Many people are against beauty pageants, because they think they are sexist, critical and degrading towards women. Do beauty pageants still serve their purpose in society? Yes, many contestants earn a lot by participating in competitions. Contestants of all ages and genders benefit from participating in pageants. “Three parents interviewed entered their children into competitions because they have congenital defects. “Her plastic surgeon thinks it's wonderful because she sees parents hiding their children with a facial defect,” says one mother, whose daughter has a cleft palate. "We don't aim for competition or for her to win. We go and meet other children and parents. We don't want her to think she's different, that she's not beautiful. (Cromie). The main reason why people participate in pageants is the advantage of gain confidence. (Shappert). Parents enroll their children in competitions when they are young so they can learn to be comfortable with who they are and meet many new people glitz is that it can get very expensive. Parents can spend hundreds up to a thousand dollars just on the outfit, not including the hair, nails, false teeth and training, if the parent wants to increase their chances of winning (. Cromie) Another disadvantage of putting young children or even young adults in competitions is that the thought of winning can often go to their heads show yourself throwing tantrums when they don't win. Television programs broadcast on TV are not always based on truth. Businesses need to entertain people to keep them interested and tuned in to learn more. In order... halfway down the paper... and don't push it further than they did. (Palmero). Competition winners participate in a year-long parade, displaying the title they have won with such pride, and along the way demonstrate the confidence, recognition and communication skills they have gained. The purpose of beauty pageants is to discover your personality, your strengths and weaknesses as a person, gain confidence and increase your self-esteem, and demonstrate to people that it is not impossible to have beauty and brains. Works Cited Cromie, William J. "The Whys and Troubles of Beauty Pageants." News.harvard.edu. 2000-2014. Network. April 30, 2014.Palmero, Paul “Do beauty pageants still serve their purpose?” Lifestyle.inquirer.net. 2010-2014. Network. April 30, 2014.Rhonda Shappert "What are the benefits of beauty pageants?" Winningthroughpageantry.com 2010-2014. 07 May. 2014. “Why Oppose Beauty Pageants.” Object.org.uk 2014. Web. 06 May. 2014.