"Steven Universe" is about a boy named Steven who lives in the town of Beach City with the Crystal Gems-Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl. Steven, a half-Gem himself, helps his friends protect the world from their own kind. Rebecca Sugar developed the series while working as a story board artist on Adventure Time.
"Steven Universe" has some very obvious LGBTQ themes. Rebecca Sugar recently discussed why it’s important to have LGBTQ representation. “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 do 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," she said.
Sugar went on to drop some other truth bombs in the following quotations:
“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."
People act like these things shouldn’t be shown, but the thing is, it’s real life, and whether you introduce it to kids at a young age or not, they will come into contact with someone who is LGBTQ, or they may even be so themselves. Even if it’s not something you necessarily agree with, it’s damaging to them and other people if you teach them that it’s not a thing that happens, it’s something that needs to be ignored, or hidden.
