movies/tv Cartoon Network UK censors lesbian dance scene in Steven Universe

[AEDAZ 176]

to dumb down their content to pander to the conservative sector.

 

If I may ask: How is it being dumbed down? Content was removed from it. It isn't becoming less complicated.

 

Edit: punctuation.

Edited January 9, 2016 by Aedaz

[Codelyy 1,286]

I'm just mainly confused on why they would go through with the edit. It's such a small edit and there no point of it. Though it does seem that for kids shows, they do censor a lot in them in the UK. I also believe the UK censored the scene where Ruby and Sapphire were kissing that one episode.

 

I truly don't think people really question scenes in shows like kids shows that reference a homosexual relationship slightly. I mean take the censorship they did for Rose and pearl and ask yourself, What are kids going to think?, are they even going to think much of it?, Is it going to effect them?.

 

Unless they believe in the horrible homophobic argument of watching anything homosexual will make you gay which of course it doesn't. If watching a kids show somehow made a child gay then they were going to end up gay anyway, even if they didn't watch that TV show.

[Dark Qiviut 22,221]

 

 

If I may ask: How is it being dumbed down? Content was removed from it. It isn't becoming less complicated.

The U rating only disallows semi-explicit sexual content. Pearl and Rose dancing romantically completely complies with their content rating: They only claim it's "inappropriate for kids" to excuse themselves.

 

Also, read the whole line next time:

 

At worst, you risk CN from other parts of the world pressuring Rebecca Sugar and the rest of her team to dumb down their content to pander to the conservative sector.

Please don't take my statement of CN "dumbing down" SU out of context.

[Trixie Heartstrings 433]

I'm surprised because unlike America (at least not on a federal level), I think there are laws against LGBT discrimination in the UK. It doesn't mean what CN UK did was illegal since they're a private company (if they fired an employee for being gay, and that was the only reason, then they might get in legal trouble in the UK), but I'm just saying this because knowing this information, I thought the UK was more open-minded than the US about same-sex couples, and also because the UK legalized same-sex marriage before the US legalized it on a federal level. But I think it still isn't legal in Northern Ireland, so same-sex marriage isn't 100% legal in the UK. I do think it's ridiculous that Cartoon Network in the UK censored that scene because at this point I don't think it'd benefit them in any way unless they wanted controversy, which could be why they did it, so they could get more attention (negative, but "no attention is bad attention").

[darkwingmare 1,296]

This is just stupid and dumb and closeminded. If it was two girls making out, sure, maybe I could see why children shouldn't see that. But then I would say it's more than fair to censor two of the opposite gender making out as well, if not, their argument won't be valid.

This is just ridiculous and homophobic, it never surprised me though. They're probably going to censor Ruby and Sapphire's love as well! If not, I WILL be surprised.

[AEDAZ 176]

The U rating only disallows semi-explicit sexual content. Pearl and Rose dancing romantically completely complies with their content rating: They only claim it's "inappropriate for kids" to excuse themselves.

 

Also, read the whole line next time:

Please don't take my statement of CN "dumbing down" SU out of context.

 

I acknowledged it with the context, I just wanted to narrow it down.

 

The way it is worded seems to say "dumbing down the show will make it appeal more to conservatives". Unless by "dumb down" you do just mean "remove content from", in which case I see what you're saying.

 

Either way, this is a bit of a slippery slope. It seems to be going the exact opposite way you fear it is. I can't imagine even just 5 years ago something like this being accepted on CN at all. But if you want to go by that logic, then I think it's easier to believe that networks are just going to become increasingly more accepting over stuff like this rather than trying to censor it.

[KatonRyu 1,031]

This is an edit that literally makes no sense. As was said before, why leave in the fusion but not the three seconds of dancing that came before it? I'm getting really sick of companies censoring stuff 'for the children'. Honestly, it's like they want new generations to continue to be bigoted towards anyone who isn't straight.

[chirox the pony 1,334]

I've heard they only took out a part of the scene (the key word being heard) as they supposedly felt it got a little too sensual. I don't have cartoon network and I haven't watched the episode yet so I can't comment if that really was the case. If it is then shame on them. This is not the U.S. Fundamentalist Christians are a very small minority here and have next to no say in anything (thank god) and are generally considered a joke. Call me a conspiracy theorist but I wouldn't be surprised if the conservatives are trying to reinforce religion on the public and this is part of that reinforcement. Have I just started a flame war again? 

[AEDAZ 176]

Call me a conspiracy theorist but I wouldn't be surprised if the conservatives are trying to reinforce religion on the public and this is part of that reinforcement. Have I just started a flame war again? 

The reason for them cutting that part out could be anything. You have to presume a lot to say that.

[Dr. Frasier Crane 319]

This really didn't scream 'LESBIANS' to me at all. Gems dance before they fuse, that's a part of the show. Not to mention they don't actually have a sex, because they're gems.

I have to question the logic here of censoring this scene when there there's that other scene in one of the recent episodes there Ruby and Sapphire have a blatantly obvious romantic relationship with each other. Not that it even needs to be censored at all. I hardly doubt those scenes are going to cause children emotional distress over two girls dancing.

