TBT: The Steven Universe Toolkit
Did you know we create a whole Steven Universe Fandom Forward toolkit? Here’s one section — you can find the full toolkit at thehpalliance.org/FandomForward! In it, we discuss representation, how to be a good ally, adoption and fostering, and immigrant and refugee justice.
Note on Citations: Throughout the toolkit, we’ll use the following format to cite specific episodes. S=season E=episode N=overall episode. So the first episode would read: S1:E1:N1.
Steven Universe and Representation
When we begin to look at issues in a story, we always start with talking about representation — how well is this story representing the true diversity of our world? Good news: Steven Universe does a pretty excellent job.
Rebecca Sugar, the show’s creator, set out to create a show that tackled gender, in particular.
“My goal with the show was to really tear down and play with the semiotics of gender in cartoons for children because I think that’s a really absurd idea that there would be something radically different about a show for little girls versus a show for little boys. It’s exciting to me to play with a lot of that language, because everyone’s very familiar with it but it really doesn’t make much sense. I used to really enjoy shows that were aggressively targeted to boys when I was a little girl and I know the same can be true the other way around, so why not have something that everybody can watch? And at the same time, have something to say about the fact that that really is absurd.”
Steven is certainly not a traditional male hero, and has no problem participating in activities that defy traditional gender norms (like rocking it out in a dress at the talent show (S2:E17:N69). As a character, Steven is generally portrayed as caring and nurturing, traits that have been traditionally associated as “feminine” characteristics. In contrast, it’s Connie who provides the logic and battle skills, literally learning how to swordfight (S2:E6:N58) in order to help protect Steven. We see how much Steven’s viewpoint defies traditions when he gets to see the Watermelon Island society; they were created by Steven, so naturally it’s the “female” watermelons who go off to fight while the “male” watermelon stays behind (S3:E1:N79).
Sugar has confirmed that while the gems use female pronouns, they are canonically non-binary. Stevonnie, the fusion of Steven and Connie, “challenges gender norms as an individual” and is referred to in the show with they/them pronouns (S1:E37:N37, S2:E9:N61).
Connie Maheswaran herself is an awesome, capable, Indian-American heroine. Garnet, though not human and therefore not technically any human ethnicity, is coded quite clearly as black and voiced by a black actress. Many of the other voice actors, such as Michaela Dietz (Amethyst) and Deedee Magno (Pearl) are also voiced by women of color. Rebecca Sugar has spoken about the importance of diversity in both her stories and the production of Steven Universe.
Garnet also plays another important role in the diversity of Steven Universe: she’s the fusion of gems Ruby and Sapphire, and the embodiment of their relationship and love for each other. The show not only shows that Ruby and Sapphire are in a committed and loving queer relationship, but they address the kind of prejudice an LGBTQIA+ couple might face in our world through Homeworld’s rules against fusions between different gem types. This prejudice is part of the reason Garnet teams up with the Crystal Gems — they immediately accept her (and through her, Ruby and Sapphire) for who she is, and on Earth she can live as she wants to in freedom (S2:E22:N74). Rebecca Sugar also wrote a children’s book “The Answer” about the Ruby and Sapphire’s relationship.
During the 2016 Steven Universe Comic Con panel, Sugar talked about how her experiences with being a bisexual women influenced the shows commitment to LGBTQIA+ community. She stated:
“In large part it’s based on my experience as a bisexual woman. I think that there are a lot of ways that I — how to I put this? These themes have so much to do with who you are. There is an idea that these are themes that should not be shared with kids but everyone shares stories about love and attraction with kids. So many stories for kids are about love. It really makes a difference to hear stories about how someone like you can be loved. And if you don’t hear those stories, it will change who you are. It’s very important to me that we speak to kids about consent. That we speak to kids about identity. There’s so much I have to say about this. I want to feel like I exist and I want everyone else who wants to feel that way to feel that way too.”
The Crystal Gems teach Steven a lot about acceptance, but Steven also teaches them about seeing things from new perspectives and being a better ally!
Talk It Out
Can you think of a time when you have been an ally for someone or for a community? What did you do?
Can you think of a time when you haven’t been a very good ally? Now that you’ve read Steven’s guide, what do you think you could have done differently?
Why do you think allies are important? How do you work to be a good ally?
How has the show grown in terms of representation since this section of the toolkit was released?
Take Action
Does your favorite show have good representation of some kind? Tell them! Find a writer or director online and send them a thank you! Make sure the network (like Cartoon Network) is tagged too so they can see that representation matters.
Talk to your friends or family about a show that represents part of your identity or community well. Have a conversation about what else you think would be awesome to see on TV or in a movie.
Request books, movies, and TV shows with good representation at your local library! Free access to media with positive representation of marginalized groups is so important!
Harry Potter Alliance. We help you bring fan activism to your favorite fandoms with free toolkits and activities to use in your chapters, with your friends, in your classrooms, at your libraries, on your own. Find full toolkits at thehpalliance.org/fandomforward.
For more info, email us at fandomforward@thehpalliance.org
