A lot of the time women’s outfits are considered “cute”, but never men’s. It’s normal to say “that skirt looks cute on you” to a woman, whereas “those shorts look cute on you” is almost never said to a man. Faces are also a point of comparison; women are often called cute but that term isn’t often used in men unless they look very young. Is it because women on average have more neotenous features than men (e.g., lack of facial hair, smaller body frames, shorter on average), and “cute” is merely a descriptor of youthfulness? But even then you hear the term applied much more to fictional female characters, such as female anime charaters, than male characters that lack traits such as facial hair and large muscles.
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Because the patriarchy likes men to be the manly men in charge while women are helpless creatures much like children.
The infantilizing of women is a very common theme for men.
https://www.theverdictonline.org/post/the-infantilization-of-women-in-mainstream-media-and-society
It is???
??
Women call men “cute” all the time.
It’s not. Haven’t you ever seen Rudolph? “I’m cute I’m cute”
https://vlipsy.com/vlip/rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-im-cute-she-said-im-cute-RzPb31o2
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My girlfriend calls me cute all the time? Maybe its cause i’m thin and lean, couldn’t grow facial hair if my life depended on it and still look sixteen.. but I dont care I like being complimented 🙂
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He’s cute is still used for teenaged boys. Men? Not very much.
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Cute literally means pretty, in a childish way. Men are supposed to be rugged and tough. Not pretty and childish.
define cute
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I wouldn’t say it’s never used in regard to men, but it is more commonly used in regard to women.
It’s probably because when something/someone is said to be “cute”, then it’s a synonym for “endearing” or “pretty”, which is not words that are commonly used in more masculine settings, like fx. when men describe men, men’s clothing, etc.
It just has a more “feminine” connotation then a “neutral” or “masculine” I guess?
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