Cuties

If you’ve been on the internet lately, you’ve likely seen the new thing to be outraged over: Cuties. Any other year, this would mean tiny oranges with kids in the commercials. But it’s 2020 so this is another kind of cuties involving kids. 

The Netflix film Cuties has some critics clutching their pearls and others cancelling their Netflix subscription while loudly exclaiming: #CancelNetflix! I saw a lot of this on facebook and twitter, so obviously I wanted to see what the fuss was about with dancing kids getting people so angry.

I’m here to tell ya: the people mad about it likely didn’t watch it.

According to Variety Magazine: ‘Netflix has defended “Cuties,” written and directed by award-winning French filmmaker Maïmouna Doucouré, arguing that it is a “social commentary” that makes the case about the dangers of sexualized imagery of young girls. The streamer has urged those who have denounced the film to watch it.’ 

And I completely agree. The purpose of Cuties isn’t to glorify the sexualization of children, it’s to show the dangers of letting girls learn how to be women by watching twerking videos on the internet rather than having real life conversations with them about their bodies and sexuality. It also demonstrates how a girl’s friend group can shape the kind of kid they are and teenager they become. Just as every single coming-of-age movie from “Now and Then” to “My Girl” did for us in the 90’s. The difference here being smart phones and the internet. I mean, have these pearl clutchers even seen the movie “Thirteen?” Because that would give them a whole new thing to be in a tizzy over, and you can’t cancel everything, Karen. “Toddlers and Tiaras” and “Dance Moms” too, for that matter!

Now, the Pedophile argument: “Perverts will view this movie very differently than the rest of us.” Well Pedos also view a trip to the mall very differently than the rest of us, there isn’t much we can do about that other than watch our kids closely and get these individuals locked up and mental help if they do something illegal.  

Without giving away spoilers, I would encourage people to actually finish the movie. Yes, power through the fact that the words don’t match people’s mouths, the occasional cringey dance moves and a religious culture that dares to be different than yours. If you made it through Tiger King, you can make it through this, and Cuties has a much more satisfying ending that could change your entire take of the whole film.

Just watch it, use critical thinking skills and make up your own mind rather than just falling down the conspiracy outrage rabbit hole