does it "count" that rose(the only "straight" gem is also coded as inherently queer for -being- "straight"? her things with human men is seen as the other as the non-standard, as the thing that polite society abhors and looks at as "too strange" to be allowable. all the negative stuff that is heaped onto queer relationships are present in her relationships with human men AND even though this does get her "killed" in the way queer relationships in media tend to lean in on there is still an express expression that her relationships were *ok* and nothing to be ashamed of despite being a source of stress for others who had the expectation that she'd do what was traditionally expected of her. so it is still folded back into the ethos of the show being about love and compassion
@@technopoptartooh that's a really good point! And looove the idea that even one of the main straight relationships in this show is technically queer bc it'd be taboo to Homeworld
another element of the show that i would call queer is steven's family structure. rather than being raised by a mother and father, steven is raised by his mother's friends and doesn't live with his dad. before meeting the gems, connie's parents thought that steven had a nuclear family, and the kids worry that they wouldn't be allowed to see each other anymore if her parents find out the truth. so the gems (as a fusion) pretend to be greg's wife. the gems completely fail to pass as a straight married woman. it all works out because the gems demonstrate that they are good parents. the episode shows that it's fine for a kid to have a family situation that's different from living with a mom and a dad. such as having gay parents, adoptive parents, polyam parents, living with other family members or friends.
I would like to add onto the idea of "killing your old self/rebirthing yourself" in transness regarding Steven's journey with accepting Rose for who she is. I'm of the mindset that you don't have to kill your old self, but you do have to let go of what doesn't serve you anymore when you transition. That's how you lovingly embrace your "new" self and free up energy to "become" you! I think this is really potent iirc, when Steven begins to find out more lore about his mom and has many a crisis about if he really is her, starts having nightmares and such about the situation. I feel if he hadn't healed these parts of himself, he may have not gone into the finale with such a strong knowledge of who we was. And this really speaks to me as a trans person, I had to unlearn so much of what my father taught me about social constructs, and let go of many things that weren't actually a true part of my perception of myself, in order to fully love myself in the present. A lot of it was illusory and a total symbolic death, so I think it's interesting that a lot of Steven's realizations are spurred by dreams and visions. And of course, it mirrors me in the present, having already left plato's cave and feeling very confident about who I am. I'm just "me" and who I am exists outside the confines of society's perception of gender, sex, presentation, I just am me and who I am is an experience, not something logical or categorizable. Thank you so much for speaking on this! I know I already left another comment about this but this was really a wonderful video!!
Is it fair to say Blue Diamond was Homophobic to Garnet ? The first scene they fuse Blue tells Ruby that she would be shattered. Then when they did make it to Homeworld - Blue told them to separate where Steven then says “ she’s garnet”. I remember blue giggled at the thought of garnet. I found that a soft but very loud point.
Thank u for the heart!! I'm so excited to make my show. Still have a long way to go but I'm proud asf over one of my main characters being transmasc. It's slim pickins out here for us
@@mrtiredeyes As a fellow creative trying to get my own queer story out there, good luck! We need to keep pushing these stories, they DO make an impact even if it appears small.
Stevonnie was the first intersex character I ever saw that aspect of myself in, the unbridled joy of them reveling in just being themselves means so much
I’m not intersex and I didn’t connect it to my gender identity or anything when I watched it, but I have always felt connected to Alone Together. I appreciate your insight. It helps me understand a bit better what I love about it. It’s the joy shown. Thank you.
"Let's talk about the Trans Narrative in Steven Universe" Me: "Hmm... was there even a Trans character? I mean, the Gems are basically non-binary but fem-presenting. Is this about the shapeshifting?" "Pink Diamond" Me: "OH. Yeah. Duh. Of course. Steven's literally a man that keeps getting misgendered as his mom and the entire show's about his struggle to shed that old identity to be seen as who he really is. Yeah, this totally works as a Transmasc metaphor!"
What's awesome about this as a metaphor is how comfortable Steven is in his gender. He has no problem presenting feminine because femininity isn't something he's scared of showing off.
No, it's about children being haunted by the legacies of their parents while also being so much like their parents. This show is about generational trauma. Fml.
@@CaramalGoddessFrFr It can be both things. It's probably intended to be that, but the way Gems work totally works for a Trans reading as well. You could totally make the argument that the misgendering is out of place with generational trauma, but it makes more sense as a metaphor for a trans kid being accepted by their dad and aunts even though their grandparents reject it. Because the story is all about communication and understanding, it could work for all kinds of things. Most kids probably wouldn't even see either of these readings, right? They'd see it as a story about how their parents can be wrong and that they need to try to reach out to them to make their feelings clear instead of trying to throw a fit and freak out at them. And because that's the intended audience, wouldn't that mean their reading is more on-point than either of ours, if anything...?
Hearing someone talk about Steven universe this way is so validating, I’ve been out as genderqueer for the vast majority of the time I’ve known about Steven Universe. I found out about it when Garnet was revealed as a fusion, through Tumblr. I threw myself into it and felt so seen by it but in a way I hadn’t heard anyone else discuss. Thank you so so much, this is such a validating watch!!!
I know it wouldn't fit into the video without throwing off the pacing, but I just want to take a second to talk about what a genderfluid icon Amethyst is. Sure, we've had gems present differently before, fem gems wearing suits, Ruby being designed more masc wearing a dress, etc. But Amethyst will literally just shapeshift into whatever, including her undeniably masculine wrestler form, and that's kind-of great. As one of the few gems whose never seen Homeworld, Amethyst was never pushed to fit their norms, she's basically completely unchained from the taboos and expectations of Gem society. And, because of that, she's able to become anything and use that power as one of her big defining strengths. Any gem could do this, all Gems have shapeshifting capabilities. But Amethyst is so outside of their society that she's one of the few Gems that takes advantage of this in its fullest! I love it so much, lol!
oh damn you're so right. it makes total sense to see her as genderfluid, specially since shapeshifting itself so strongly relates to her identity--not only because she is disconnected from homeworld but because it is *her* thing
I'm so glad I found this video praising a piece of media that has gotten "trendy" to hate. SU was definitely one of my favorites cartoons to watch and I love how nuanced it is, thank you for this video!
Steven may not be *literally* trans but he's kind of a mix of the side that says your old self dies and the side that says your old self becomes your new self. Rose's gem basically becomes the other half of Steven, but Rose *also* basically dies. It's interesting to think about.
This reminds me that transness is loving transmutation of the old self energy into the new self. You don't have to kill your old self, but you do have to let them go in order to fully embrace who you are now. And the whole journey of Steven reflecting on Rose absolutely shows this path
◇ Stevonnie and how they're read / treated ◇ Peridot being aro/ace coded ◇ Lars trying to fit the manly mold & the body anxieties he has (including chest sensitivity) ◇ Amethyst & Fluidity ◇ Greg and what it looks like to find yourself loving someone outside your regular field? ◇ Both Sadie's Mom & The Diamonds making things about them instead of addressing the hurt a nonconforming kid is expressing being a parallel for how a lot of parents make their kid's queerness or transness about them ◇ Steven's fusions as a metaphor for how behavior and presentation may vary even in accepting spaces because of who you're with & the relationship there
As a straight cis man, this is a very eye-opening and beautiful perspective! I think you put it well. The trans-ness is something inherent and fundamentally felt in the show, without being up-front about spelling it out. It feels good to learn more from others' perspectives. ☺
I think cross gem fusion could also be viewed under the lens of mixed race people bc under the social construct of racism, a mixed race person is also harder to “classify” in that sense. Also Jasper’s reaction to Stevonnie, a fusion involving another human, gives off Anti-Miscegenation energy.
