Steven Universe Artist Quits Twitter Over Fan Harassment -

[muina]

Steven Universe storyboard artist Lauren Zuke has left Twitter and deleted her account after days of harassment from an aggressive subsection ofSteven Universe fans.

“I decided I don’t want to be accessible to thousands of people who think because I work on a TV show that I owe them myself all the time,” Zuke wrote in a now-deleted tweet.

According to a Reddit forum, the harassment started right around when the episode “Beta” aired earlier this month. News of a possible relationship between characters Lapis and Peridot (or “Lapidot”) had been hinted at months before, after leaked footage (something Zuke was also upset about) showed the two characters had moved in together.

Photo credit: Lauren Zuke/Tumblr
While the relationship isn’t canon, Zuke shared some art that appeared to show support for the ship, which pissed off select fans of Peridot and Amethyst (or “Amedot”), saying she was showing favortism for one ship over another.

They also accused her, a gay woman, of “queer baiting.” In some circles that means teasing queer fans with a possible ship that never comes to fruition, in others it’s bringing up a character’s sexual orientation to encourage homophobic attacks against them. (Note: Steven Universe is a show with one of the most diverse and inclusive cast of characters on television and consistently includes gay themes).


Zuke wrote on Twitter that she’s okay with criticism, but was upset that some fans thought she owed them something, whether it was time, attention, or the ship that they wanted.

“Remember you’re tweeting at a literal human being (that’s what I am btw) and life exists outside of Steven Universe,” Zuke wrote in a now-deleted tweet.

While most of the Steven Universe fandom is supportive and welcoming, there is a small subsection that’s known for being extreme and hostile under the guise of inclusiveness. Last year, the Steven Universe Tumblr community made headlines after a fan artist attempted suicide because some people were harassing her for the body proportions in her art.



Many fans in the Steven Universe community have been speaking out in support of Zuke after she quit Twitter, saying that too much of the fandom is becoming “toxic.” They’re asking anyone involved in the backlash to stop harassing fellow Steven Universe fans— especially ones who are actually responsible for making the show itself.

We reached out to Zuke for comment, and we’ll keep you updated should we hear back.

http://archive.md/xREOX
http://io9.gizmodo.com/steven-unive...&utm_source=io9_twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

 

[DangerousGas]

What's that? A fandom that's been dominated by Tumblr has turned toxic? Say it ain't so.

 

[Null]

I can't even read this gizmodo article because it's gay as shit. What the fuck is the relevance of the word "Lapidot" to the story? Why are they using words like "ship"? This is gay. This is too gay to be read.

 

[Malady Twigs]

The Steven Universe fandom never fail to bring autism to a whole new level.

I sincerely thought ship-wars were something exclusive to 15-year-old fanfiction writers. Apparently, they are true and honest serious business, to the point that people who work in the show have to quit the internet.

 

[Tlazolli]

The Steven Universe fandom never fail to bring autism to a whole new level.

I sincerely thought ship-wars were something exclusive to 15-year-old fanfiction writers. Apparently, they are true and honest serious business, to the point that people who work in the show have to quit the internet.

SU is a cartoon where everyone cries every five minutes, it's no surprise it's fans cannot tolerate anything, whine fest unloaded.

 

[Average Pepsi Enjoyer]

No one really deserves to be harassed over stupid shit like cartoon ships, but I feel like this artist could have handled it better by ignoring the shitbabies since the crew already got harassed by the same people before (SU fandom is completely batshit, like fanart policing) . It's like they didn't learn at all. Very unprofessional, in my opinion.

I don't know what it is with children's cartoons that make adults act completely irrational--like the time some guy stalked and recorded a voice actor from the MLP character taking a piss or something. Anyway, back on topic, SU fandom is horrible since it mostly spawned from the bowels of tumblr and they constantly attack the people who make the show because these tumblr manchildren all have that holier-than-thou attitude, but I feel like Lauren Zuke could have handled this more professionally instead of chimping out which she normally does on Twitter from time to time.

The block and mute buttons exist for a reason.

 

[Rou]

There's other avenues to have contact with fans. Twitter should really just be for announcements, especially when you consider its strict character limit.

And while there are good, grateful fans, the best way to avoid the toxic ones is to cut them all out all together.

