate passed an amendment banning beauty contests for girls under 16, with penalties of up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine — a measure that became law in April 2014.

Why are child beauty pageants so troubling?

Kelly Wallace, writing on CNN, noted that child beauty pageants are a lot like crime coverage on local news — the local news that gets popular is the kind that involves murders and thefts, and the other programming that gets high ratings is children's beauty contests. Her article drew many comments, most of them leaning toward the view that child beauty pageants are creepy. Some even pointed out the sad truth that you never know which pedophile is watching the apple of your eye.

Why on earth should little girls be sexualized? There is absolutely no need for putting makeup on young girls. It is such a fine line when it comes to dressing up the girls. Girls should just be growing up as little children — dreaming to reach the sky. There should be no emphasis on making them look pretty. Mothers tend to see daughters as their extension, and the sad part is that they put hours and dollars into making them look pretty.

Do you remember the story of the mom from San Francisco who was injecting Botox into her 8-year-old? Of course, that completely crosses the line. The problem lies in the fact that mothers don't even realize the impact of their actions. If the focus of the mother or family is on dolling up the daughters, then that's the message the little kid is absorbing subconsciously.

What did French lawmakers say?

Chantal Jouanno, the former French sports minister who proposed the ban, said: "Let us not make our girls believe from an early age that their only value is their appearance." And: "Let us not allow commercial interests to outweigh social interests. Lawmakers are not moralisers, but we have a duty to defend the superior interest of the child."

What do experts say about praising children for looks?

Jo Swinson, a politician in the UK, said in a Telegraph interview that parents who praise their children for their looks and the outfits they're wearing are telling the children — maybe subconsciously — that looks are most important to succeed in life. She added that parents should praise the kids' ability to solve jigsaw puzzles, or applaud a kid's imagination and curiosity, rather than praising beauty.

Hopefully, other nations will follow suit and ban beauty pageants for children.