Storyboardist Rebecca Sugar got her start on the popular Cartoon Network series "Adventure Time", and is back with her own of show of "Steven Universe." Without spoiling major plot points, Steven Universe is centered around a young boy, Steven, being raised by the intergalactic "Crystal Gems" Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. The Gems were the army that Steven's mother, Rose Quartz, left behind when she gave up her physical form to give birth to Steven (I know it sounds weird, but just roll with it). Together, Steven and the Crystal Gems protect the Earth and go on crazy adventures, all while teaching Steven how to control his Gem powers.

Of course, the "Crewniverse" (as the creators of the shows refer to themselves) intended the show to be geared towards school aged children, but the show is also getting a lot of attention from viewers in their early twenties... and with good reason. Steven Universe is arguably the most progressive children's show out there; it teaches children and adults how to develop healthy and strong relationships, how to accept who you are and be tolerant of other's differences, and how to recognize your worth in this world. For example, in the "Tiger Millionaire" episode Steven discovers Amethyst's secret life as a local wrestler, which she does as an outlet for when she feels pressured by Garnet and Pearl to be more mature. Steven joins Amethyst in the ring, and it isn't long until Garnet and Pearl find out. Garnet and Pearl have to realize that though Amethyst could be a bit more childish at times, they are in no right to criticizes her for her hobbies and interests. The group then grows stronger in harmony. In the most beautiful way, Steven Universe manages to deal with adult concepts and appropriately communicate them to children.

One of the most noticeable characteristics of the show is the strong portrayal of women. All Gems in the show's cannon are female, save for Steven. There are no damsels to be found here, the Crystal Gems are the superhero trio saving the day. Also, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl do not have to abandon their femininity to be super, nor do they need to be hyper sexualized/gendered to sell the show to viewers. "Steven Universe's" success breaks the barrier that a show about women doesn't have to be stereotypical to appeal to both male and female demographics. Also, the role that the Crystal Gems fulfill in Steven's life are those of caretakers, friends, and mentors. Steven does have a father that is involved in his life, but the Gems are his primary care providers and deconstruct the concept of the nuclear family. For more explanation, check out Idea Channel's video on the subject here (warning: minor spoilers).

The Crewniverse is unapologetically aware of the upfront and unveiled expressions of different sexual orientations and expressions of gender in the show. Steven, one of the only males in the show, is not a hypermasculine character. He expresses both masculine and feminine traits, and when appearing vulnerable isn't seen as weak. For example, each Gem possesses a weapon to help them fight, and rather than a sword or something powerful and offensive, Steven generates a shield. This kind of non offensive weaponry would usually be seen as a less masculine tool, but is incredibly useful in Steven's adventures.

Diversity is also a huge component in the show, with a majority of POC casting and many characters breaking the Eurocentric molds dominated in television. The whitewashing in media has continuously marginalized POC artists and actors, while never adequately portraying POC's in proportion to whites. Diversity and positive representation is incredibly important, and this show makes it a priority.

I've found myself identifying with the characters in some way or another and have something I admire about each of them, which I didn't expect the first time I watched it. Finding feminist themes like strong female characters, diversity of these women, and the positive portrayals of masculine and feminine traits is something not commonly found in children's shows today. Not only is this show revolutionary, it's so important that these themes are being included into children's media because instilling values of self-love and acceptance of others while deconstructing harmful gender rolls will hopefully lead to a more progressive future. Steven Universe is just too detailed to really do it justice in a short article, so if you haven't seen this show yet I strongly recommend it!

"Steven Universe" can be watched on Cartoon Network or be streamed of Hulu.