French lawmakers ban child beauty contests
French lawmakers ban child beauty contests
Beauty pageants have a proud tradition in France but there are limits to what French lawmakers will accept. On Tuesday senators banned children's beauty contests to prevent the "hyper-sexualisation" of kids, promising tough sanctions for law-breakers.
Judging children under the age of 16 on their physical appearance in so-called “beauty contests” is now a criminal offence in France, the French Senate ruled on Tuesday night.
The new law forms part of the new “equality bill” presented to the French Senate on Monday by France’s Minister for Women’s Rights, Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, which also included legislation to tackle unequal pay, domestic violence and to encourage fathers to take parental leave.
One of the less publicized clauses in the bill however touched on beauty contests, which have a proud tradition in France but are not to everyone's liking, especially these involving young teenage girls, known as "mini miss" competitions.
http://www.thelocal.fr/20130918/french-senate-bans-child-beauty-contests
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