Yes, being cute can be a terrible thing.
I am not uncomfortable referring to myself as "cute:" it is a trait that has been pointed out to me ever since I was only able to respond with a big-eyed look of mild confusion (I was a polite baby). And it's not the, "Hey there, cutie *wolfwhistle*" kind of cute, but the "Omigosh, you are so adorable I just have to hug you!" kind of cute, which can be problematic as people of any sexual persuasion can find something to be fluffypinkkitten cute, thereby extending my misery across the spectrum of humanity.
My idiosyncrasies, which I find weird, are endearing to the majority of the populace. What is so cute about vocalizing non-verbal cues (Gasp! Oof! Zzzip!), making catlike noises (when you are around certain people ALL THE TIME over a span of 25 years, if you have an overdeveloped sense of empathy you will eventually mimic your roommates), making obnoxious faces (15 years of theater), or speaking in funny accents (my mom read to me, that's my excuse)? I don't see the allure, but hey, maybe I'm too close to the case being studied.
One might think, "Hey, being cute can open a lot of doors, so you shouldn't complain, Cat!" This can be true. When people think you're endearing, you can get away with a lot of stuff because others see you as less of a threat - sort of like how a Rottweiler puppy is less scary than an adult dog. However, is the mild advantage of being less of a threat worth the less positive effect of being seen as more object than person?
Let me use my cat, Trixy, as an example. She is damn cute, and has the lamentable benefit of being very cuddly. Here's photographic evidence of the snuggly cuddlebeast:
See? She looks more teddy bear than cat, to be honest.
The mixing of these virtues unfortunately stirs in those nearby an inescapable urge to snatch up and snuggle poor Trixy. Unable to fight off her captors, clawless and thumbless, the little black cat is reduced to loosing feeble cries for aid that go unnoticed by the snuggler and any feline deities that might reside in the aether.
See what cuteness gets you? Trapped. Unable to form a cohesive argument, your appeals for personal space are taken for granted and you are denied even the freedom of using your thumbs to poke your offender in the eye. Well, I suppose that is only one way in which being cute can get you down, but still, there are some basic similarities between being a cute animal and being a cute...whatever the heck I am.
When you are cute, it seems less likely that you will be taken seriously by others. From my own experience, friends in particular are guilty of making me feel more like a team mascot than a member. A fantastic idea will occur to me - something innovative, intoxicating, and kinda cool! - but upon its utterance, said awesomesauce idea is met with a similar response to a parent congratulating a four-year-old on the artistic merit of her macaroni-and-paste portrait of the deceased family cat. A pat on the head, knowing smiles, and a distinctly false "good for you!" air, all work to make you feel as if your spark of inspiration is more comparable to a dead lightning bug than an illumination of a mystery.
It's all enough to make me want to buy an Orc mask at the costume store. "Being cute" my paw.
We are hopeless, Trixy...
