The National Obsession with JonBenét Ramsey’s Murder
Why was the JonBenét Ramsey case significant for child beauty pageants?
The images of JonBenét were deeply ingrained in people’s minds, with the 6-year-old appearing both doll-like and overly mature in her glamour shots that were widely circulated in the media.
In June 1996, JonBenét participated in the Royal Miss state pageant in Denver and later won the Gingerbread Production of America’s Little Miss Colorado title in the Mini Supreme division. Her mother Patsy was keen on creating a portfolio for her, resulting in the heavily made-up photos that would later become widely known. JonBenét was crowned Little Miss Christmas at the All Star Kids Christmas pageant on Dec. 17 and made an appearance sponsored by America’s Royal Miss at a shopping mall near Denver on Dec. 22.
About a week after her tragic death, ABC Denver aired footage of JonBenét at the Christmas pageant, and Sunburst provided another tape from the summer to a different TV station. This was many people’s first introduction to child beauty pageants.
“People were intrigued by this,” Grace explained to E! News. “There was an abundance of photos and videos of her, uncommon for child victims, so the public felt like they knew her intimately. They developed a sense of familiarity with JonBenét, hence, felt her loss more deeply.”
A decade before the debut of Toddlers & Tiaras on TLC, debates were already intense about the appropriateness of young children like JonBenét competing in beauty pageants, regardless of any talent segment, with concerns about exploitation. These discussions also portrayed her parents, especially her mother, as suspicious and potentially villainous figures.