On Toddlers and Tiaras: A Strong Opinion Post

SOA (Strong Opinion Alert): Toddlers and Tiaras should be pulled/banned. Parents of toddlers vying for tiaras should have their heads smacked--hard.

The overt sexualization of these innocents is mind-boggling, nauseating, and just plain messed up (i.e. wrong). I've wondered time and time again how it--the entire pageantry toddler scene and sub-culture--isn't called out and shamed, yes, shamed, in such a manner as to bring it to an end. I'll go one opinionated step further...it's abusive; subjecting a toddler/young child to inappropriate, excessive, and improper treatment.

I know some comments are made with tongue in cheek; yet, that's part of what troubles me the most regarding the broad conversation of parading toddlers in pageants. Somewhere along the RealityTV Roadway seemingly normal adults lost their minds--and conscience. Somewhere along the RealityTV Roadway toddler sensuality lost its vileness. God help us. It became "entertainment." 

Also, it'll be painful to watch (as it's nigh impossible to avoid due to all-things media) the world of hurt which is sure to land on the doorstep of the Thompson family and Alana. Did you know that was her name? Not Honey Boo-Boo, but Alana. And with each month she grows, with each month she 'ages' (ages!! for pete's sake!), with each month and year she takes on the natural and normal physicality of a grade-schooler, she (Alana) will lose the spotlight further and it will turn meanier and more callous than it already is. 

Yeah, I just threw up a little.