Cut out the cute (occasionally)

This is why sometimes I get upset (inside) when people say I'm cute.

At times, I am happy to be self-described cute, or affectionately considered cute. I am short, I wear colorful clothes, I have a sunny and spunky personality. My intelligence might make me seem precocious given my appearance. I get it. But sometimes: IT.JUST. GETS. ON. MY. NERVES. So please employ sparingly in my presence, or in anyone's for that matter. Really, over-usage of the word cute can wreak infantilization of its recipient. As that is related to sexuality and power, this can be limiting and disempowering.

Sometimes I do enjoy being a girl. It is part of my gender identity. Please forgive me, I did grow up watching this many times:



Nowadays, however, I can view this with a much more discerning eye. Yeah, Nancy Kwan among others worked her way into my subconscious, but look, I am also a grown-up and unapologetic feminist. A woman of experience. A woman happy to be both independent and welcoming to the buoyancy of others. A fully realized woman, just as much as I am cute. Let's not be reductionist to one another, yo.

Funnily enough, my brother hates the word. His reason: "Like, what the hell does that mean anyway? Cuz, like, anything can be called cute." I guess he also thinks it gets bandied about too liberally. Thanks for the insight Daniel.