‘Just a Dumb Bunny’: The Conventions and Rebellions of the Cutified Feminised Animal

Cuteness is primarily associated with a trivial superficiality, so it perhaps no surprise to find relatively ignored aesthetic within environmental thought, which tends favour seriousness and complexity. The emerging field of cute studies has, however, begun trouble such associations. This article offers an lens on by taking, as its case study, the cutified, feminised animal developing Sianne Ngai’s discourse power dynamics inherent cuteness. Examining vivid examples from Hello Kitty D. H. Lawrence’s poems, I argue that cuteness objectifies ‘others’ female identities, often violent effect. Given animal’s supposed passivity, what resistance can be expected? Analysing Aase Berg’s bloodthirsty guinea-pig horror tropes undertaken in camp, comedic style serve expose violence cuteness, generating important opportunity for reframing cute.