Oh yeah so it's not like a nationwide thing that constantly goes on in every single city and state in America or anything.
Yeah, you're right. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Beauty_pageants_in_the_United_States -- Here's all of them. They fit on a single page. Most of them stopped completely after the pandemic. They aren't something watched by millions on TV, or attended in droves; so in comparison -- yeah. Across the whole of the USA; they're popular in some deep red states -- Kentucky and the like, and like 2 companies try to push them; but they are largely a BLIP in America's cultural significance.
Meanwhile, in easily half of this seasons Anime; I could show you bits where they're pushing incest, or sexualizing minors. There is a HUGE difference in the acceptability of that shit when it comes to Japan. They're moving in the right direction, and curtailing it - but it doesn't even compare.
(adding to your point) By the names alone, the vast majority of those are for adults. So not only are they wrong about the popularity of pageants, they're wrong to imply pageants are an example the US sexualizing adolescents
That is not even close to all of them. Every county in every state has a Miss ___ County which go on to the state fair to be the Miss for the whole state. They are often teenagers. There is also usually a "Junior Miss" category for younger teens or even pre-teens.
Where I live, there is a county pageant and a city pageant. Neither are on that page.
Believe it or not, Wikipedia lists are not necessarily comprehensive.
Literally every place you linked, is out in the middle of countryville, nowhere (pop < 5k). Just because some small town of hillbillys are doing it, does not mean it is popular or widespread.
One of them is literally a link to the state fair. You clearly didn't even look.
You're also so busy being a snob that you haven't actually shown any evidence of this beyond "they're not listed on Wikipedia" as if that's some sort of proof. Considering I showed you four examples not listed on Wikipedia, including one for a state with a population of 7 million people, you're simply wrong.
I just picked a county in my state; Taylor, Florida - they don't have beauty pageants. There.
Just from a random pick, I've managed to find one. You claim "every county in every state"... well, there's a state, and a county...and I didn't even try.
Go ahead. Dig those heels in. Get even more pedantic about previous conversation. Where are you gonna move the goalposts this time, big guy?