Category Archives: Artifacts

A video from Cartoon Network and Dove’s Self-Esteem Project campaign delivered by the Steven Universe character Stevonnie, published June 24, 2019.

In a recent Archive Post it was discussed how the character Stevonnie from the cartoon Steven Universe is making headway because of their use of they/them pronouns and their depiction as a non-binary character. Recently, Steven Universe has taken this representation a step further by revealing in the above video that Stevonnie is also intersex (seen in their social media profile description). With this reveal, Steven Universe has become even more inclusive than before. This is their, and children’s cartoons’ in general, first intersex character, and yet another LGBTQ+ identity to add to their growing list. Intersex is one of the rarest identities portrayed in animation, if before now it was portrayed at all.

This is a short animated film Dirty Paws, posted in 2015 by the film’s creator Karina Farek. The film was originally a thesis and is written, directed, and animated by Farek.

The film follows two boyfriends, one of whom is a werewolf. What is depicted is a “normal” couple of days for the boyfriends as they prepare for and go through a full moon. Aside from the supernatural elements of the film, the relationship is just like every other. There is no real emphasis placed on the fact that they are a same-sex couple. Normalization is important in depicting LGBTQ+ relationships, so the fact that their sexuality is not the focus of the story being portrayed is key. All relationships, no matter sexuality, or if they are between human and werewolf, are normal and should be treated as such. This film does well at showing that.

A clip from the children’s cartoon Steven Universe, episode 23 & 24 “Reunited” posted December 22, 2018.

While there are many scenes throughout Steven Universe that could apply to this archive, the clip stands out in its depiction of the first same-sex marriage to ever appear in a children’s animated show. According to the shows creator Rebecca Sugar, the gems (aliens from another world) are actually sexless but female presenting, and typically use she/her pronouns. This clip portrays the marriage of two gems, Ruby and Sapphire, who tighter fuse to become the gem Garnet. Having been together for thousands of years, Ruby and Sapphire decide to make their relationship officially their choice, by having a wedding. Done in a simple and open way, this wedding, again the first of its kind, offers positive representation never before seen in children’s animation.

Baby X is a short animated film created by Brendan Bradley and based off of a children’s book titled X: A Fabulous Child’s Story by Lois Gould. This video was posted April 19, 2016 by Bradley.

Baby X is about a baby who is raised without gender. The film follows the baby from birth and introduction to its relatives, through school. The film takes an interesting look at what would happen if you raised a baby without gender from the start. It portrays the struggles that X and those who interact with X face, from what clothes and toys to buy, to pronouns, to how to describe the baby (for example, as “her” having cute dimples or “him” husky biceps). The film as a whole really takes a crack at traditional gender roles, as well as many of the roles that play into how, when, and where these roles are enforced. The film not only looks at X and the parents, but also relatives, teachers and administrators, students, store clerks, and so on. An important aspect of the film is that it doesn’t make this experience of X’s seem easy; in fact it explicitly states that it won’t be easy.

In a Heartbeat is a short computer-animated film by Beth David and Esteban Bravo. It was produced at Ringling College of Art + Design in 2017. It tells the story of a boy who harbors a secret crush for another boy at his school.

In a Heartbeat won a GLAAD Media Award for Special Recognition and on YouTube has amassed over 2.2 million views. The tale of having a secret crush and trying to hide it is a familiar one, but one often told from a heterosexual perspective. This short animated film tells this familiar and relatable story from the perspective of a closeted boy afraid of being outed, in this case by his own heart. In this way the film has taken a normal human experience, but made the depiction of it accessible to a different group than previously portrayed. Representation is important in the media, especially for children. When you don’t see someone like you in the media, or in this case cartoons, then you are more likely to think that there is something wrong or not right about you. Representation makes you feel valid. Gay crushes being depicted as normal can make gay people, gay kids, feel valid.