After the crowning of Miss America 2017, people have a lot of questions about the beauty pageant world. There are many people who believe pageants should not be a thing, yet many still believe they should stick around. Some think it makes their children view beauty different than how it should be viewed. They believe beauty is confidence and the way you view yourself, not looks. On the other hand, children view beauty pageants as a confidence booster. So, what are the risks and perks of being a part of the beauty pageant world?

Beauty pageants started in the 1880’s but have become more popular over the years. Adding many different sections to the pageants has helped contestants show their true personalities. However, the reputations given off by these programs differ from person to person.

Emma Kate Wichman, former Miss Iowa’s Outstanding Teen, shared how pageants changed her life. “Being Miss Iowa’s Outstanding Teen has enabled so many opportunities for me I would not have otherwise had. Some examples are college scholarships, competing at Miss America’s Outstanding Teen, meeting someone from every state, making a connection with them, being able to spread my community service project throughout the nation, and getting people involved in paying it forward,” Wichman stated. She also expressed how the reputation is something she hates about the pageant world. People believe pageant girls are just like the TV series “Toddler’s and Tiaras.” Wichman said they are nothing like what people think they are. Pageants are an actual confidence booster with personal interviews and onstage questionnaires. However, this is not the case for all spectators.

On the other hand, according to Claire Lindsey, a former beauty pageant judge, “Beauty pageants cause many problems to young girls and women. They are being forced to look and act a way in which they normally do not.” Lindsey expressed her doubts and how she believes beauty pageants are changing the world into a place where beauty is only for looks. “It scares me this is how our next generation views the world,” Lindsey expressed.

Beauty pageants have expressed an immense controversy over the last couple years. Do they or do they not raise women’s confidence? Are they something that should be kept? One thing we know for sure is there are going to be people rooting for both sides. Whatever your view is, we can all take a stand back and look at the big picture. Beauty pageants were meant for showcasing talent and ideas, not changing people’s views on the definition of beauty.