Beauty pageants are exploitive?

Yeah. There's really no reason for them. AT ALL. 

I was in pageants growing up, but my mama always told me it wasn't about looks, it was about how you presented yourself.. And it is. It's more about your personality, and how you walk. I think it teaches girls to show more class.. But some people let it go to their heads and put in their children's minds they're not pretty or good enough if they don't win.. But my mama never did that. It was always about fun. 

There's something called "natural beauty pageants" and I like them. They don't allow flippers, excessive makeup and hair dos and no photoshopped head shots. If my child expressed want to participate in a natural pageant, I think I would allow it.

I would never put my girls in pageants, because I think they promote superficiality. I don't think they should be outlawed, though.

I dislike the whole concept of slathering little girls with make up and crap and parading them around in front of people to be judged on appearance. I do know a family who's daughter does it just for fun and it's a very small part of her life, but I've seen way more where it becomes the parents passion and the kid spends her life being dolled up and dragged around, personally I just see that as detrimental to a young child. For adults.... It's their choice.

They definitely don't need to be giving out scholarships, if not outlawed altogether.