France to Ban Child Beauty Pageants?

From the country that practically invented the use of sex in marketing, we're seeing some encouraging news: France may ban child beauty pageants. If you've ever watched the TV shows "Toddlers and Tiaras" or "Little Miss Perfect" you will undoubtably come away with the sick feeling that we're sending the completely wrong message to our young girls. At Miel Sisters we're all about creating comfortable, sexy underwear but we also feel that lingerie for children and teens is totally inappropriate.



Here's what MSNBC had this to say on the topic:

"A year after Vogue Paris published provocative images of a 10-year-old model, a French government report has called for a ban on child beauty pageants and padded bras and high heels for young girls. Although the French did not react immediately to the photos of Thylane Lena-Rose Blondeau, 10, in skyscraper heels and revealing clothes in the January 2011 issue of Vogue Paris, the international community did, prompting the French parliamentary report.

 

Chantal Jouanno, the senator who authored the report, told Le Figaro newspaper that young girls were being disguised as sexual candy and that it was “contrary to the dignity of the human being.” She called it a step backward for gender equality.

 

Jouanno, a close ally of President Nicolas Sarkozy and former karate champion, also wants to prohibit advertising agencies from using young models and says uniforms should return to elementary schools."

 

If you'd like to know more you can read the rest of the article here:

We're happy to see that France may ban child beauty pageants and we'd like to see the same idea adopted in North America. We feel strongly that it's time we stopped this form of child exploitation and instead we teach our young girls that beauty comes from having the confidence to be who you are and not from high-heels and a padded bra (certainly not at 10 years old!). Let's let our children be children and by banning child beauty pageant we send the message that not being "perfect" is just fine. What's your take on this topic? Let us know in the comments!