I think the most critical thing to point out in Together Alone would be the discussion surrounding using your voice when you are in a privileged position.
Garnet was not allowed to attend the ball as herself- Blue Diamond arrives and allows everyone else to attend the ball EXCEPT Garnet and even mocks her in an attempt to invalidate her existence “Garnet? Does that… call herself a Garnet? Haha!” this is heartbreaking to watch, as Garnet readily accepts the fact she isn’t allowed/wanted at the Ball.
Steven indicates his desire for Garnet to attend anyway, in which she explains she’ll find him afterwards and how he has to be the one using his voice in order to get though to White Diamond. “Steven, this is your chance to talk to White. She’s not going to listen to me, but she might listen to Pink” She is expressing how Steven/Pink have the privilege and ability to have their voice heard moreso than a fusion such as Garnet.
We as allies to our respective communities need to be able to analyze our own identities and to use our voices to reach those who refuse to listen to others. This is an important lesson, which is not very often touched upon. I’m glad to see Steven Universe show how discrimination cannot be dismantled without the assistance of allies. Many viewers need to remember this lesson and speak up and out for minority groups and identities which need to be protected! Sorry for the rant, I just thought this was a very important scene to discuss!!!
okay but those 2 throwaway gay gems in Steven Universe episode 155 Together Alone are so important and such strong commentary on lgbt individuals in the first place because we exist literally everywhere, even where we’re considered abominations or “incredibly inappropriate” we still exist amongst everyone else and the smallest bit of standing up for us, and for whats right is literally so inspirational and will inspire us to do what’s right because we know we’re different but we’re strong and we WILL coexist and we will fight for who we are and who we love and nothing will shame us and nothing will stop us.
I’ve been around for a really long time in various fandoms, and no one ever writes this stuff down. I’ll start. Please add to the list. We can’t expect people to follow “rules” they don’t know exist.
if you like something, reblog it. Help the artist get their work out there in front of more people. Share the joy that it brought you.
if you want more of it, support it. This can be via commissions, reblogs, recommending the artist to other people, shouting in the tags, or sending the artist asks/messages.
if you hate it, keep scrolling. Keep the hate in a message window with a friend, not in the artist’s notes.
if you want to use it, ask permission. Artwork is beautiful and you want to show it off. But please ask the artist before you throw it into your header or your icon.
if you use it, give credit. And not just a post where you say “Do you like my new icon? X made it!”. Put it in your blog description, that way when someone rolls around your blog three months from now, they also know where your icon/header came from.
Fanfic
if you like something, reblog it. Help the author get their work out there in front of more people. Share the joy that it brought you.
if you want more of it, support it. Kudos are fine, but if you want more of the thing you like, you should comment. Subscribe to the story or the author. Send them a message about how much you like what they wrote.
if you read it, kudos it. Or give it a thumbs up. And this is just if you managed to get all the way to the end. If you finished the story and you actually liked it? Comment and reblog.
don’t demand content. Be patient. Stories take time. You can encourage without being demanding. Show your love for what’s there without telling them to post more often.
be gentle with criticism. Some people want it and some people run away from it. If you don’t know what type of person the author is, it’s best not to go there. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything.”
Fandom
ship and let ship. You love your ship and other people love theirs. No one needs to “win” when we’re all going to end up in tears anyway.
if you hate it, stay out of the tag. This has two meanings: 1) don’t deliberately put hateful commentary in a tag and 2) if you hate a tag, don’t go and read through that tag just to make yourself angry
if someone makes you something, appreciate it. Read and comment the fic. Like and reblog the artwork. Pimp it out and tell them how much you loved it. It’s a gift, treat it like one.
if it’s a gift, put some effort into it. You signed up for that exchange three months ago and now it’s a week before you have to send the gift and you don’t have the time or the inclination to do the thing. Well too bad. Someone out there has been working hard in your gift, so you should do the same for them.
none of us are “better” than anyone else. We’re all trash for our particular show/film/book/ship/artist/what-have-you. My fave is no better than yours and yours is no better than mine.
actors are not their characters. They are people. Treat them like people.
*gently slams the reblog button*
Not on my own account, but writers I know have been on the receiving end of more unwarranted and plain rude crap than usual lately…
You know imma schedule this for a monthly reblog cuz we all need the reminder
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