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Many of the pageant contestants and their mothers say that the pageants judge more on poise and personality, but one might question this. If the pageants are judged more on poise and personality why does the pageant industry rake in approximately a billion dollars every year? (Passmore) And why do families spend thousands of dollars on dresses, makeup, jewelry, fake tans, and hair appointments, if I knew I was being judged on my personality and how I hold myself, I doubt very seriously if I would spend thousands of dollars to make myself be "beautiful." From a first hand account, each pageant contestant usually only answers one question from the judges, the rest of the time is spent modeling, so in this short amount of time, exactly how easy can it be for a judge to decide, "that girl right there has a great personality", it goes more along the lines of, "that girl right there is beautiful, she has an amazing dress, and her hair is gorgeous." That's what a judge can tell in 3 minutes, not if the contestant has a good personality or not. So to the defense that pageants are based on personality and poise, just think, personality can be seen for free, why are you paying thousands to be judged on it? .
One would think that the pressure of money to be a beauty princess, would be enough, but it goes far and beyond this. "Pageant Moms" are another tremendous source of stress for the young ladies in the pageant. "At a Syracuse pageant, I walked into the bathroom and saw a mother take her child by the arm. She yanked the little girl and yelled at her. She said "You could have won that pageant!" Right away I saw the panic on the child's face as she started to cry" remembers Collins-Albanese. (Avery) Not one child deserves that, and she will remember those times. Maybe not until she gets older, but she will remember, and more than likely hold it against her mother, or even worse, treat her own children that way.
