Imagine seeing a 5 year old girl in heels, learning to walk down the cat walk. Cute or Growing up too fast? In America most of us would say growing up too fast, but in Venezuela this a reality happening everyday, transforming girls, as young as 4 years old into modern day beauty queens.
Growing up too fast? I think so. Beauty pageants are cute and everything, but 4 years old's are too young to worry about," How do I look"?and "Can I walk down the runway like a pro"?. The Gisselle Beauty School in Caracas has girls from 4 to 24 learning how to hold a wine glass to walk in 5 inch heels. The median between the ages is the time in life of puberty, from 11-16. Girls already have so much to worry about school, boys, and appearance is just another stresser. The article was quite disturbing when it mentioned plastic surgery and dental work is necessary for success in the industry. The want/need to look beautiful in Venezuela in my opinion, is too overwhelming for young girls. What suprises me the most is that most Venezuelans see nothing at all wrong with the beauty pagents and in some cases the plastic sugery, but one man did speak out. President Hugo Chavez has spoken out against the culture of plastic surgery in Venezuela, calling breast enlargements a "monstrous thing". Most people in Venezuela accept the fascination because of the culture and history. Is it time for change?!
RSS Feed