Steven Universe Fandom vs Academic Criticism
There is something that I wish every single fan in the SU fandom would learn:
People are allowed to critique and, heaven forbid, DISLIKE things about the show BASED UPON those critiques.
You don’t need to take it as a personal attack when someone decides to criticize something that you like. As a human being, their emotions and opinions are just as valid as yours.
I know that we like to look at SU and see something that is diverse, something that has a lot of representation and that’s okay. It DOES have representation.
But just because it represents SOME things fairly, accurately, and in a good light, doesn’t mean that it represents ALL things accurately and in a good light.
Queer relationships and women in places of power? Check. Fair and accurate representation of black encoded characters? Not so much.
You realize this if you are able to apply critical race theory. Garnet, despite how well loved she is, can be seen to inhabit a harmful stereotype. Bismuth was, literally, told that she needs to be more submissive and forgive her oppressors.
In the context of the story we understand WHY these things are the way they are, but take the story away (as you should if you are performing an analysis of the characters) and you are left with something very sour.
Does this mean that you can’t (or shouldn’t) like SU? Of course not. What it means is that you should not blindly accept something that is given to you. It means that, when others have complaints about something that they find problematic, you listen and learn and STOP FUCKING ARGUING.
Recognize that our show, despite it’s inclusion of SOME, is still problematic.
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