GG, UK.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Dr. Frasier Crane

[Spanish In Physician 295]

I hate to say it, but honestly, this seems more like a cheap attempt at a quick PR grab than anything. After all. Any publicity is still able to keep the wheels turning. They most likely censored it with this exact sort of thing in mind. To get people hot and bothered to talk about things, and give them a chance to further extend their grasp on the world of cartoons, by making it a controversy. It dru.s up business and gets newcomers to the show who give any kind of care for the debate a reason to check it out to see what all the fuss is about. After the fact they feel newcomers will A, watch and get pissed off, or B find it interesting and go back watching the entirety of the series to catch up so they can watch wth everybody else.

[MelloSkitzo 57]

I'm just mainly confused on why they would go through with the edit. It's such a small edit and there no point of it. Though it does seem that for kids shows, they do censor a lot in them in the UK. I also believe the UK censored the scene where Ruby and Sapphire were kissing that one episode.

 

I truly don't think people really question scenes in shows like kids shows that reference a homosexual relationship slightly. I mean take the censorship they did for Rose and pearl and ask yourself, What are kids going to think?, are they even going to think much of it?, Is it going to effect them?.

 

Unless they believe in the horrible homophobic argument of watching anything homosexual will make you gay which of course it doesn't. If watching a kids show somehow made a child gay then they were going to end up gay anyway, even if they didn't watch that TV show.

In this day and age we need to open our children's eyes to homosexual relationships to remove it's negative stigma. 

[Britney Biskit 55]

Wow like, what is wrong with CN UK?

[Trixie Heartstrings 433]

 

 

This is not the U.S. Fundamentalist Christians are a very small minority here and have next to no say in anything (thank god) and are generally considered a joke.

They're also considered a joke in the U.S. , but unfortunately they have more of an influence(it's declining though, so it isn't as big as it was between the '50s and '70s or even the '80s), which is why the fact that this is happening in the U.K. and not the U.S. surprises me.

[NotSDButIHearHesCool 1]

They didn't need to censor anything! It's not like they made out or did the do.

[Ponies4Bronies 394]

Such a big deal over two seconds in an animated TV show. Don't forget homosexuals are still STONED to death in the Middle East and we are complaining about two seconds. #firstworldproblems

[Black Sabbath 2,484]

Such a big deal over two seconds in an animated TV show. Don't forget homosexuals are still STONED to death in the Middle East and we are complaining about two seconds. #firstworldproblems

So we're never allowed to complain about things because other people have it worse? 

[Ponies4Bronies 394]

So we're never allowed to complain about things because other people have it worse? 

No complain about things that matter more. Death is a bigger problem than two seconds.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Rainbow Dashe

[Dawning Demon 950]

To be technical Gems don't have genders so it isn't really gay. 

[Black Sabbath 2,484]

No complain about things that matter more. Death is a bigger problem than two seconds.

I've got a question, have the idea that perhaps people can complain about more than one thing never crossed your mind? 

[Ponies4Bronies 394]

I've got a question, have the idea that perhaps people can complain about more than one thing never crossed your mind? 

Listen, I don't want to start a flame war and lets keep the atmosphere of this forum nice. So I will go my way and you go yours and we will bring our opinions with us. Good day.

Edited January 10, 2016 by Rainbow Dashe

[Guest]

It is also worth pointing out that this was just their UK branch, their US branch seems to not care. So I think this is also an instance of the different branches not communicating.

Listen, I don't want to start a flame war and lets keep the atmosphere of this forum nice. So I will go my way and you go yours and we will bring our opinions with us. Good day.

There is little point in bringing your opinion into a thread if you can't handle it being criticized. Walking away like this kind of makes me think perhaps you shouldn't have posted in the first place.

 

That being said your ideals of not complaining about something that is blatantly a problem just because there are worse problems in the world is what we call "an excuse". By your logic we should not complain about anything because there are more extreme problems that exist. It may not be seen as a big deal to YOU, but to LGBT community members it's a huge step back after so much in moving forward. Steven Universe did a lot of positive for the community and to see this is like seeing them taking your own progress and flipping it backwards. It's a huge issue because it creates deeper connotations than just 3 seconds of a TV show.

 

It's an attempt to sway ideals and oppress. You have to look at things deeper than the surface sometimes. This is CN UK trying to prevent kids from thinking homosexuality is "normal" or should even be seen. Children are susceptible and thus will listen to authority. This subtle attempt to reinforce the ideals of the authority that homosexuality is "weird" and "offensive" and kids should not be even permitted to know it exists is going to raise ANOTHER generation of ignorant, hateful bigots. Bronies of all people should know how damaging gender roles and the common "social norms" that are instilled are. Do you want to have ANOTHER generation that thinks men can not like anything girly, gays are bad, and that women should not be equal to men? I for one do not. Taking no stance in favor of "focusing on real issues" is just an excuse to ignore the problem when we all know that taking a stance on this problem does not suddenly magically make you less capable of taking a stance on other issues.

 

It's a problem that will grow into a bigger problem the longer we let these people have free reign to do whatever they please.

[MasterSpark95 430]

Honestly, I don't get why they would censor that.

If anyone actually watches the show, it has been confirmed that Gems don't actually have any genders, so it shouldn't have been censored in the first place!

I mean, is the show now 18+ and older or something?!

It's just a kiss, it's nothing that kids haven't seen before.

Edited January 10, 2016 by iNachos10

[IcyHaze 593]

Well I've gotta admit it's pretty stupid and homophobic, but there;'s no need to throw sexism into it. If it was 2 men I imagine they'd have censored it too. The gender doesn't matter here.

[The Nth Doctor 656]

...Why are people getting worked up over a work of fiction that involves genderless space rocks?

 

Can we go back to 2010 when things made sense?