Can we talk about how much I love Steven Universe?! And completely putting aside how awesome the actual show is, let’s talk about the diversity for a second.

¾ of the main cast are actors of color!

Estelle as Garnet

Michael Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno as Pearl

AND one of the four main characters (and really the best one, IMO) is a black woman with a badass afro!

Garnet

WHO IS ALSO not just queer, but is the embodiment and personification of the lesbian relationship between two characters.

Ruby and Sapphire (yes, I know gems are technically genderless, but they identify/present as women and use she/her and ultimately that’s what the audience sees, so it’s still important queer female representation)

Whose voice actors are also POC women

Charlyne Yi (Ruby) and Erica Luttrell (Sapphire)

And there’s definitely some Les Yay/implied romantic feelings between Pearl and Rose Quartz, if one-sided (Pearl).

Rose and Pearl fuse into Rainbow Quartz

Actually, a lot of the fusions are incredibly Les Yay:

Garnet and Amethyst fuse into Sugilite

And there are so many side characters of color:

The Fish Stew Pizza Family

Mr Smiley

And so many great guest stars of color:

Godfrey (Kofi Pizza)

Reagan Gomez-Preston (Jenny Pizza)

Toks Olagundoye (Nanefua Pizza)

Sinbad (Mr. Smiley)

Matthew Moy (Lars)

Kimberly Brooks (Jasper)

And one amazing mega superstar of color as a very memorable character:

Nicki Minaj (Sugilite)

AND Steven’s love interest is an Indian-American girl

Connie Maheswaren

All of this is just to say how nice it is to look at a cast and character list and see such diversity. And the show is just so freaking spectacular. It really stands in stark comparison to those projects where characters are whitewashed and the casting director throws out the old “we hired the best person for the job” line and it’s some bland white person who can’t act themselves out of a paper bag.

YAY Steven Universe, and YAY Rebecca Sugar the FIRST WOMAN to create a show for Cartoon Network (and she’s not even 30 yet!)!