Any upside to allowing my 8-year-old to compete in beauty pageants?

[youtalkfunny]

Just know going in: unlike most prospective 8-year-old beauty queens, this one isn't being pushed into it by her parents.

The school sent home an announcement for several pageants, and my 8-year-old wants in. She is a very pretty girl. She has an aunt who competed in (and won) many pageants. Aunt Cindy once took 3rd Runner Up in Miss Arkansas.

Neither Aunt Cindy nor Aunt Cindy's parents are pushing for this, either. It is entirely the kid's desire to do this.

My first reaction is to say no, these things are freak shows, and we should stay above such nonsense.

But who am I to stand in the way of my kid's dreams? Maybe she'll go on to win Miss America and become a big Hollywood movie star.

Of course that's not going to happen, but again, who am I to tell her to stop trying to be successful at something?

My question for The Lounge: Anybody have personal experience with these pageants? What's the upside? What's the downside?

TIA