Over the years, beauty pageants have proven to be harmful to the physical and mental health of participants. From a child's plummeting self-esteem after losing a competition, to poor nutrition and lack of rest. And the hidden physical dangers of sexualizing a child to put on a show for potential sex offenders lurking in the audience. Children's beauty pageants can be very harmful for a girl from a psychological point of view. If the child does not win the competition, he is forced to believe that he has defects, which do not make him perfect. Instead of teaching girls to appreciate their guilt for making them unique from everyone else. Beauty pageants promote an atmosphere that it's wrong not to be perfect. Most elementary school girls don't worry about self-image, until someone points out that their ears might be too big or suffer from some other imperfection. A four-year-old should not be told that she is not as attractive as another little girl. Children of that age should be taught that each individual is unique and exceptional in their own style. Not that there is a perfect mode that we must survive to adapt to. The first years of life are difficult to remember for most. I completely agree with author Jane Graham, who wrote an article explaining her experience with beauty pageants. Ms. Graham said she didn't place in her first competition. She realized at age four that she wasn't the typical pretty little girl the judges were looking for. Instead of playing with dolls and Barbies and her only worry was whether her favorite cartoon would be that day. Ms. Graham focused on imperfections. The first years of life are difficult for most children to remember, but no child should have one of their first memories when... in the middle of a sheet of paper... and a record, these young girls jumping on the stage in provocative outfits and perform provocative routines for the judges. Dr. Nancy Irwin, a Los Angeles psychotherapist, is quoted in an article explaining the dangers of pageants for girls: "Men can pose as agents/managers and track you/your girlfriend during the pageant." Not many parents go there. question the person trying to represent the daughter, and this is where the danger begins. Many parents simply assume that everyone around them interested in furthering their child's beauty pageant career is someone they can trust. Countless girls are left unattended by coaches, agents, and makeup artists, and most of these people will never undergo a background check until it's too late. Children face this danger in sports too, but in sports they are not one on one with the potential predator.