You know, it’s amazingly progressive to even get one trans character in a TV series–especially one for kids–but imagine my glee at Steven Universe having not one but two trans kids! With the titular Steven the young trans man and his best friend Connie the young trans girl, the series can examine the interplay of gender transition in two directions at once!

Steven Universe

Steven is kind-hearted and good-natured, with few if any hang-ups about gender issues. As a child raised with… let’s say loose oversight and no obligations to attend public school, he’s been able to express himself however he feels most comfortable. And between the gems’ loose understanding of human culture and his father’s laid back approach to parenting, no one’s made a big deal out of Steven’s young and gradual transition. Given Steven’s relative isolation and innocence, he may not even realize that other kids don’t get to live their true gender by default.

Steven was obviously born as a little half-human reflection of his femme-expressing mother (and we’ll save the gems’ concepts of gender for another show entirely)–Pearl even comments how he looks and sounds like Rose. We’ve already seen that Steven shape-shifts reflexively, making his transition easy and subtle. The end result is a sweet and well-adjusted trans boy who unashamedly enjoys “boy” and “girl” interests.

For contrast, we have the more traditional transition of

Connie Maheswaran

Connie is obviously dealing with a lot. Transitioning young is stressful, and obviously cost her what few friends she had. Like most trans girls who can’t bury their “feminine” traits, she found solace in books and quiet places.



Her transition has even damaged her relationship with her parents. They obviously still care about her dearly, but Dr. and Mr. Maheswaran are obviously both very awkward around and super-protective of their newly-unveiled daughter.

Connie’s rougher transition has left her more cautious and more prone to panic than Steven. She deeply fears the judgement of others, as we saw in Alone Together, and her transition remains a slightly shaky affair, with Connie occasionally sliding back into her old wardrobe when the eyes of the world feel a little too invasive. She’s growing into her own, though, but constantly slowed by her need for approval by others.

Her life is a stark contrast to Stevens, which is why their friendship is such a deeply beautiful and emotional one. Hats off to Steven Universe for giving us this amazing pair of trans kids!

