RWBY and the "Homophobic Ruby" Controversy: Analyzing a Fandom Meltdown

RWBY, the American anime-style web series created by the late Monty Oum for Rooster Teeth, has amassed a huge following since its premiere in 2013. The show, which follows four young women – Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long – training to be Huntresses and battle the monstrous Grimm, has garnered praise for its stunning animation, complex world-building, and compelling characters. It‘s also sparked its fair share of controversies, particularly when it comes to LGBTQ+ representation.

One recent incident set the RWBY fandom ablaze: the "homophobic Ruby" debacle from Volume 9, Chapter 7. A few lines from the titular character ignited a firestorm of accusations, memes, and discourse about whether Ruby was expressing bigotry towards her teammates Blake and Yang‘s romantic relationship. As a tech geek and social media expert, I want to dig into this messy moment and what it says about RWBY, representation, and fandom in the digital age.

The Rise of RWBY

First, let‘s look at just how big RWBY has become. What started as a niche web series has grown into a global phenomenon, with:

• 8+ volumes and 100+ episodes released
• 300+ million views on YouTube
• 3+ million followers across social media platforms
• 1+ million average viewers per episode
• Spinoff novels, manga, and video games
• A passionate, diverse international fanbase

RWBY‘s fandom is notoriously active online, generating fan art, cosplay, shipping manifestos, and more across social media. The FNDM, as they‘re known, have been instrumental in expanding the show‘s reach and success. However, that investment can be a double-edged sword, as evidenced by the intense debates and sometimes toxic discourse within the community.

Bumbleby and LGBTQ+ Representation

One of the most popular and controversial aspects of RWBY fandom is shipping, particularly queer ships. Many fans have long interpreted the close relationship between Blake and Yang as romantic, dubbing the pair "Bumbleby" or "The Bees." In recent volumes, the show made this ship canon, finally confirming Blake and Yang‘s romantic feelings for each other.

While Bumbleby‘s rise delighted many fans eager for queer representation, some felt the storyline was rushed or sidelined other plot points. Additionally, critics argued that making the sole queer romance involve two women plays into the fetishization of lesbian relationships for the male gaze. With the "homophobic Ruby" memes, these simmering tensions boiled over.

The Scene That Launched a Thousand Memes

So what exactly happened in Volume 9, Chapter 7 that caused such a stir? In the scene, Ruby reaches her breaking point under the pressure of being stuck in the Ever After dimension with her team while Salem threatens Remnant. She lashes out at her friends, ranting:

"Why are you asking me? Just because I‘m a leader? Because I‘m just supposed to have something to say? Because I don‘t. I mean, why do I have to be the leader anyway? Why do I always have to be the one to pick people up? What about me? No time, right? Gotta get home. Gotta help Shion. Gotta find someone who isn‘t gonna just screw everything up. Gotta stay positive, right? Smiles all around. Maybe even finally get our feelings sorted out. Good for you, by the way. We‘re all so happy for you."

The last few lines struck some fans as Ruby being dismissive or resentful of Blake and Yang‘s relationship. Out of context, screenshots of her sarcastic "Good for you, we‘re all so happy for you" spread across platforms like Twitter and Tumblr, with captions labeling Ruby homophobic. Here‘s a small sample of the memes:

These posts racked up hundreds of thousands of likes, shares, and comments as fans clashed over whether the homophobic reading held water. On Twitter, a search for "Ruby homophobic" during the week after the episode aired returned over 50,000 tweets. Video essays diving into the discourse pulled in hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.

Two Sides to Every Ship War

Defenders of Ruby‘s characterization pushed back hard against the homophobic label. They argued her words weren‘t meant as a dig at Blake and Yang‘s sapphic romance specifically but as a general expression of frustration with feeling unsupported as a leader. Ruby has never shown moral objections to same-sex relationships before, so making her suddenly disgusted by homosexuality would be sloppy writing.