 

[Tragi-Chan]

This isn't entirely new. I remember this shit happened with Harry Potter as well, all these fuckwit fans who decided that J K Rowling was basically Hitler because they didn't like some stupid romance between two fictional fifteen-year-olds. This was before all this Tumblr bullshit of course, and HP was mainstream enough that the idiots got drowned out by the sound of money hitting Rowling's account.

I'll never understand why fans feel the need to bite the hand that feeds them like this. It's become worse with the rise of social media, because the idiots are inevitably the ones who shout the loudest, while the regular fans just enjoy their show and don't say much if anything. So creators are deluged with the ramblings of perverts and twats. I'd be interested to know what it is that makes certain shows appeal more to idiots than others.

 

[RP 520]

They should just cancel SU, it would be the best for everyone and us as we watch the tumblrinas implode before moving on to another show like OITNB or Dr. Who.

 

[Reddit Avenger]

I'm more surprised something like this didn't happen sooner tbh.

 

[Fat Auntie Kars]

I find it depressingly hilarious that it seems like every show, video game, comic, etc. that has an emphasis on friendship, tolerance, teamwork, forgiveness, etc. have the most hateful fandoms that will go out of their way to be unnecessarily cruel over minor things.

Get me off of this planet.

 

[Big_Boss]

The Steven Universe fandom is as bad as Bronys. This is pathetic.

What is with bright and happy cartoons attracting the worst of fans?

 

[Reddit Avenger]

The Steven Universe fandom is as bad as Bronys. This is pathetic.

What is with bright and happy cartoons attracting the worst of fans?

Spoiler: You'll never guess what's in this spoiler

:autism:

 

[Gothicserpent]

As a fan of the show I can honestly say that the tumblr fandom is worse then Bronies.

Bronies were shit, but they never were really high and mighty about themselves. They could be, but they kinda seemed to be in on the joke. SU fans on the other hand, are entitled tumblrinas who think everyone on the show is trans/gay/bi/attack helicopter and will attack other fans for daring to disagree with them.

 

[MightyBiteySnake]

there is a small subsection that’s known for being extreme and hostile under the guise of inclusiveness

People don't want to believe that the SU fandom is just Homestuck II: Tard Harder.

 

[FilthyHyena]

Basically what has happened:

This popular pairing in the show ("Lapidot") was interpret as being preferred over an another pairing, made some tumblrinas pissed and accuse a creator of "queer-baiting" (aka "my pairing of fictional characters did not become canon so I will now throw a major hissyfit").

There you go.

Shit fandom. Total, utter shit. So far two suicide attempts, chasing away one of the creators off tumblr, and now one off Twitter.

I feel sorry for the creators who just wanted to make a cartoon for kids to enjoy and not a bunch of rabid womanchildren.

 

[Yaoi Huntress Earth]

Basically what has happened:

This popular pairing in the show ("Lapidot") was interpret as being preferred over an another pairing, made some tumblrinas pissed and accuse a creator of "queer-baiting" (aka "my pairing of fictional characters did not become canon so I will now throw a major hissyfit").

There you go.

Shit fandom. Total, utter shit. So far two suicide attempts, chasing away one of the creators off tumblr, and now one off Twitter.

I feel sorry for the creators who just wanted to make a cartoon for kids to enjoy and not a bunch of rabid womanchildren.

Rebecca Sugar also wanted to bring in some of her SJW beliefs though.

 

[Melkor]

Inb4 takashi0 loses his shit again

 

[Kled]

Basically what has happened:

This popular pairing in the show ("Lapidot") was interpret as being preferred over an another pairing, made some tumblrinas pissed and accuse a creator of "queer-baiting" (aka "my pairing of fictional characters did not become canon so I will now throw a major hissyfit").

There you go.

Shit fandom. Total, utter shit. So far two suicide attempts, chasing away one of the creators off tumblr, and now one off Twitter.

I feel sorry for the creators who just wanted to make a cartoon for kids to enjoy and not a bunch of rabid womanchildren.

they chased off Ian J.Q. and another writer off tumblr too and now it's so bad that Ian won't even answer questions or comments about SU.

 

[Techna_NBM]

Has the "crewniverse" (or whatever stupid name they're called) ever heard of ignoring? A couple pissy 15 year olds shouldn't drive you off the Internet.