The American television series Toddlers and Tiaras follows follows the families of contestants in child beauty pageants. It has a lot of criticism and there has been a lot of controversy as it highlights the outfits the children wear and showcases children as young as one wearing makeup and fake tan. I have decided to identify the theory of post-structuralism within the programme.
I feel that this is the case with Toddlers and Tiaras. To an outsider who has never watched the show, they may not understand the language used within the show and the structure of the beauty pageants, for example "double crowning," "grand supreme," "pretty feet," therefore they would not understand exactly what is happening and the meaning behind this.
The show has been criticised by many organisations, other parents and has even been commented on by Governments. However, children are seen to be enjoying themselves and also are aware of how they are being seen. In an episode, one of the children aged 12, Brittany said, "It's just role play. Just like little children do, just the same as dancers dressing up. It's just what were good at and after we've won we come home and play out with our friends"
Relating to the theory of post-structuralism, the show has certain rules and conventions which form the structure However, this creates many meanings as different people get different opinions and meanings from what they are watching.
Post-structuralist theorists reject the idea of an underlying structure and explain that meaning is always in process. I think that this is true of Toddlers and Tiaras and the signifier creates more than one signified for the viewer to work out for themselves.
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