Breeding Toxicity to Protect Safe Spaces: Exploring the Phenomenon Within the Steven Universe Fandom Isabella Scappaticci ABSTRACT This essay seeks to understand why toxic fandoms are conceived and how severe their consequences can be for younger generations through an analysis of the Steven Universe fandom. Steven Universe, an American cartoon targeted toward young children, is a show that teaches empathy, love, and acceptance with an emphasis on LGBTQIA+ themes, garnering a passionate adult following as well. Beginning in 2014, the fandom's presence within various social media platforms has turned sour in its attempt to police people's self-expression in the name of social justice, eventually devolving into death-threats and cyber-bullying. An analysis of the devastating consequences the victims dealt with for their participation in fandom-centered internet culture begs readers to question how such good-natured content could spark such hateful words and actions. The ultimate purpose of this analysis is to explore the nuanced psychological concepts at play within a toxic fandom and shed light upon the insidious issues brewing underneath the surface of popular culture. Originally coined in 1903 to specific piece of media, usually describe a group of sports fans that leading to abusive behavior. The rise follow one specific team,1 “fandom” of online toxicity surrounding popular has recently become associated with television shows is a phenomenon negativity, referring to fans who take that many journalists and academics a fictional series very seriously, have sought to understand because it sparking Internet fights among online spirals out of control so frequently communities. In fact, the term “toxic that cyber bullying, death threats, and fandom” is one commonly used to gatekeeping among fans is now describe a fanbase that becomes expected. While many adult increasingly possessive about a animated series, such as Rick and 1 “Fandom,” Merriam-Webster, accessed on October 25, 2019, https://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/fandom-adventure- time-universe- 2513303789.html/culture/culture- features/steven-universe-how-rebecca-sugar- turned-tvs-most-empathetic-cartoon-into-an- empire-205732/. Screen Studies Quarterly 35 Scappaticci Morty2 or South Park3, have been at standing of why and how they the center of this problematic operate. behavior, children’s cartoons have Steven Universe tells the story of joined the titles within toxic a half-alien, half-human boy named communities. Among the millennial Steven who goes on extraordinary generation, watching children’s adventures in and around his animated series has become widely hometown, Beach City. Because his accepted due to the shows’ ability to mother gave up her physical form to package dark adult themes into light- create him, he is raised by her three hearted, fun stories. The message at best friends — Pearl, Garnet, and the center of most of these shows is Amethyst — along with his father, “it's okay to feel not okay,” a Greg. The show chronicles his sentiment that appeals to viewers of experiences of learning and teaching 4 all ages. To gain a better others how to love, forgive, and understanding of how a cartoon accept change. What really sets this centered around family and empathy show apart though is its fluid leads fans into severe bullying, this depictions of gender and sexuality, as paper will focus on the Steven it boldly depicts lesbian romances Universe (SU) fandom and the and non-binary characters. Queer controversies it has started. The themes are highlighted through its ultimate purpose of this analysis is to emphasis placed on chosen family, explore the nuanced psychological identity, and self-acceptance while concepts at play within a toxic also incorporating mature content fandom to gain a better under- such as domestic abuse, emotional trauma, and anxiety. These are the 2 Sebastian Murial, “Rick and Morty Toxic 3 “The Fandom Police - South Park,” Amino, Fandom Explained,” Medium (blog), October accessed October 23, 2019, 23, 2019, https://aminoapps.com/c/cartoon/page/blog/t https://medium.com/@sebastianmuriel/rick- he-fandom-police-south- and-morty-toxic-fandom-explained- park/42MC_Yu211NdV86ZRz2RXEMw65lX4lQ eedc3716b868. 4 Scully, Thomas Burns. “Why Do Cartoons Resonate So Well With Millenials?,” Last modified November 29, 2017. https://www.popdust.com/millennial-cartoons- reonate. 