The finale as a sort of coming out story to family that doesn’t understand is so hard hitting and so beautiful by the end. Thank you for breaking down the transness of this wonderful queer little cartoon ;,)
As more time goes on, the more I realize that yes, Steven Universe is a very good show. Especially Change Your Mind. I used to think that it was unrealistic and rushed for White Diamond to change so quickly, but I think I was looking at it wrong. I love the idea that White is less like a person and more like an embodiment of the concept of perfect conformity. That concept in practice is truly as weak as she was. And even as a person, White had never shown flaws or been questioned for her whole life. It's like she was in Plato's cave and Steven showed her color for the first time. And of course, she's a character in a cartoon so I find it very cute that she pretty much became a well meaning boomer after that.
WHAT IS THIS PEAK??? As a black trans person who was a gigantic fan of Steven Universe as a kid (and still is to this day) I had never really thought about it this way. It was so refreshing hearing your takes! I really like how you handle the topic, and as much as the new angle looked unfamiliar at first, it was actually there all along, imperceptibly blending into everything in this awesome show. Get that PhD diva, you deserve it. This is going into my 'Great Video Essays' playlist.
Nah cause the intro was too accurate istg my fiance sick of hearing the ways I can relate the themes of what we're watching to steven universe. We were watching the michael bay transformer movies and I was like lowkey why is the plot similar to steven universe 😭🙏 do not remember the thought process that led me to that conclusion
Literally me to my gf. I'll start off by saying "well clearly I had to bring up the best show ever because it relates to this but" and then start yapping about the show😂
bro i was *obsessed* with the trans reading of change your mind when it came out. i had been out for three-ish years at that point and i loved trans readings of just about anything. also UGH i loved seeing the show develop from hinting at lgbt stuff to slowly becoming more "open" with the lgbt stuff. i remember during season 1 when there was discussion about whether pearl was gay or not, and whether her feelings for rose were romantic or familial or platonic. being there for both that and the wedding episode was wild.
This show came out in my thirties, I was just a silly pansexual theater girl, and my heart exploded with joy. I watched it with my trans girlfriend and with queer friends. I saw love everywhere.
This was absolutely beautiful. As a femenine trans man, there are so many things in this show that resonate with me and I finally hear someone else mention the same things. I think that sometimes it is like Pink and Rose, and I have to tell everyone that I was never a girl, that I have always identified this way. But that is not completely true, I didn’t know what gender meant as a little kid, I lived as a girl, I experienced issues many girls experienced but eventually I found out it’s not who I am. But with that scene from the last episode, where Steven hugs his other version, I see it as me accepting and loving my pre-transition self.
I loved this video, I think it deserves waay more attention all of the positive influence that SU gives, especially about sensitive topics. They're not showing these topics by their names, but by (relatable) situations, and I think that is very important for children to see and learn. I'm ftm, and I really appreciate how you highlighted the message about identity and gender throughout Steven Universe, ty for this video. ❤
It was a huge honor to talk about this exact impact that Steven and each of the Gems had on me when DeeDee, Michaela, and Estelle were at StellarCon a while ago. The series' influence is still very prevalent in my daily life, and I had effectively learned a lot about loving myself out loud. ❤
angel it took me until you saying it to think that maybe fusions are not about doing "gem math" to come to the correct identity and instead about choosing new labels!! good insight
steven universe was such a stepping stone for understanding my transness. it came out during my late teens/early adulthood and had me in vice grip as soon as i saw the pilot. your essay breaks down the show on a level that i've always felt to be true but could never put into words and it's so cathartic to hear talked about. some university's gotta step up and give u that phd.
Genuinely what an incredible video. I was listening to this while I was studying and literally had to stop. This vid is going straight into my video essay playlist.
i remember a long time ago I was really into steven universe and i was so touched by the show that I wanted to be like steven. I wanted to be kind to a fault like him, open and loving like him. i'm sort of transmasculine, still figuring it out. but the show holds a special place in my heart, and the trans narrative really does stand out.
This is beautiful I watched steven universe growing up, when I was discovering my own gender. And I admittedly resented it. I didn't like what it had to say about what I was feeling and thinking, even if I didn't know the words or the concepts yet. I didn't know why I didn't like it. But I kept watching either way. And when shit got real, got deep, I started to really like it. But everyone around me hated it. And I thought "I should keep hating it, but I can't". Nowadays I thank steven universe for holding my hand throughout my own exploration of gender. I resonated with the transness of steven universe as a whole. And whenever I'm facing my family's discrimination or the shit the world throws at me for being who I am, I think "I don't need you to respect me, I respect me. I don't need you to love me, I love me. But I want you to know you could know me, if you change your mind."
I also see fusion as a commentary on interracial relationships as well. On homeworld, you're only allowed to fuse with the same gemstone as you kinda like how families don't want to you date someone of a different ethnicity or culture than you. This goes for friendships as well because it's stated that there are many different reasons to fuse.
nonbinary bi philosopher here, this has been the best video essay I have seen on the topic. literally like you have unraveled my thoughts into words. I started up a new channel so if end up discussing anything steven universe I will be sure to link to this video. thanks so much for the upload!✌️
finally someone is talking about this!!! i cried my EYES OUTTT at the scene with pink steven and flesh steven coming together,, such a powerful and very relatable feeling for a nonbinary -trans person like myself :,)
You put a lot of thought and care into this and I wanted to let you know how greatly appreciated it is! I've always liked the way the series interrogates not just how the bodies and lives of the gems are dictated by labor that serves the interests of a select few. There's a continued narrative throughline that the gems bodies (and by extension to the metaphor, the relationship of gender, sexuality, etc) is dictated by labor and tie all sorts of different aspects of gender and other parts of ourselves to it. The gems more loyal to the hierarchy end up having a major crisis of identity when they're in a position where they see it didn't really hold any meaning. That's why one of my favorite moments in the entire series is Bismuth happily talking about how she was asked what she wanted to do and having someone not only acknowledge her own agency but respect it enough to count on her for major parts of the rebellion. lesbian rock aliens co-parent with a soundcloud rapper. Hilarity ensues
0:53 help, I’m not allowed to watch kipo just because my mom happened to be around when he said “oh, I’m gay” in the earlier episodes. Now she hates it even though she’s only seen that part.
Oh man what an amazing video. This resonated with me a lot. I think I need to rewatch SU! I forgot how hard-hitting the part at the end of the show where Steven begins to doubt himself so much because of how much he gets called pink was. I've constantly been told I'm not who I say I am, even by other trans people. I know exactly how that feels. If Steven can overcome that then so can I!!! :)
Absolutely love your editing style! Keep up the good work :) loved the video and reminds me of an essay I wrote for a college film class at one point, regarding archetypes and how “Steven the Sword Fighter” deconstructs gender roles. I wish I could see more SU videos that discuss it so carefully and cleverly!
Can i say that, wow, im really impressed, i tought this would be a light video, something a bit silly and all with a sweet message, but wow, this is unironically one of my favourites video essay about Steven Universe that i ever saw, unironically good job, even tho im not GenderQueer im still a Queer person who loves Steven Universe, and i love how peoples that are different from me can see different interpretation of this show, so yeah i like this video
this video is literally so thought provoking and well put together I expected it to have SO many more likes than it did. This is absolutely amazing stuff.
incredible video, immediately had to subscribe! you really hit the nail on the head as to why this show has always felt so incredibly queer to me in a way that feels very different from other shows with queer rep. your reading of the gemstone as analogous to sex and the projected body as gender presentation is so brilliant.
