We are currently working on research papers in WRTC and one students topic caught my eye. She is doing research on eating disorders and the cause of root of their existence. This led my mind to wonder even further to one of the most physically judgmental hobbies I can think of, especially for young women, beauty pageants. Views and opinions of the effect of beauty pageants on young women vary vastly from person to person. There are those who feel that beauty pageant do not encourage self esteem but torment girls and destroy their self esteem due to the fact that they are being judged merely on their physical appearance. There are also those who feel that the judgement the young girls are getting is a way to gain self confidence merely because of their physical appearance.
I personally do not completely disagree with young girls competing in beauty pageants, however, I do feel that beauty pageants are a definite cause for the demise of certain young women and their health due to eating disorders. In some cases, if a certain girl were to win a title based on her physical appearance, then that experience would most likely boost her self confidence therefore helping with her internal issues with herself. Although this is true for some young women, not every girl can win in a beauty pageant which leads to my opinion that beauty pageants are the not the sole root or cause of eating disorders in some cases, however they do not help in preventing them and in many cases lower self esteem that may lead to the development of an eating disorder.
