Cuties: my thoughts

 DISCLAIMER:

1.   It is NEVER ok to expose girls in such positions as this movie does.

2.   I don’t claim to be expert parent or to imply that I’ve done all things right...I’m not and I haven’t.

When I first heard of Cuties and saw clips of it, I must confess, I thought it was some sort of reality documentary about young girls’ dance teams.   So, last night when I watched it I was surprised that it has a message.   

I THINK CUTIES SHOULD STAY AVAILABLE TO WATCH and here’s why....

If we think Cuties is disgusting, inappropriate, and wrong....then great!   You can help us fix our disgusting, inappropriate, and wrong society!

First and foremost: if any viewer is concerned that some pervert is probably getting his/her thrills watching this movie you are probably right.  But I believe those same perverts enjoy seeing our daughters’ in the bathing suits, cheer, dance, volleyball, and puckered lips pictures frequently posted too.  So I’ll move on...

Here is the value (I believe) in this movie.  It shows us all ALOT of problems young kids face today that need to change.

1.  Home life:    While I believe her mom means well and is, I assume, doing her best, Amy’s home life is a mess.  Dad is not there.  (But coming with his second wife).    Amy’s mom and auntie have their own set of pressures they put on Amy (with good intentions).  She overhears her mom being instructed to accept her husband’s new wife even when she doesn’t want to.  The family has secrets she’s forced to just accept.  And, she has ADULT-like responsibilities of looking after her brothers and grocery shopping.  (I assume these were out of family necessity).   Not exactly the ideal environment to instill self worth, self acceptance, and self-importance.   

2.  Unfiltered technology:  Amy managed to steal a cell phone and that opens up all the doors to these vulgar possibilities.  But we know it’s not just phones.   Magazines and music can promote such actions too.   She’s a kid and naturally soaks in what she’s sees and the responses those actions get.   

3.  Friend groups:   She’s picked on and gravitates toward these certain girls who SEEM to be full of self-confidence.    Then there’s peer pressure, girl drama and fickleness.   They push one girl out (after they fight her) then let Amy in, then only to change it all back in the end.   Amy takes their dancing moves to a different level after including moves she’s seen on the phone.   Yet, when she thinks she’s done the ultimate “cool” thing by posting the crotch shot..she’s crossed some line that now her “friends” alienate her for.  Talk about society’s mixed messages....

4.  Us....family and society:   What are we telling our young folks? (Reference my picture above).    If you notice in the movie, as the girls do the last dance..the crowd just cheers and cheers until...it gradually becomes too much and slowly the crowd realizes what they have cheered and encouraged and where it has led. Thus is our society....  THIS (Cuties) is what we have slowly but surely created without meaning to.  

I liked the end of the movie and hope it is redeeming.  Her mom shows her a mom’s love and supports Amy.   This was so dear because at this point she has no friends, she’s disappointed her auntie immensely, her dad has let her down...and it comes back to MOM.   She ends the movie wearing age-appropriate clothes, jumping rope, and smiling.  I hope this means she lives “happily ever after”. 

I think most, like me, will find the movie disturbing.  But I believe it is completely relevant to our times.  So, I think it needs to be out there.   The truth hurts but it’s still the truth.  We can make changes!  

Just my thoughts.