36 Spring 2020 Vol 1.1 Breeding Toxicity to Protect Safe Spaces very reasons that the show has behavior is justified due to the way garnered the attention of children, that series’ creator, Rebecca Sugar, adults, and critics alike. has approached the show as a human Given the show’s progressive rights campaign. In her interview with messages of self-love and the Rolling Stone, she describes SU as 5 overwhelming amount of positive “gender expansive,” which is a term attention it has received, where, then, that “classif[ies] youth who [do] not does the series’ toxic following fit in? identify with traditional gender roles For this, we have to begin by but [are] otherwise not confined to understanding the values of the SU one gender narrative or ex- fandom, namely representation and perience…[allowing] us to talk about acceptance. On blogging platforms youth who don’t meet our ‘traditional’ such as Tumblr, the importance of understandings of gender without 6 “calling out” problematic behavior putting their identity in a box.” One within mass media and among fellow primary example of this is Stevonnie, Tumblr users is commonplace. a non-binary, intersex character that is However, this escalated when SU frequently featured throughout the started becoming popular within the series. Though they present feminine mainstream, bringing many Tumblr qualities, the series makes a point to users to claim the show as something show them shaving facial hair and that can only be enjoyed by minority alternating between the pronouns individuals: “Hey men. Steven “we” and “I” in reference to Universe? This show belongs to the themselves. In an interview with women + trans + nonbinary comm- Entertainment Weekly, Sugar spoke unities. We will drag you to the to the importance of telling queer bottom of the sea to defend it. It. Is. stories: “We need to let children Ours” (John Guth 2016, Odyssey know that they belong in this world... Online). You have to tell them while they’re still children that they deserve love While this gatekeeping is and that they deserve support and alarming, the fandom believes this 5 Eric Thrum. “‘Steven Universe’: How 6 “Resources on Gender Expansive Children Rebecca Sugar Turned TV’s Most Empathetic and Youth,” Human Rights Campaign, Cartoon Into an Empire,” Last modified June accessed October 25, 2019, 7, 2017. https://www.rollingstone.com. https://www.hrc.org/resources/resources-on- gender-expansive-children-and-youth. Screen Studies Quarterly 37 Scappaticci that people will be excited to hear posted a second drawing (Fig. 2), their story.”7 This approach allows depicting Greg, Steven, and Rose fans of all ages to find validation in embracing in a family group hug. This their selfhood by prioritizing time she was accused of fat-shaming acceptance and love above all else. because the Rose she drew looked Despite the show’s fight for much skinnier than the original inclusivity, the possessive behavior cartoon. only worsened online as fans began The thin version of Rose was “the policing each other’s artwork in the straw that broke the camel’s back,” so name of social justice, claiming that to say, unleashing the worst of the certain depictions of main characters bullying due to the fact that the were oppressive and unacceptable. In fandom’s sense of inclusivity felt 2015, Paige Paz, a nineteen-year-old threatened. Body positivity is very fan artist, operating under the Tumblr important to the fandom, and each of username Zamii070, created two the main characters of SU are drawings that brought about designed to look and feel unique immense amounts of bullying. The both in their physicality and their first of these drawings (Fig. 1) personality. Characters such as depicted Sardonyx, a very tall gem Garnet, Amethyst, Jasper, and known for having brown skin and Bismuth all present as female while blonde, afro-like hair. Paz’s version of still having less traditionally feminine this character, however, had thinner, physical qualities due to their less curly hair, making it look like a muscular torsos and wide frames. This wavy bob. Fans on Tumblr accused diversity was so clearly prioritized her of “race-lifting,” a term used to among the show and its viewers that describe the act of removing Dove took notice and partnered with someone’s racial identity in a SU for the Dove Self Esteem Project derivative work, motivating fans to in an attempt to “ensure that the next begin meticulously examining her generation grows up enjoying a posts. A few days later, Zamii070 positive relationship with the way they 7 Nick Romano, “Steven Universe Creator Has Done More for LGBTQ Visibility Than You Might Know,” Last modified August 13, 2018, https://ew.com/tv/2018/08/13/steven- universe-rebecca-sugar-lgbtq-cartoons/. 38 Spring 2020 Vol 1.1 Breeding Toxicity to Protect Safe Spaces look.”8 As Sugar explains, “I think it’s insensitive, to unfollow her, or to really basic: Steven Universe is remain silent if they disagreed with designed to help kids with body their arguments. As the fighting confidence and body image by just escalated, these comments turned showing characters with different into threats of death or rape primarily bodies experiencing happiness.”9 towards Paz. In early 2015, Paz While the many criticisms posted a brief suicide note on Tumblr Zamii070 received were valid, the before attempting to take her own comments and messages became life, stating “I’m going to sleep increasingly abusive. They began by forever. I’m sorry everyone, I’m just pointing out Paz’s insensitivity super tired.