Every single rewatch I have of Steven Universe, I feel like I'm noticing there is some new greater concept to be explored within it. It truly was a revolutionary show. As a trans man myself, your trans reading of Steven Universe is fascinating, and definitely resonated with me. Great video!! :)
Whattt I can't BELIEVE you only have 172 subscribers!! I love your personality it's super fun and I love how well articulated this video was ❤❤ excited to see more
Wow I love your analysis! I love Steven universe and have seen it all including the movie and future at least twice and now I need to watch again through this lens. I’m nonbinary but I live in the south and don’t fight to be seen as nonbinary but I want to
really interesting and thorough analysis of Steven Universe. I was aware that there is a trans perspective on Steven Universe but have never seen anyone going into this interpretation as much as you have with this video! Loved it!
i loved this video! i Always interpreted offcolor fusions as just generally queerness but i never really noticed the other trans narratives you mentioned here. thank you!
So many shows use allegory in ways that can be lovely in telling a subtle queer experience, but often it's a way to use queer themes without including textual queerness. Steven Universe is fascinating for having these strong trans or gay narratives without shying away from showing it anyway. Your point about Garnet being uncategorisable has fantastic ties to a nonbinary experience while also face presenting as a (nonbinary) lesbian relationship is a great example It's kind of a "having your cake and eating it" situation. It's a shame how much the show was censored and mismanaged by the network but Rebecca Sugar and the crew could still tell these intensely queer narratives through more "acceptable" aliens while then taking the chances to include positive examples of LGBT characters (Also, not for nothing, but Rose Quartz is the only gem who chose to have boobs so that's another point to the transfem coding in her transition from Pink)
I think the way that Steven Universe uses allegory or subtext is how queer subtext is meant to be used, as a way to further accentuate a sense of queerness that can also be found in a plain reading of the text. Exploring queer themes with queer characters, instead of having only one or the other and never the twain shall meet. I can think of a couple examples, namely Adastra and Echo who do something similar.
This essay is an absolute banger and puts words to so many of my feelings on Steven Universe 💖 I think we will still be feeling the impact of how transgressive this show was for decades to come and I’m so grateful I got to experience it when it was airing and that it’s public perception is getting the recognition it deserves again after so many years when the broader narrative online just wanted to tear it down uncritically Wonderful essay and I hope to see more of your work in the future (*Spots Moon Girl in the intro 👀* I really looked to your work! 😁)
As a trans/nonbinary person myself that has grown attached to this show, this essay showed me another perspective on why I like the show so much and why it helped me define and figure myself out. Not even in the gender sense, but just in the identity sense. I might've subconsciously gravitated to the show exactly _because_ it's about identity that goes beyond labels forced on us by our society, that encourages people to break their mold and have fun figuring themselves out. While not a new perspective on the show, this essay is definitely a deeper dive into it that I really appreciate. Thank you!
One thing i think that has stuck with me since i was a kid first watching this show was the way the show presents gender. Even not really understanding what it meant to be genderqueer, seeing fem presenting characters wearing suits, pants, leather jackets, etc. And masc presenting characters wearing freaking wedding dresses was so comforting to me. Its really freeing to see, especially in a kids show, everyone unapologetically being who they are with no question about it and im sure is probably the reason i was so comfortable coming out later on in life cause i knew that the people worthing keeping in my life wouldn't really care
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES ok so this is why I say "Steven is Steven" to say that I'm me, kinda weird I didn't realised it as nb vibes since I'm also nb lol it's literally how I use it also so happy you addressed how there is no one answer to what anything in this show parallels, indeed too many people are focused on just the gay reading like bro there are more colours it's similar to people seeing the Diamonds as "just tirants" or "like moms/sisters" they're both? and niether, they're like a system man (so many examples: a clock-work, computer, or my fave: an ant colony) there is no right answer, well... alien rocks, but that's not the point
i just fell into this video and I must say that you have a great way with words, the video fluxes naturally and you explained your thoughts and your vision over the series so well! I'm a trans guy and I also thought of the series like that, and I'm very glad to see someone bringing this vision more openly! ^^ I'm surprised to see you have so few subscribers, but I can say I'm one of them :D Keep going! You're doing great! And I'm sure you'll grow in this platform ^^
i cant believe im a trans person who grew up with su and i never realized a lot of this lol, amazing essay! makes me appreciate the show in a whole new way
“So basically everyone is Trans” immediately yes. Will come back with more thoughts later, just wanted to say 100% yes - SU is truly eternal and I will talk about it until I take my last breath!
Wow I'm speechless watching this. You make such a great argument here!! 👏 I always felt there was something deeply trans about this show but haven't been able to put my finger on it like this. It's palpable now. And it's time for another rewatch now that I identify as nonbinary!!! 🎉
I’ve recently begun to grapple with my identity as newly trans and not on hormones, this video helped me feel so empowered and safe through the telling of one of my favorite shows as a preteen-teenager, thanks so much for your eloquence and positivity
Bless the algorithm, this video essay makes so much sense!! I'm a cis woman, yet I understood every aspect of the analysis. The way Rebecca's worldbuilding and storytelling puts the viewer into trans/non-binary/intersex person's shoes is just brilliant. Sending you love and respect, you nailed the entire idea behind it. Even the rushed ending makes sense now, wow.
I watched your video essay on the "sassy black woman trope" and was so excited to find the content, your personality, and dissertation skills so fun to watch. Went straight to your channel's page all ready to binge every one of your videos only find out that there's not that many. I was even shocked to find that it was your first video essay. It was so clean and precise, it made me think you've done hundreds before. Cant wait for everything else to come. Was also a pleasant bonus to find that you do art content. Can't be more perfect.
Now I'm sure this one isn't nearly as intentional as a queer metaphor, but as a system with Dissociative Identity Dusirder, I find fusion very similar to sharing a front and how a system can choose to identify with their mind and body, *especially* Stevonnie
I never even thought of this, but pink diamond becoming rose is very specifically relevant to transfemininity, discarding the inherent power granted to one by birth, one in being a diamond, the other in being born into the patriarchal society that favors them, and actively rejecting it to be someone who they desire to be, breaking free of the social pressure to maintain that power given and being oneself.
11:21 this scene gave me uncomfortable flashbacks to when i originally came out as trans to my mum, and she asked for my name just to start laughing about it
Though I do agree that Steven was effectively misgendered and deadnamed throughout the series, I never agreed with the "Steven is trans" reading. Unlike the average trans person, Steven had little to no memories of his past life. (I know some people may say "of course it's unrealistic, it's a show about lesbian space rocks" but we only understand them as lesbian because of how they present themselves as fem-leaning, just like how I disagree with the aforementioned reading because of how Steven is presented as being a separate person from Rose and Pink) But this reading that the Crystal Gems(including Steven) are trans because they reject the labels and roles assigned to them by Homeworld feels more befitting.
its so amazing to hear all this described so beautifully!! i've always felt connected to the gems and the whole concept of being genderless beings that just present a certain way, and its so fascinating to see how deep these trans ideas run in every aspect of the show! just knowing that the show that was so crucial to me and my identity growing up has this essence woven into it is just ahh! so perfect! genuinely a beautiful and really validating video
When I was in year 7 i got a bigger friend group and we started talking about stuff we liked and I mentioned Steven Universe and one of my new friends told me did you know that Steven is trans and I still remember that 6 years later I guess this video was long overdue for me great video I loved it
steven universe's core theme of identity has always resonated with me as a genderqueer person. it's so nice to see someone explore a trans reading of the show so thoughtfully and eloquently :) also, thank you for the subtitles!! i don't need them, but i like reading as i watch so i always appreciate them :D
OMG??? this is SO GOOD!!! im a huge steven universe fan, literally sunk hundreds and hundreds of hours into it and topics surroudning it, and you still got me to open my eyes to beautiful subtext i missed!!! thank you so much!!!!
