Photo: Rebecca Sugar / Twitter
Rebecca Sugar, creator of cartoon series Steven Universe, has come out as non-binary.
Speaking to NPR’s 1A, Sugar revealed the main characters in the series – called Gems – are all non-binary women.
She then said: ‘And I am also a non-binary woman.’
Sugar said it’s ‘been really great to express myself through these characters because it’s very much how I have felt throughout my life.’
The 31-year-old also identifies as bisexual and is the first woman to solely create a Cartoon Network show.
Photo: Rebecca Sugar / Instagram
On the gender identity of the Gems, she said: ‘One of the things that’s really important to me about the show is that the Gems are all non-binary women.
‘They’re coded female, which is very important. I was really excited because I felt like I had not seen this.
‘To make a show about a young boy who was looking up to these female-coded characters—they appear to be female, but they’re a little more representative of non-binary women.
‘They wouldn’t think of themselves as women, but they’re fine with being interpreted that way amongst humans,’ she said.
Groundbreaking cartoon wedding
Earlier this month, Steven Universe featured an adorable wedding between two of the Gems – Sapphire and Ruby.
The show follows a half-human, half-gem boy named Steven. He lives with three gems — Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl — as they work together to protect the universe.
At the end of Season one, fans found out Garnet is actually a fusion, made up of Ruby and Sapphire. Then, co-executive producer Ian Jones-Quarterly confirmed Ruby and Sapphire are lesbians in a romantic relationship (by ‘human standards and terminology’).
After a sweet wedding proposal, Ruby and Sapphire tie the knot in a cute little ceremony.
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The ceremony starts off with Ruby walking down the aisle, blushing as she spies her love.
Once she makes it to the alter, Ruby coyly says: ‘I know this is all kind of silly – I mean, we’ve been together for 5750 years.’
‘And eight months,’ Sapphire chimes in lovingly.
Ruby continues: ‘I feel like I wasn’t much good as just one of me on my own. But when we’re together, it feels like it’s okay to be just me.
‘So I want to be me with you,’ she exclaims.
Sapphire then says: ‘You changed my life and then I changed your life and now we change our lives.’
They place each other’s wedding rings on their fingers and Ruby swings Sapphire around in a passionate kiss.
They then combine into their ultimate form, Garnet.
Watch the cute Steven Universe wedding:
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