Legal Question in Legal Ethics in Illinois

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in order to answer a controversial topic that to me sexualizes and abuses children. As child lawyers, please help me understand your approach to toddler beauty pageants.

I personally believe that toddler beauty pageants are exploitative and parents are taking advantage of their children�s lack of consent to participate in competitions that exploit large sums of money.

I am greatly appalled by the show �Toddlers and Tiaras�, and I am disturbed to know that there are many people who still can�t seem to interpret the reason why toddler beauty pageants are a form of child abuse. Here are some chief reasons of which I stand by:

Chief reasons:

� Children are being exploited to win large amounts of money

� Emotionally degrades the existence of a peaceful childhood

� Physical force is used to gain acceptance in a highly-competitive and stressful environment

� Takes advantage of a child�s lack of consent to participate in such immoral beauty competitions

� Toddlers endure physical and emotional pain/Toddlers endure painful physical and emotional changes that are not typical of a regular toddler, and can be proven to be detrimental.

Furthermore, I believe that toddler beauty pageants are harming the future of a young generation of girls to later suffer from low self-esteem and poor body image due to the exposure of superficial beauty competitions. Therefore, isn�t this all concluding to be a form of child abuse given the psychological changes which hurt a child in their future years of development?

Besides that, isn�t it true to say that the choices that parents choose are unethical? Don�t toddler beauty pageant support child pedophilia by sexualizing children through heavy make-up, and lewd costumes, all of which are not appropriate for such a young age?

Based upon your practice and respectable judgment, my main concern is whether or not it is unethical to treat a child through such factual reasons as stated above? Some information that is relevant and could clarify my understanding of ethics and child abuse based upon the matter of toddler beauty pageants would be highly helpful and greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your understanding, and all the work that you do for giving children a Voice.

Yours in Justice,

Angelica Jasiak

1 Answer from Attorneys

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