Most of the time when we see the red boxes and white letters we immediately know that’s it’s the logo for TLC, the Learning Channel. The past couple of years it has been garnering many accolades for there interesting and engaging programming. Shows like Little People, Big World, 17 Kids and Counting, and Jon and Kate plus 8 have had skyrocketing ratings.
The main appeal of TLC’s programming is the reality based and family friendly shows. It gives many of us a personal look into other families lives. But they’re not just ordinary families. There families who are stereotypically different, who have challenges or difference that makes us normal people feel unsettled or curious.
In recent months, as TLC introduced its fall line up, they started facing some controversy- from high school students. There new show Toddlers and Tiaras has sparked a nationwide outcry of disgust.
Toddlers and Tiaras is a show that follows families that have children involved in beauty pageants. These children are splattered with spray tans, fake eyelashes, flippers (for there still growing teeth), heels, full make-up, hair extensions, skimpy swim suits, and provocative dresses and gowns. But that’s not all. They’re daily life includes practising sultry runway model walks, meeting with a coach, practising there poses, and polishing up the right attitude to go with it.
When watching the show you can’t help but be disturbed. These children don’t even look or act like children, except for the occasional meltdown, but even then the meltdowns aren’t childlike. They scream, swear and threaten their own parents. The parents give in, because god forbid there children cry or threaten to drop out of the pageant, it would have a horrendous effect on there bankbooks and reputation.
The main problem with this whole situation is the parents and there desperation. They are desperate to relive all their childhood dreams and ambitions through there children. They’re too busy being the children and trying to fill the void of insecurities, inadequacies, and opportunities they were never offered.
Two teenage girls, Karrin Huynh and Lesley Cornelius have had enough and created a Facebook group. [1] The group was created to encourage people to make TLC take some actions and stop glorifying this topic.
Unfortunately, nothing has been done so far. After receiving complaints from viewers the message has been forwarded to executives to further consider actions that must be taken. [1]
The other problem besides the exploitation of these kids, which is a big problem, is the effect on many girls out there. “And society wonders why girls have low self-esteem and low self-confidence when they’re sitting at home wondering, ‘Is this what I’m supposed to look like? Is this what I’m supposed to be?’” This is Huynh accurate thoughts. We’re always told from parents to hold off on make up, and heels aren’t what make us or our outfits pretty, yet we see these adults glorifying this.
This show is such a negative message to girls all over the place. How these girls look is not natural, nor will the emotional consequences a couple of years from now. We’re creating a generation that is more obsessed with looks than any other generation, and we don’t have any excuse because we are much more informed. We know what eating disorders are and we know the different stimulants teenagers go for.
To make things worse, TLC continues to defend the concept of the show. Yet if you go on there website you can rate the contestants on a scale one through ten. TLC is yet again contradicting everything there saying. These contestants are kids, it’s not healthy by any means to rate them at that age.
These kids already seem brainwashed and act 20 years older. I’m sure Jon-Benet Ramsey is in the back of everyone’s mind. What happened to that little girl could have been avoided and it’s a shame how the adults acted in that situation. But that just shows the different people out there and the actions they’re willing to take.
To conclude, removing Toddlers and Tiaras should be taken into serious consideration. There are not many advantages that come out of this show, and the disadvantages certainly outweigh the good. It promotes a negative message to a big part of society and is the force behind the destruction of many children’s lives.
The main appeal of TLC’s programming is the reality based and family friendly shows. It gives many of us a personal look into other families lives. But they’re not just ordinary families. There families who are stereotypically different, who have challenges or difference that makes us normal people feel unsettled or curious.
In recent months, as TLC introduced its fall line up, they started facing some controversy- from high school students. There new show Toddlers and Tiaras has sparked a nationwide outcry of disgust.
Toddlers and Tiaras is a show that follows families that have children involved in beauty pageants. These children are splattered with spray tans, fake eyelashes, flippers (for there still growing teeth), heels, full make-up, hair extensions, skimpy swim suits, and provocative dresses and gowns. But that’s not all. They’re daily life includes practising sultry runway model walks, meeting with a coach, practising there poses, and polishing up the right attitude to go with it.
When watching the show you can’t help but be disturbed. These children don’t even look or act like children, except for the occasional meltdown, but even then the meltdowns aren’t childlike. They scream, swear and threaten their own parents. The parents give in, because god forbid there children cry or threaten to drop out of the pageant, it would have a horrendous effect on there bankbooks and reputation.
The main problem with this whole situation is the parents and there desperation. They are desperate to relive all their childhood dreams and ambitions through there children. They’re too busy being the children and trying to fill the void of insecurities, inadequacies, and opportunities they were never offered.
Two teenage girls, Karrin Huynh and Lesley Cornelius have had enough and created a Facebook group. [1] The group was created to encourage people to make TLC take some actions and stop glorifying this topic.
Unfortunately, nothing has been done so far. After receiving complaints from viewers the message has been forwarded to executives to further consider actions that must be taken. [1]
The other problem besides the exploitation of these kids, which is a big problem, is the effect on many girls out there. “And society wonders why girls have low self-esteem and low self-confidence when they’re sitting at home wondering, ‘Is this what I’m supposed to look like? Is this what I’m supposed to be?’” This is Huynh accurate thoughts. We’re always told from parents to hold off on make up, and heels aren’t what make us or our outfits pretty, yet we see these adults glorifying this.
This show is such a negative message to girls all over the place. How these girls look is not natural, nor will the emotional consequences a couple of years from now. We’re creating a generation that is more obsessed with looks than any other generation, and we don’t have any excuse because we are much more informed. We know what eating disorders are and we know the different stimulants teenagers go for.
To make things worse, TLC continues to defend the concept of the show. Yet if you go on there website you can rate the contestants on a scale one through ten. TLC is yet again contradicting everything there saying. These contestants are kids, it’s not healthy by any means to rate them at that age.
These kids already seem brainwashed and act 20 years older. I’m sure Jon-Benet Ramsey is in the back of everyone’s mind. What happened to that little girl could have been avoided and it’s a shame how the adults acted in that situation. But that just shows the different people out there and the actions they’re willing to take.
To conclude, removing Toddlers and Tiaras should be taken into serious consideration. There are not many advantages that come out of this show, and the disadvantages certainly outweigh the good. It promotes a negative message to a big part of society and is the force behind the destruction of many children’s lives.
Work Cited
[1] “TLC controversy” “Student want ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ off the air”, TVGuide.ca, February 4, 2009. March 30, 2009
http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/TLC+controversy/TVNews/Articles/090204_toddlers_tiaras_scandal_DW.htm?isfa=1
Pictures From:
#1 (TLC logo) http://www.thejills.com/
#2 (2 girls) http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/about-toddlers-and-tiaras.html
[1] “TLC controversy” “Student want ‘Toddlers & Tiaras’ off the air”, TVGuide.ca, February 4, 2009. March 30, 2009
http://tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca/TLC+controversy/TVNews/Articles/090204_toddlers_tiaras_scandal_DW.htm?isfa=1
Pictures From:
#1 (TLC logo) http://www.thejills.com/
#2 (2 girls) http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/toddlers-tiaras/about-toddlers-and-tiaras.html