Animation, for all its creativity and fluidity, has long been constrained by a repressive industry characterized by rigidity and inflexibility. Until recently, animated programming, especially programming for children, was expected to conform to certain “ethical” standards that prohibited the broadcast of material deemed “unsuitable” for children. Furthermore, the structure of the industry was also tainted by these outdated values; storyboard artists tended to be predominately straight white males, and stories were structured to reflect antiquated tales of good and evil.
This is not to say that the storyboard artists themselves are in any way faulty or unable to produce amazing content, as many great animated shows have been created under this predominately straight, white, and masculine system; however, it is important to recognize this system’s existence, as it illustrates a level of adversity that Rebecca Sugar had to overcome in her pursuit of artistic endeavors.
Rebecca Sugar, a bisexual woman, managed to thrive in the animation industry based on her own talents and skills, and is working to create an environment that is more accepting of people from all different backgrounds. Sugar’s talent for storytelling, animation, and music production gives her the credibility and platform necessary to promote this environment.
Furthermore, Sugar is working to change what is considered acceptable children’s programming; Sugar’s magnum opus, Steven Universe, manages to combine amazing plot structure and character development with nontraditional family structures, a main character who breaks stereotypical expectations of masculinity, and three strong female characters who are of ambiguous sexuality.
Steven Universe follows the eponymous Steven, a young human boy raised by “The Crystal Gems,” a group of polymorphic sentient space rocks (aliens) that protect the earth from supernatural beings. The Crystal Gems take the forms of human women, and seem to be attracted predominately to women; thus, Sugar is able to cleverly portray lesbian relationships on television, since the relationships are not technically considered homosexual, given the Gems do not possess biological genders. Furthermore, Steven himself portrays many characteristics not commonly associated with male protagonists: Steven is kind, empathetic, and compassionate, but is also not hindered in any way by these traits.
Sugar’s ability to give her characters atypical aspects while not sacrificing characterization or plot development makes Sugar stand out as a trailblazer in the animation industry. Her modern approach to storytelling in a stagnant artistic field marks her as a creative, ambitious, talented artist whose work and vision will continue to inspire people for many generations to come.
Works Cited
Freeman, Jeremy. “Rebecca Sugar.” Cartoon Network, 2017, http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rebecca-sugars-steven-universe-is-a-cartoon-empire-w485887.
Kambouris, Dimitrios. “Rebecca Sugar attends the 2017 Adult Swim Upfront Party at Terminal 5 on May 17, 2017 in New York City.” Getty Images North America, 17 May 2017, http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Rebecca+Sugar/2017+Adult+Swim+Upfront+Party/u-GLGpN5rCl.
Sugar, Rebecca. “Rebecca Sugar.” Twitter, 2017, https://twitter.com/rebeccasugar.