Cartoon Network stands by the decision to censor the show.
[dropcap size=small]T[/dropcap]he site PinkNews recently reported that an episode of Steven Universe has been censored for UK audiences.
In the original episode, Pearl and Rose Quartz share a romantic dance during a musical number, but the censored version cuts away from the dance altogether – see below at 1.55:
http://officialkurapika.tumblr.com/post/136006093473/as-you-may-know-there-have-been-posts-going
Cartoon Network issued a statement, and despite their insistence that they support diversity, the statement doesn’t really reflect the same sentiment:
The US broadcast system requires that shows are marked with a rating –in this case PG (parental guidance necessary). In the UK we have to ensure everything on air is suitable for kids of any age at any time.
We do feel that the slightly edited version is more comfortable for local kids and their parents.
Be assured that as a channel and network we celebrate diversity – evident across many of our shows and characters
Given how tame the actual scene is, there doesn’t seem to be any justifiable reason as to why this has to be censored at all, which is why – rather understandingly – it has raised anger and concern among Steven Universe fans.
The cartoon has a U rating, which allows for displays of romantic behaviour with sexual references – such as kissing, hugging and embracing – as long as it’s not explicit or overt.
You can hardly say that the scene in question is explicit in the least bit, and falls well within the guidelines.
Of course, many have raised the very valid point that the same treatment hasn’t been given to scenes with opposite sex couples.
Fans have called for a petition to stop the censorship, and raised the above point that it feels as though it was targeted because the scene involved a same sex pairing:
The same episode (‘We Need to Talk’) has plenty of hereto dancing and kissing, so it looks like they’re censoring this because it’s two women.
The censorship of the scene is a disappointing state of affairs.
Let’s hope Cartoon Network retracts the censorship and releases the original episode in the UK before long.
