THE POWER OF CUTE: REDEFINING KAWAII CULTURE AS A FEMINIST MOVEMENT

Abstract

“Kawaii” is a term that has taken on a life of its own within its country of origin, Japan. So much so, that the meaning of the word has no precise English translation. “Kawaii” has become such a social phenomenon among Japanese youth that it has even evolved into its own culture. This culture or “counterculture” acts as an opposition to modern standards for how people should behave in society. At the forefront of this movement are young women. The kawaii phenomenon arguably underscores a third-wave feminist movement with which women can utilize to uplift themselves on an individual and social scale. This claim will be reiterated through two main points: that kawaii challenges pre-established social and gender norms that oppress women, and that kawaii empowers women through a celebration of femininity.