Fantastic video!!! So spot on, loved the whole thing. I definitely agree on the fusions choosing their own names, otherwise all the Rose/Steven fusions wouldn’t be “half quartz” when they’re actually half diamond
Fantastic video!!! So spot on, loved the whole thing. I definitely agree on the fusions choosing their own names, otherwise the Rose/Steven fusions names would’ve been influenced by the fact that they were part diamond instead of quartz.
I loved this video! I finished watching Steven universe for the first time just a few weeks ago, so you can imagine my delight at seeing a recent video essay on it!! I myself am apart of the lgbtq community, something I’ve honestly always known about myself, and as a child I had the luck to be surrounded by people and friends who never tried to tell me it was wrong or out of the ordinary. The points you made here were very insightful on that! But honestly who doesn’t love a show about badass gay rocks
First of, YOUR LAUGH IS SO WARM AND WHOLESOME AND ARGHHHH ADORABLE IT MAKES ME FEEL SO COMFY AND MAKES YOU SO HUGGABLE (likely because it’s so similar to my sibling’s) Also, WHAT A FANTASTIC READ I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT IT’S SO GOOD ARGHH
YES YES YESSSSS!!!! THIS! Augh it's so good. Thank you for talking about my favorite show!!!!!! The songs mean so much to me, "Escapism" breaks me it really encapsulates being around family/folks/society who dont accept you. Its also just so beautiful! Subscribed!!
Verrrrryyy nice video. I never thought the show could be this representative in multiple ways! Ive never watched Steven Universe, i think it wasnt really accessible for me back then. Either it was forbidden by my mom or just not on the channels i was allowed to watch.. I know its on prime and i cant pay for it. This show really look amazing and i wished i couldve experienced it when it came out. Maybe it wouldve help me understanding things.
Just found your channel today, this is the second video I'm watching and I plan on watching the rest. Something on your voice is so sweet and you speak in such a caring way that almost feels healing. Hope to see more of you soon!
This essay is fantastic, and it made me tear up, like the show but less devastating. I've seen a few of your other videos and liked them, but I subscribed for this.
Whenever anyone I know from my Genderqueer or Trans circles is feeling low about themselves, I just send them that final song in the last moment of the show. Just the soundtrack or maybe with the lyrics. " *I* don't need *You* to respect me; *I* respect me. *I* don't need *You* to love me; (because) *I* love me. ... But *I* want *You* to Know: You Could know me If you changed your mind. If you change your mind. (So) Change your mind. " I think that song is one of the most pure encapsulations of differentness versus the social norms that I have ever seen and I adore it. I say those short lyrics like a motto often. People who judge me and my friends are the ones missing out on life. I care about others even if they want me dead just for being alive. If they want less love in the world by not letting me be me, then they are the one that needs to change. I'm going no where if I can help it. This video was beautiful and really got the essence of how I interpreted this show. I'm glad you have compiled it all into one place so I can send this along if I am trying to make the point rather than sounding like I am projecting in mad obsessive rants. 😅 Subscribed. Great content my G (my girl, my guy, my gender-non-conforming-amigo). P.S: If anyone is feeling emotional after diving back into this show, I got a playlist below that I listen to when I'm dysphoric. You all stay you out there. ❤ open.spotify.com/playlist/0S86Ahzwu6ToTcMbM0kxsg?si=7JUwNYUiTZCC4W-yoCbm6g&pi=Jh9lFjA3QFqpt
This is sooo amazing!! I’ve haven’t seen your videos that much but your way with words in this video was so introspective and well done ! I can’t describe it but I just think your essay is so good and beautiful and you probably put so much effort into it
this video has made me so happy lol. just very beautifully and thoughtfully written, extremely well edited and presented. I feel that I also learned a lot about the ways we can approach analyzing fiction and i think that's invaluable. tysm for making this video, i loved everything you had to say (you were also really funny 🥹)
Loved the video! Everything was put together very well, and as someone who sucks at translating thoughts to words, you did amazing at wording things. I discovered my transness 5 yrs ago, and it's been.......... an experience, lol Videos like these help me find words to describe how I feel, and I thank you for that. 5:05 Don't worry, as a Steven Universe fan, I have no problem hearing someone recap the series. I was OBSESSED with this show
this is so GOOD!! Now i really need to rewatch Steven Universe as an adult to fully appreciate this lens. You're such a wonderful presenter!! I love your voice and your bring up such great points! Definitely subscribed. I hope you do more Steven Universe analysis videos :D
Are there any examples of transness (or queerness!) within the show I missed? Lmk!! 🏳⚧
does it "count" that rose(the only "straight" gem is also coded as inherently queer for -being- "straight"? her things with human men is seen as the other as the non-standard, as the thing that polite society abhors and looks at as "too strange" to be allowable. all the negative stuff that is heaped onto queer relationships are present in her relationships with human men
AND even though this does get her "killed" in the way queer relationships in media tend to lean in on there is still an express expression that her relationships were *ok* and nothing to be ashamed of despite being a source of stress for others who had the expectation that she'd do what was traditionally expected of her. so it is still folded back into the ethos of the show being about love and compassion
@@technopoptartooh that's a really good point! And looove the idea that even one of the main straight relationships in this show is technically queer bc it'd be taboo to Homeworld
another element of the show that i would call queer is steven's family structure. rather than being raised by a mother and father, steven is raised by his mother's friends and doesn't live with his dad. before meeting the gems, connie's parents thought that steven had a nuclear family, and the kids worry that they wouldn't be allowed to see each other anymore if her parents find out the truth. so the gems (as a fusion) pretend to be greg's wife. the gems completely fail to pass as a straight married woman. it all works out because the gems demonstrate that they are good parents. the episode shows that it's fine for a kid to have a family situation that's different from living with a mom and a dad. such as having gay parents, adoptive parents, polyam parents, living with other family members or friends.
I would like to add onto the idea of "killing your old self/rebirthing yourself" in transness regarding Steven's journey with accepting Rose for who she is. I'm of the mindset that you don't have to kill your old self, but you do have to let go of what doesn't serve you anymore when you transition. That's how you lovingly embrace your "new" self and free up energy to "become" you! I think this is really potent iirc, when Steven begins to find out more lore about his mom and has many a crisis about if he really is her, starts having nightmares and such about the situation. I feel if he hadn't healed these parts of himself, he may have not gone into the finale with such a strong knowledge of who we was. And this really speaks to me as a trans person, I had to unlearn so much of what my father taught me about social constructs, and let go of many things that weren't actually a true part of my perception of myself, in order to fully love myself in the present. A lot of it was illusory and a total symbolic death, so I think it's interesting that a lot of Steven's realizations are spurred by dreams and visions. And of course, it mirrors me in the present, having already left plato's cave and feeling very confident about who I am. I'm just "me" and who I am exists outside the confines of society's perception of gender, sex, presentation, I just am me and who I am is an experience, not something logical or categorizable. Thank you so much for speaking on this! I know I already left another comment about this but this was really a wonderful video!!