Additionally, queer fans noted the irony of painting Ruby as homophobic when she‘s a common face of wlw (women-loving-women) representation in the show herself. From her butch fashion sense to her lack of interest in men, FNDM has long read Ruby as lesbian or asexual. Making their sapphic icon a bigot didn‘t sit right with these fans.

On the flip side, those hurt by Ruby‘s comments felt defenders were ignoring the negative impact of her words by deflecting to her mental state. Regardless of intent, the optics of Ruby getting snippy over her friends‘ relationship came across as insensitive and un-ally-like. Some argued that Ruby didn‘t need to be openly disgusted by lesbian romance to still be homophobic; micro-aggressions and unconscious bias exist.

The Danger of Memes oversimplifying Nuance

As often happens with fandom discourse, both sides have points. It‘s highly unlikely the show meant to turn Ruby homophobic or retcon her queer-coding. Her lashing out feels more like a sign of mental strain than sudden bigotry. However, fans‘ knee-jerk defensiveness also flattened the scene‘s emotional nuance. Queer people can still accidentally hurt other queer people, and unintentional impact matters along with intent.

The root issue seems to be frustration with RWBY‘s uneven handling of Blake and Yang‘s relationship. After years of subtext, fans were excited to see the ship become canon. But after a touching confession scene, Bumbleby‘s development has mostly happened off-screen. If their dynamic felt less sidelined, perhaps fans wouldn‘t be so quick to bristle at any perceived slight.

This speaks to a larger issue with queer representation in media: LGBTQ+ fans are so used to scraps that they cling tightly to every crumb of positive rep. When shows with established fan bases like RWBY try to make progressive strides, any misstep gets magnified. Addressing valid queer concerns with grace and nuance is a new skill even well-intentioned creators are learning.

Unfortunately, the nature of online fan spaces can make these conversations explosive. Memes boil complex issues down to black-and-white hot takes, shippers treat their favorite ships as unassailable, and bad faith harassers poison the well. Ruby‘s snark became a fandom bat signal, flattened into a single "homophobic" interpretation for dramatic effect.

But that memetic understanding doesn‘t capture the full picture of Ruby‘s pain, Yang and Blake‘s love, or RWBY‘s representation journey. As fun as fandom can be, there‘s a point where the discourse disconnects from the actual art. The FNDM‘s passion is understandable, but dogpiling creators over perceived slights isn‘t a healthy way to advocate for better rep.

Lessons for RWBY and Fandom Futures

So what can Team RWBY learn from this incident? For one, don‘t let shippers drive the story. If creators give into fandom demands to make ships happen, they may not develop those relationships as deeply since the fans are already hooked. Build romance arcs because they fit the story and characters, not to pander or queerbait.

More substantially, RWBY clearly wants to include queer characters and romance. That‘s a positive step that we should encourage, not attack at the first imperfection. But good representation means giving those stories time, care, and nuance. Let Blake and Yang talk about their relationship on-screen. Explore how Ruby‘s aro/ace coding shapes her differently from her allosexual friends. Hire queer writers to bring lived experiences to these plots.

At the same time, fans need to allow space for characters to be messy and make mistakes without writing them off as irredeemable bigots. Fandom thrives on turning subtext into sweeping statements. But real progress comes from grappling with the grey areas. If we want better representation, we need to critique meaningfully and engage creators in good faith. Harassment campaigns aren‘t allyship.

RWBY has always tackled thorny themes like oppression, war, and morality. Doing the same for queerness will take sensitivity and growth. If the "homophobic Ruby" drama can spur self-reflection and open up important conversations, then the community may come out stronger. Volume 9 stumbled, but that doesn‘t make RWBY a lost cause.

Like Ruby herself, RWBY is an awkward young soul with a passionate heart, still figuring out who and how to love. With empathy and genuine efforts from creators and consumers, it could become the inspiring, inclusive epic its fandom wants. The memes may fade, but there will always be more chances to do better. That‘s what growth looks like, in art and in life.