The reported suicide of 16-year-old “Toddlers and Tiaras” star Kailia Posey would possibly renew longstanding questions in regards to the tradition of kid and teenage magnificence pageants, that are recognized to be fiercely aggressive and doubtlessly mentally dangerous.
Within the extra fast time period, Kailia’s loss of life has devastated her hometown of Lynden, Washington, close to the Canadian border. There, Kailia was referred to as a Lynden Excessive Faculty freshman who simply made her college’s cheerleading squad and attended the promenade on Saturday night time.
Lengthy after Kailia, who was 5 years previous when she first appeared on “Toddlers and Tiaras,” a TLC present that explored the cutthroat world of kid pageants, she appeared to pursue the lifetime of a daily teenager whereas persevering with to compete in pageants. In her most up-to-date competitors, she represented her hometown as Miss Teen Lynden within the Miss Teen Washington contest.
Kailia’s mom, Marcy Posey Gatterman, confirmed her daughter’s loss of life Monday in a Fb submit, with a photograph of her within the sparkly robe she wore to the promenade.
“I don’t have phrases or any ideas,” she wrote. “A ravishing child woman is gone. Please give us privateness as we mourn the lack of Kailia. My child eternally.”
Whereas authorities launched no official reason for loss of life, Kailia’s household issued a press release to TMZ Tuesday, which mentioned she “made the rash determination to finish her earthly life,” regardless that “she was an completed teenager with a brilliant future forward of her.”
Kailia Posey’s household instructed TMZ she died by suicide:
“Though she was an completed teenager with a brilliant future forward of her, sadly in a single impetuous second, she made the rash determination to finish her earthly life."https://t.co/tHplNKd4wl
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) Might 4, 2022
Kailia’s physique was discovered Monday in Birch Bay State Park, north of Bellingham, Washington, west of Lynden, the Cascadia Every day Information reported. A number of legislation enforcement businesses in Whatcom County are at the moment investigating, Folks added.
In an electronic mail to Lynden Excessive Faculty households, Principal Ian Freeman referred to Kailia’s “surprising loss of life,” the Cascadia Every day Information mentioned.
“This loss will elevate many feelings, issues, and questions for our complete college, particularly our college students,” Principal Ian Freeman wrote within the electronic mail. “We have now put collectively a workforce of grief counseling workers from throughout the county educated to assist throughout troublesome occasions comparable to this.”
The Lynden Chamber of Commerce additionally provided assist to the group in a Fb Submit.
“A kind of issues one by no means ever desires to occur occurred in Lynden yesterday,” the group posted on Fb. “One in all our youthful group members took their very own life yesterday, and we, as are many, many others, are feeling fairly melancholy, to make use of one of many ‘large phrases.'”
The Chamber of Commerce reminded the group that “suicide is a tragedy, no matter age,” and inspired these experiencing despair or ideas of suicide to achieve out to pals, household, trusted group members and educated professionals for assist.”
Many on the Chamber submit despatched love and prayers to Kailia’s household, pals and classmates. One Lynden resident wrote: “As a mom who misplaced a baby to suicide, I’d wish to say thanks for posting this. It’s additionally a lonely place for the mother or father, as a result of individuals are afraid to speak about it. Don’t be afraid of claiming the improper factor, as a result of this highway is international to us too. So please preserve sharing. Please preserve speaking.”
Kailia first gained discover exterior her circle of household and pals when she briefly appeared on “Toddlers & Tiaras,” which initially aired from 2009 to 2013, Folks reported. The excessive schooler appeared in a single episode at age 5, when she compete within the California Tropic Arizona pageant. She grew to become one of many sequence’ most recognizable faces after her response in an interview grew to become a well-liked gif.
Kailia Posey, who grew to become a well-liked GIF from her look on the fact TV present "Toddlers & Tiaras," has died unexpectedly at age 16, her mother says pic.twitter.com/BVtBmUrQob
— BNO Information (@BNONews) Might 3, 2022
Posey continued to compete in pageants the remainder of her life, successful “numerous crowns and trophies,” her household mentioned. She additionally developed a expertise as a contortionist, which led to skilled gigs and helped her win a spot on her highschool cheerleading squad, her household added.
Given the controversial nature of kid pageants, it’s attainable that followers and others will scrutinize the lifetime Kailia spent in that “high-glitz” world. It’s not recognized if or how she was personally affected, however little one pageants, popularized by “Toddlers and Tiaras” and its spin-off “Right here Comes Honey Boo Boo,” have lengthy been the topic of stories experiences and educational research, notably after the 1996 homicide of 5-year-old contestant JonBenét Patricia Ramsey.
Photographs of Ramsey at pageants confirmed how even younger ladies are anticipated to parade round in heavy, grownup make-up and ornate outfits, and are typically introduced in a sexualized means. Psychologists and psychiatrists have mentioned that pageants can reinforce a false doll-like picture of women and girls and promote adverse physique pictures.
A 2012 research, revealed within the Journal of the American Academy of Youngster and Adolescent Psychiatry, reported that little one pageants typically have little to do with the youngsters and way more to do with satisfying the wants of their mother and father. The research, authored by Martina M. Cartwright, a registered dietitian and an adjunct professor on the College of Arizona, additionally recommended that participation in such pageants might be dangerous to kids’s well being and vanity.
“I believe it’s enjoyable in the event that they wish to play costume up for a short while, however to insist on making that a profession or that they’re going to be a mannequin or a Hollywood star, the probabilities are very slim,” Cartwright mentioned on the time. “Mother and father must know their little one’s limitations and never press them past that as a result of in a while that knocks their vanity.”
Should you or somebody you already know is contemplating suicide, contact the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), textual content “STRENGTH” to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.