Is it fair to say Blue Diamond was Homophobic to Garnet ? The first scene they fuse Blue tells Ruby that she would be shattered. Then when they did make it to Homeworld - Blue told them to separate where Steven then says “ she’s garnet”. I remember blue giggled at the thought of garnet. I found that a soft but very loud point.
It hasn't been lost of me that people said "make your own shows" 20 years ago. So we did, and now it's an issue lmao
Thank u for the heart!! I'm so excited to make my show. Still have a long way to go but I'm proud asf over one of my main characters being transmasc. It's slim pickins out here for us
@@mrtiredeyes As a fellow creative trying to get my own queer story out there, good luck! We need to keep pushing these stories, they DO make an impact even if it appears small.
People were like "that's how the world is, just deal with it" and now the world is changing and the same people don't wanna deal with it 😂
They never wanted u to make your own show; they just wanted u to stop talking
@@junyaiwase good thing we didn't
Stevonnie was the first intersex character I ever saw that aspect of myself in, the unbridled joy of them reveling in just being themselves means so much
@TimeMasterOG Stevonnie was confirmed to be intersex and yes it's called intersex too, please do not police how people talk about themselves
@@TimeMasterOGNo
I’m not intersex and I didn’t connect it to my gender identity or anything when I watched it, but I have always felt connected to Alone Together.
I appreciate your insight. It helps me understand a bit better what I love about it. It’s the joy shown. Thank you.
"Let's talk about the Trans Narrative in Steven Universe"
Me: "Hmm... was there even a Trans character? I mean, the Gems are basically non-binary but fem-presenting. Is this about the shapeshifting?"
"Pink Diamond"
Me: "OH. Yeah. Duh. Of course. Steven's literally a man that keeps getting misgendered as his mom and the entire show's about his struggle to shed that old identity to be seen as who he really is. Yeah, this totally works as a Transmasc metaphor!"
What's awesome about this as a metaphor is how comfortable Steven is in his gender. He has no problem presenting feminine because femininity isn't something he's scared of showing off.
I can't believe I never noticed this before. Everyday my love for steven universe grows
No, it's about children being haunted by the legacies of their parents while also being so much like their parents. This show is about generational trauma. Fml.
@@CaramalGoddessFrFr It can be both things. It's probably intended to be that, but the way Gems work totally works for a Trans reading as well.
You could totally make the argument that the misgendering is out of place with generational trauma, but it makes more sense as a metaphor for a trans kid being accepted by their dad and aunts even though their grandparents reject it. Because the story is all about communication and understanding, it could work for all kinds of things.
Most kids probably wouldn't even see either of these readings, right? They'd see it as a story about how their parents can be wrong and that they need to try to reach out to them to make their feelings clear instead of trying to throw a fit and freak out at them.
And because that's the intended audience, wouldn't that mean their reading is more on-point than either of ours, if anything...?
@@CaramalGoddessFrFr You can interpret or read art in many different ways
Hearing someone talk about Steven universe this way is so validating, I’ve been out as genderqueer for the vast majority of the time I’ve known about Steven Universe. I found out about it when Garnet was revealed as a fusion, through Tumblr. I threw myself into it and felt so seen by it but in a way I hadn’t heard anyone else discuss. Thank you so so much, this is such a validating watch!!!
Thank *you*, I'm so glad!
I know it wouldn't fit into the video without throwing off the pacing, but I just want to take a second to talk about what a genderfluid icon Amethyst is.
Sure, we've had gems present differently before, fem gems wearing suits, Ruby being designed more masc wearing a dress, etc. But Amethyst will literally just shapeshift into whatever, including her undeniably masculine wrestler form, and that's kind-of great. As one of the few gems whose never seen Homeworld, Amethyst was never pushed to fit their norms, she's basically completely unchained from the taboos and expectations of Gem society. And, because of that, she's able to become anything and use that power as one of her big defining strengths.
Any gem could do this, all Gems have shapeshifting capabilities. But Amethyst is so outside of their society that she's one of the few Gems that takes advantage of this in its fullest! I love it so much, lol!
This is so true!! Amethyst is such an icon
ive never thought of that!! thats so smart, thank you for bringing this aspect of gender in the show to my attention as well
oh damn you're so right. it makes total sense to see her as genderfluid, specially since shapeshifting itself so strongly relates to her identity--not only because she is disconnected from homeworld but because it is *her* thing
As a black nonbinary kid who loves cartoons and art, I'm so happy to have found your YT channel! Keep doing what you're doing, homie!
@autistictoonarchist Right back at you!
literally me
I also love your your username!
SAMEEE❤️⭐️
Real
I'm so glad I found this video praising a piece of media that has gotten "trendy" to hate. SU was definitely one of my favorites cartoons to watch and I love how nuanced it is, thank you for this video!
For sure! I definitely have some reservations about the show, but full agree some people hate on it just to hate 😭
Steven may not be *literally* trans but he's kind of a mix of the side that says your old self dies and the side that says your old self becomes your new self.
Rose's gem basically becomes the other half of Steven, but Rose *also* basically dies.
It's interesting to think about.
This reminds me that transness is loving transmutation of the old self energy into the new self. You don't have to kill your old self, but you do have to let them go in order to fully embrace who you are now. And the whole journey of Steven reflecting on Rose absolutely shows this path
◇ Stevonnie and how they're read / treated
◇ Peridot being aro/ace coded
◇ Lars trying to fit the manly mold & the body anxieties he has (including chest sensitivity)
◇ Amethyst & Fluidity
◇ Greg and what it looks like to find yourself loving someone outside your regular field?
◇ Both Sadie's Mom & The Diamonds making things about them instead of addressing the hurt a nonconforming kid is expressing being a parallel for how a lot of parents make their kid's queerness or transness about them
◇ Steven's fusions as a metaphor for how behavior and presentation may vary even in accepting spaces because of who you're with & the relationship there
As a straight cis man, this is a very eye-opening and beautiful perspective! I think you put it well. The trans-ness is something inherent and fundamentally felt in the show, without being up-front about spelling it out. It feels good to learn more from others' perspectives. ☺
I think cross gem fusion could also be viewed under the lens of mixed race people bc under the social construct of racism, a mixed race person is also harder to “classify” in that sense. Also Jasper’s reaction to Stevonnie, a fusion involving another human, gives off Anti-Miscegenation energy.
I was thinking the same thing!!!
2:52 I thought you were turning into sans, guys I'm cooked, the brain rot got to me
Tbh...noted for a future gag 😂😂
Exactly !I even hear a sans OSt in my head😂
The finale as a sort of coming out story to family that doesn’t understand is so hard hitting and so beautiful by the end. Thank you for breaking down the transness of this wonderful queer little cartoon ;,)
As more time goes on, the more I realize that yes, Steven Universe is a very good show. Especially Change Your Mind. I used to think that it was unrealistic and rushed for White Diamond to change so quickly, but I think I was looking at it wrong. I love the idea that White is less like a person and more like an embodiment of the concept of perfect conformity. That concept in practice is truly as weak as she was. And even as a person, White had never shown flaws or been questioned for her whole life. It's like she was in Plato's cave and Steven showed her color for the first time. And of course, she's a character in a cartoon so I find it very cute that she pretty much became a well meaning boomer after that.
Well no it is unrealistic...
The rage and pain when Steven screamed that Rose was gone. I felt so fucking seen. I had never related to a feeling so strongly.
