Is it just me, or are kids growing up fast these days? May Daily reported that an 11-year old was recently crowned at the 2010 China New Face Model Qualification Contest, an adult modeling competition.
Beauty queen Xu Ruoyue (许若月) has “the face, figure and bearing of a supermodel”, said the organizers. A representative for the contest sponsor added that Ruoyue’s win “would give other children hope they too could become models”.
Ruoyue comes from a family of tall people – her parents are 185cm and 165cm, and her 20-year-old brother is 190cm. At 175 cm, she is shy about her height at school and gets teased about being tall.
I guess Ruoyue’s win at the contest could now give her a reason to walk tall and take her classmates’ teasing in stride. It’s a positive thing to have happened to her and her self-esteem. However, on the other hand, I do find the comment made by the contest sponsor’s representative rather inane. Why should young children be aspired to become models? Is it a trend we should be encouraging young children?
And just out of curiosity, why did the supposedly ‘adult’ modeling competition allow an 11-year old to enter its competition in the first place?
