The lights are intensely bright as they reflect off the stage, leaving numerous noisy, nervous mothers behind in dim light. Six-year-old Cindy steps into the spotlight with a fake smile, flaunting her rehearsed dance, facial expressions and postures. She concludes with a brilliant smile and pose, thinking about how much she had to endure to be on that stage: waxing her eyes, dyeing her hair, extreme diets, false teeth, layers of makeup, clouds of hairspray, extensions that give her headaches during the day and the hours of practice that she is forced to perform. Up to three million children participating in beauty contests experience this scenario each year (O'Neill). Glitzy beauty pageants exploit young children, teaching them that self-worth lies only in physical beauty, while natural beauty pageants teach child contestants that natural beauty and personality are most important, encouraging them to have confidence in what I am. Child contestants should not be allowed to compete in glitzy beauty pageants; they should only be allowed to participate in natural beauty pageants, which promote healthy competition among contestants. Child beauty pageants have been a part of American society since the 1960s (Nussbaum). Children who compete in these pageants are usually between the ages of two and eighteen, but there are some cases where contestants begin competing in child beauty pageants before the age of two or as soon as they are able to walk . Divisions include sportswear, talent clothing, casual clothing, swimwear, theme clothing, decade clothing, evening wear, interview, western wear and favorite outfit. Child contestants are judged on balance, perfection, appearance, skills and confidence. The prizes of children's beauty pageants of......middle of paper......s - Debatepedia. International Association for Debate Education, May 30, 2011. Web. March 5, 2012. "Effects of Beauty Pageants - Writing.Com." The online community for writers. Network. 02 March 2012. .Grosaru, Lucia. Beauty pageants for infants and children: risk factors for serious psychological disorders. 08 June 2011. Web. 02 March 2012. "Models". Independent modeling. Aurora PhotoArts, 06 May 2009. Web. 05 March 2012. .O'Neill, Justin. “Should 4-year-olds be beauty queens?” Scholastic 12 December 2011: 8-9pm. Network. 04 March. 2012.