WHAT IS THIS PEAK??? As a black trans person who was a gigantic fan of Steven Universe as a kid (and still is to this day) I had never really thought about it this way. It was so refreshing hearing your takes! I really like how you handle the topic, and as much as the new angle looked unfamiliar at first, it was actually there all along, imperceptibly blending into everything in this awesome show. Get that PhD diva, you deserve it. This is going into my 'Great Video Essays' playlist.
Nah cause the intro was too accurate istg my fiance sick of hearing the ways I can relate the themes of what we're watching to steven universe. We were watching the michael bay transformer movies and I was like lowkey why is the plot similar to steven universe 😭🙏 do not remember the thought process that led me to that conclusion
Basically SU is Shakespeare like it parallels with everything 💀
Literally me to my gf. I'll start off by saying "well clearly I had to bring up the best show ever because it relates to this but" and then start yapping about the show😂
bro i was *obsessed* with the trans reading of change your mind when it came out. i had been out for three-ish years at that point and i loved trans readings of just about anything.
also UGH i loved seeing the show develop from hinting at lgbt stuff to slowly becoming more "open" with the lgbt stuff. i remember during season 1 when there was discussion about whether pearl was gay or not, and whether her feelings for rose were romantic or familial or platonic.
being there for both that and the wedding episode was wild.
I'd forgotten that era of the show tbh! But yeah there was a time as a closeted teen I thought Pearl and Rose were just GREAT friends 😂
i just happened to be blessed by youtube recommending this to me- im shocked how few views this has! such a good analysis
@@ana_sta_asia Glad you stumbled upon it! Thanks so much ☺️
Real
This show came out in my thirties, I was just a silly pansexual theater girl, and my heart exploded with joy. I watched it with my trans girlfriend and with queer friends. I saw love everywhere.
This was absolutely beautiful. As a femenine trans man, there are so many things in this show that resonate with me and I finally hear someone else mention the same things. I think that sometimes it is like Pink and Rose, and I have to tell everyone that I was never a girl, that I have always identified this way. But that is not completely true, I didn’t know what gender meant as a little kid, I lived as a girl, I experienced issues many girls experienced but eventually I found out it’s not who I am. But with that scene from the last episode, where Steven hugs his other version, I see it as me accepting and loving my pre-transition self.
I loved this video, I think it deserves waay more attention all of the positive influence that SU gives, especially about sensitive topics. They're not showing these topics by their names, but by (relatable) situations, and I think that is very important for children to see and learn. I'm ftm, and I really appreciate how you highlighted the message about identity and gender throughout Steven Universe, ty for this video. ❤
@@yuu_06 How the show handles its theming and difficult topics is also one of the reasons I love it!
The idea that cross gem fusions name/label themselves is such an interesting idea i've never heard before, but it makes so much sesne in retrospeect
It was a huge honor to talk about this exact impact that Steven and each of the Gems had on me when DeeDee, Michaela, and Estelle were at StellarCon a while ago. The series' influence is still very prevalent in my daily life, and I had effectively learned a lot about loving myself out loud. ❤
18:15
p i n k l a s a g n a
Steven stop, you're going to break her 😮💨😂
I don't think I've ever seen this kind of perspective on the series explained so well. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Great video.
angel it took me until you saying it to think that maybe fusions are not about doing "gem math" to come to the correct identity and instead about choosing new labels!! good insight
Bruh this is my first time hearing that Rebecca Sugar was non-binary, that explains how the gems are gendered
steven universe was such a stepping stone for understanding my transness. it came out during my late teens/early adulthood and had me in vice grip as soon as i saw the pilot. your essay breaks down the show on a level that i've always felt to be true but could never put into words and it's so cathartic to hear talked about. some university's gotta step up and give u that phd.
Genuinely what an incredible video. I was listening to this while I was studying and literally had to stop. This vid is going straight into my video essay playlist.
Omg thanks! ❤
i remember a long time ago I was really into steven universe and i was so touched by the show that I wanted to be like steven. I wanted to be kind to a fault like him, open and loving like him. i'm sort of transmasculine, still figuring it out. but the show holds a special place in my heart, and the trans narrative really does stand out.
First video from you that pops up on my feed and this is, without even close competition, my absolute favorite Steven universe video essay
That means so much thanks! 🥺
@@angelmansonart 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
This is beautiful
I watched steven universe growing up, when I was discovering my own gender. And I admittedly resented it. I didn't like what it had to say about what I was feeling and thinking, even if I didn't know the words or the concepts yet. I didn't know why I didn't like it.
But I kept watching either way.
And when shit got real, got deep, I started to really like it. But everyone around me hated it. And I thought "I should keep hating it, but I can't".
Nowadays I thank steven universe for holding my hand throughout my own exploration of gender. I resonated with the transness of steven universe as a whole.
And whenever I'm facing my family's discrimination or the shit the world throws at me for being who I am, I think "I don't need you to respect me, I respect me. I don't need you to love me, I love me. But I want you to know you could know me, if you change your mind."
@@nebaidossarkans3306 I also think of Change Your Mind when dealing with family 🥺 I'm glad SU ultimately resonated with you so much!
83????? HELL NAW I'm subscribing this was awesome I cannot believe you don't have more subs
I also see fusion as a commentary on interracial relationships as well. On homeworld, you're only allowed to fuse with the same gemstone as you kinda like how families don't want to you date someone of a different ethnicity or culture than you. This goes for friendships as well because it's stated that there are many different reasons to fuse.
nonbinary bi philosopher here, this has been the best video essay I have seen on the topic. literally like you have unraveled my thoughts into words. I started up a new channel so if end up discussing anything steven universe I will be sure to link to this video. thanks so much for the upload!✌️
finally someone is talking about this!!! i cried my EYES OUTTT at the scene with pink steven and flesh steven coming together,, such a powerful and very relatable feeling for a nonbinary -trans person like myself :,)
It still moves me every time I see it, just a gorgeous scene
You put a lot of thought and care into this and I wanted to let you know how greatly appreciated it is! I've always liked the way the series interrogates not just how the bodies and lives of the gems are dictated by labor that serves the interests of a select few. There's a continued narrative throughline that the gems bodies (and by extension to the metaphor, the relationship of gender, sexuality, etc) is dictated by labor and tie all sorts of different aspects of gender and other parts of ourselves to it. The gems more loyal to the hierarchy end up having a major crisis of identity when they're in a position where they see it didn't really hold any meaning.
That's why one of my favorite moments in the entire series is Bismuth happily talking about how she was asked what she wanted to do and having someone not only acknowledge her own agency but respect it enough to count on her for major parts of the rebellion.
lesbian rock aliens co-parent with a soundcloud rapper. Hilarity ensues
0:53 help, I’m not allowed to watch kipo just because my mom happened to be around when he said “oh, I’m gay” in the earlier episodes. Now she hates it even though she’s only seen that part.
It baffles me that people still can’t accept lgbtq or queer people in general
That sucks, it’s a legitimately good show
Oh man what an amazing video. This resonated with me a lot. I think I need to rewatch SU! I forgot how hard-hitting the part at the end of the show where Steven begins to doubt himself so much because of how much he gets called pink was. I've constantly been told I'm not who I say I am, even by other trans people. I know exactly how that feels. If Steven can overcome that then so can I!!! :)
Absolutely love your editing style! Keep up the good work :) loved the video and reminds me of an essay I wrote for a college film class at one point, regarding archetypes and how “Steven the Sword Fighter” deconstructs gender roles. I wish I could see more SU videos that discuss it so carefully and cleverly!
