October 15, 2015: The Zamii070 Incident (TW Suicide, Cyberbullying)

This week, Emily and V look into another bummer event. In late October 2015, a 19‑year‑old fan artist from Arizona named Paige Paz, known online as Zamii070, posted a video from a hospital room after surviving a suicide attempt. For months, she had been the target of escalating harassment from corners of the Steven Universe fandom — a community built around a show that preached empathy, communication, and radical kindness. Her hospitalization forced the internet to confront an uncomfortable truth: how did one of the most progressive fandom spaces of the mid‑2010s become a breeding ground for mobbing, purity tests, and moral vigilantism? Please read the TWs in the episode title and take care of yourself before choosing to listen; there is nothing graphic and no details are disclosed, but be cautious if concerned.SourcesThe Daily Dotr/stevenuniverser/HobbyDramaJezebelAlphaOmegaSin on YouTubeOnline Hate and Hurt by Jessica Ruth AustinPromoTGI Femslash - Our favorite fan convention, TGIF/F, is happening soon! The con is back on February 18-21, 2027, in Los Angeles, and registration is open now. The convention is limited to 100 attendees, so make sure you register soon to experience a wonderful, intimate, friendly con full of like-minded femslash lovers as you make friends with fellow queer fans, dance the night away to vids at Club Femslash, participate in the one-of-a-kind Fic Battle, and attend fascinating panels. You can get more information and register for your spot at http://www.tgifemslash.com. We'll be there, and we hope you will, too!Smooch Fest - Are you a pop culture enthusiast and a romance fan? Do you live for a swoonworthy scene? Is the moment when two characters kiss your favorite part of a movie, tv show, or book? Then you might want to check out, Smooch Fest, a podcast about kissing! Smooch Fest is a celebration of the most iconic kisses in pop culture hosted by Lena Olson (Writer, Producer, and Smooch Connoisseur). Each episode, she’s joined by guests to discuss much-loved smooches from Titanic, Heated Rivalry, Love Island, Gilmore Girls, and more! What do kisses say about romance as a whole? What can a smooch reveal about relationship dynamics? If you want to revisit these moments and go deeper behind the scenes, try listening to Smooch Fest.Pop Mystery Pod - Have you ever wondered what really happened with Jay Z and Solange on that elevator? Or why “Jaws” made people so terrified of sharks? Tess Barker, host of Pop Mystery Pod thinks about