Thanks so much!! Also love that essay topic too, esp honing in on one episode!
Can i say that, wow, im really impressed, i tought this would be a light video, something a bit silly and all with a sweet message, but wow, this is unironically one of my favourites video essay about Steven Universe that i ever saw, unironically good job, even tho im not GenderQueer im still a Queer person who loves Steven Universe, and i love how peoples that are different from me can see different interpretation of this show, so yeah i like this video
this video is literally so thought provoking and well put together I expected it to have SO many more likes than it did. This is absolutely amazing stuff.
Hello? Just found this channel about my favorite show? And in dept and its themes??? And it feels but isn't 100k????? HELLOOOOO???!!!
omg i just realised it only has 7k views wtf
incredible video, immediately had to subscribe! you really hit the nail on the head as to why this show has always felt so incredibly queer to me in a way that feels very different from other shows with queer rep. your reading of the gemstone as analogous to sex and the projected body as gender presentation is so brilliant.
Thanks! ❤
Every single rewatch I have of Steven Universe, I feel like I'm noticing there is some new greater concept to be explored within it. It truly was a revolutionary show. As a trans man myself, your trans reading of Steven Universe is fascinating, and definitely resonated with me. Great video!! :)
Whattt I can't BELIEVE you only have 172 subscribers!! I love your personality it's super fun and I love how well articulated this video was ❤❤ excited to see more
Wow I love your analysis! I love Steven universe and have seen it all including the movie and future at least twice and now I need to watch again through this lens. I’m nonbinary but I live in the south and don’t fight to be seen as nonbinary but I want to
@@munchkinartist Thanks so much! I'm always pro re-watching SU and hope it offers some much neede queer joy :)
really interesting and thorough analysis of Steven Universe. I was aware that there is a trans perspective on Steven Universe but have never seen anyone going into this interpretation as much as you have with this video! Loved it!
I still having crazy trippy monthly dreams about the Diamonds. I understand always thinking of SU.
i loved this video! i Always interpreted offcolor fusions as just generally queerness but i never really noticed the other trans narratives you mentioned here. thank you!
So many shows use allegory in ways that can be lovely in telling a subtle queer experience, but often it's a way to use queer themes without including textual queerness. Steven Universe is fascinating for having these strong trans or gay narratives without shying away from showing it anyway. Your point about Garnet being uncategorisable has fantastic ties to a nonbinary experience while also face presenting as a (nonbinary) lesbian relationship is a great example
It's kind of a "having your cake and eating it" situation. It's a shame how much the show was censored and mismanaged by the network but Rebecca Sugar and the crew could still tell these intensely queer narratives through more "acceptable" aliens while then taking the chances to include positive examples of LGBT characters
(Also, not for nothing, but Rose Quartz is the only gem who chose to have boobs so that's another point to the transfem coding in her transition from Pink)
I think the way that Steven Universe uses allegory or subtext is how queer subtext is meant to be used, as a way to further accentuate a sense of queerness that can also be found in a plain reading of the text. Exploring queer themes with queer characters, instead of having only one or the other and never the twain shall meet. I can think of a couple examples, namely Adastra and Echo who do something similar.
This essay is an absolute banger and puts words to so many of my feelings on Steven Universe 💖
I think we will still be feeling the impact of how transgressive this show was for decades to come and I’m so grateful I got to experience it when it was airing and that it’s public perception is getting the recognition it deserves again after so many years when the broader narrative online just wanted to tear it down uncritically
Wonderful essay and I hope to see more of your work in the future
(*Spots Moon Girl in the intro 👀* I really looked to your work! 😁)
As a trans/nonbinary person myself that has grown attached to this show, this essay showed me another perspective on why I like the show so much and why it helped me define and figure myself out. Not even in the gender sense, but just in the identity sense. I might've subconsciously gravitated to the show exactly _because_ it's about identity that goes beyond labels forced on us by our society, that encourages people to break their mold and have fun figuring themselves out. While not a new perspective on the show, this essay is definitely a deeper dive into it that I really appreciate. Thank you!
One thing i think that has stuck with me since i was a kid first watching this show was the way the show presents gender. Even not really understanding what it meant to be genderqueer, seeing fem presenting characters wearing suits, pants, leather jackets, etc. And masc presenting characters wearing freaking wedding dresses was so comforting to me. Its really freeing to see, especially in a kids show, everyone unapologetically being who they are with no question about it and im sure is probably the reason i was so comfortable coming out later on in life cause i knew that the people worthing keeping in my life wouldn't really care
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES ok so this is why I say "Steven is Steven" to say that I'm me, kinda weird I didn't realised it as nb vibes since I'm also nb lol it's literally how I use it
also so happy you addressed how there is no one answer to what anything in this show parallels, indeed too many people are focused on just the gay reading like bro there are more colours
it's similar to people seeing the Diamonds as "just tirants" or "like moms/sisters" they're both? and niether, they're like a system man (so many examples: a clock-work, computer, or my fave: an ant colony)
there is no right answer, well... alien rocks, but that's not the point
i just fell into this video and I must say that you have a great way with words, the video fluxes naturally and you explained your thoughts and your vision over the series so well!
I'm a trans guy and I also thought of the series like that, and I'm very glad to see someone bringing this vision more openly! ^^
I'm surprised to see you have so few subscribers, but I can say I'm one of them :D
Keep going! You're doing great! And I'm sure you'll grow in this platform ^^
i cant believe im a trans person who grew up with su and i never realized a lot of this lol, amazing essay! makes me appreciate the show in a whole new way
This whole video is so comforting and informative, it really explains the whole trans experience. I wonder if it could make other people understand.
I'm glad you exist, keep doin that! You do it well.
“So basically everyone is Trans” immediately yes. Will come back with more thoughts later, just wanted to say 100% yes - SU is truly eternal and I will talk about it until I take my last breath!
Wow I'm speechless watching this. You make such a great argument here!! 👏 I always felt there was something deeply trans about this show but haven't been able to put my finger on it like this. It's palpable now. And it's time for another rewatch now that I identify as nonbinary!!! 🎉
4:14 AHEM Fictional GAY rocks in space.
As a biracial (half black half white) trans teen I’m so happy to have your channel! You got a new fan!
I’ve recently begun to grapple with my identity as newly trans and not on hormones, this video helped me feel so empowered and safe through the telling of one of my favorite shows as a preteen-teenager, thanks so much for your eloquence and positivity
This was so beautifully put together and explained, I love your analysis, I'd never considered a reading like this before
I misread the title as "The Trans Massacre of Steven Universe" and got really confused lol
Next vid where I read the Diamond Song thru a trans lens- 😭
Bless the algorithm, this video essay makes so much sense!! I'm a cis woman, yet I understood every aspect of the analysis. The way Rebecca's worldbuilding and storytelling puts the viewer into trans/non-binary/intersex person's shoes is just brilliant.
Sending you love and respect, you nailed the entire idea behind it. Even the rushed ending makes sense now, wow.
I watched your video essay on the "sassy black woman trope" and was so excited to find the content, your personality, and dissertation skills so fun to watch. Went straight to your channel's page all ready to binge every one of your videos only find out that there's not that many. I was even shocked to find that it was your first video essay. It was so clean and precise, it made me think you've done hundreds before. Cant wait for everything else to come. Was also a pleasant bonus to find that you do art content. Can't be more perfect.
Now I'm sure this one isn't nearly as intentional as a queer metaphor, but as a system with Dissociative Identity Dusirder, I find fusion very similar to sharing a front and how a system can choose to identify with their mind and body, *especially* Stevonnie
Angel! Im so happy to found your channel! SU is my absolute favourite show. I have rewatched it endless times. Keep making this content!!!!
This is the best Steven Universe video I’ve ever seen. Excellent analysis!
I never even thought of this, but pink diamond becoming rose is very specifically relevant to transfemininity, discarding the inherent power granted to one by birth, one in being a diamond, the other in being born into the patriarchal society that favors them, and actively rejecting it to be someone who they desire to be, breaking free of the social pressure to maintain that power given and being oneself.
11:21 this scene gave me uncomfortable flashbacks to when i originally came out as trans to my mum, and she asked for my name just to start laughing about it
Though I do agree that Steven was effectively misgendered and deadnamed throughout the series, I never agreed with the "Steven is trans" reading. Unlike the average trans person, Steven had little to no memories of his past life.
(I know some people may say "of course it's unrealistic, it's a show about lesbian space rocks" but we only understand them as lesbian because of how they present themselves as fem-leaning, just like how I disagree with the aforementioned reading because of how Steven is presented as being a separate person from Rose and Pink)
But this reading that the Crystal Gems(including Steven) are trans because they reject the labels and roles assigned to them by Homeworld feels more befitting.
its so amazing to hear all this described so beautifully!! i've always felt connected to the gems and the whole concept of being genderless beings that just present a certain way, and its so fascinating to see how deep these trans ideas run in every aspect of the show! just knowing that the show that was so crucial to me and my identity growing up has this essence woven into it is just ahh! so perfect! genuinely a beautiful and really validating video
When I was in year 7 i got a bigger friend group and we started talking about stuff we liked and I mentioned Steven Universe and one of my new friends told me did you know that Steven is trans and I still remember that 6 years later I guess this video was long overdue for me great video I loved it
My favorite moment in this show is when Lars and Sadie were both fawning over Stevonnie lol
steven universe's core theme of identity has always resonated with me as a genderqueer person. it's so nice to see someone explore a trans reading of the show so thoughtfully and eloquently :)
also, thank you for the subtitles!! i don't need them, but i like reading as i watch so i always appreciate them :D
1:03 A ROCK WITH ATTACHMENT ISSUES CRYING OVER A MILLENNIAL LONG SITUATIONSHIP. PLEASE. that’s my pearl ♥️
This video was so well made I’m so impressed 👏👏👏
OMG??? this is SO GOOD!!! im a huge steven universe fan, literally sunk hundreds and hundreds of hours into it and topics surroudning it, and you still got me to open my eyes to beautiful subtext i missed!!! thank you so much!!!!
Fantastic video!!! So spot on, loved the whole thing.
I definitely agree on the fusions choosing their own names, otherwise all the Rose/Steven fusions wouldn’t be “half quartz” when they’re actually half diamond
Fantastic video!!! So spot on, loved the whole thing.
I definitely agree on the fusions choosing their own names, otherwise the Rose/Steven fusions names would’ve been influenced by the fact that they were part diamond instead of quartz.
I loved this video! I finished watching Steven universe for the first time just a few weeks ago, so you can imagine my delight at seeing a recent video essay on it!! I myself am apart of the lgbtq community, something I’ve honestly always known about myself, and as a child I had the luck to be surrounded by people and friends who never tried to tell me it was wrong or out of the ordinary. The points you made here were very insightful on that! But honestly who doesn’t love a show about badass gay rocks
While I was watching this my brother changed the channel to steven universe
First of, YOUR LAUGH IS SO WARM AND WHOLESOME AND ARGHHHH ADORABLE IT MAKES ME FEEL SO COMFY AND MAKES YOU SO HUGGABLE (likely because it’s so similar to my sibling’s)
Also, WHAT A FANTASTIC READ I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT IT’S SO GOOD ARGHH
YES YES YESSSSS!!!! THIS! Augh it's so good. Thank you for talking about my favorite show!!!!!! The songs mean so much to me, "Escapism" breaks me it really encapsulates being around family/folks/society who dont accept you. Its also just so beautiful! Subscribed!!
Verrrrryyy nice video. I never thought the show could be this representative in multiple ways!
Ive never watched Steven Universe, i think it wasnt really accessible for me back then. Either it was forbidden by my mom or just not on the channels i was allowed to watch.. I know its on prime and i cant pay for it. This show really look amazing and i wished i couldve experienced it when it came out. Maybe it wouldve help me understanding things.
Just found your channel today, this is the second video I'm watching and I plan on watching the rest. Something on your voice is so sweet and you speak in such a caring way that almost feels healing. Hope to see more of you soon!
what a refreshing and comforting thing to watch on one of the worst days in American history , thank you for this
This essay is fantastic, and it made me tear up, like the show but less devastating. I've seen a few of your other videos and liked them, but I subscribed for this.
you're literally so big brained this is one of the best su analysis videos i have ever seen
Whenever anyone I know from my Genderqueer or Trans circles is feeling low about themselves, I just send them that final song in the last moment of the show. Just the soundtrack or maybe with the lyrics.
" *I* don't need *You* to respect me;
*I* respect me.
*I* don't need *You* to love me;
(because) *I* love me.
... But *I* want *You* to Know:
You Could know me
If you changed your mind.
If you change your mind.
(So) Change your mind. "
I think that song is one of the most pure encapsulations of differentness versus the social norms that I have ever seen and I adore it. I say those short lyrics like a motto often.
People who judge me and my friends are the ones missing out on life. I care about others even if they want me dead just for being alive. If they want less love in the world by not letting me be me, then they are the one that needs to change. I'm going no where if I can help it.
This video was beautiful and really got the essence of how I interpreted this show. I'm glad you have compiled it all into one place so I can send this along if I am trying to make the point rather than sounding like I am projecting in mad obsessive rants. 😅
Subscribed. Great content my G (my girl, my guy, my gender-non-conforming-amigo).
P.S: If anyone is feeling emotional after diving back into this show, I got a playlist below that I listen to when I'm dysphoric. You all stay you out there. ❤
open.spotify.com/playlist/0S86Ahzwu6ToTcMbM0kxsg?si=7JUwNYUiTZCC4W-yoCbm6g&pi=Jh9lFjA3QFqpt
This is sooo amazing!! I’ve haven’t seen your videos that much but your way with words in this video was so introspective and well done ! I can’t describe it but I just think your essay is so good and beautiful and you probably put so much effort into it
this video has made me so happy lol. just very beautifully and thoughtfully written, extremely well edited and presented. I feel that I also learned a lot about the ways we can approach analyzing fiction and i think that's invaluable. tysm for making this video, i loved everything you had to say (you were also really funny 🥹)
Loved the video!
Everything was put together very well, and as someone who sucks at translating thoughts to words, you did amazing at wording things.
I discovered my transness 5 yrs ago, and it's been.......... an experience, lol
Videos like these help me find words to describe how I feel, and I thank you for that.
5:05
Don't worry, as a Steven Universe fan, I have no problem hearing someone recap the series.
I was OBSESSED with this show
this is SO GOOD! honestly, this show was instrumental in my own trans journey. thanks for such a thoughtful vid!!
i could listen to you talk about this topic for hours!!! This was my first time watching one of your videos, and I am excited to watch more!!!
this is so GOOD!! Now i really need to rewatch Steven Universe as an adult to fully appreciate this lens. You're such a wonderful presenter!! I love your voice and your bring up such great points! Definitely subscribed. I hope you do more Steven Universe analysis videos :D