Is Fusion Gem Sex?

Like I’ve seen a lot of posts both ways on this, and I mean I think the obvious answer is pretty clear.

Like, Gems don’t have sex, they don’t have a direct analogue for human sexual behavior, they don’t reproduce the same way humans do, sexuality in the human sense of the word is probably something that was never evolutionarily beneficial so it never evolved.

Fusion has aspects in common with and aspects that make it very clearly different from human sexuality.

Like, fusion clearly can have romantic connotations as when it occurs between Steven and Connie, Ruby and Sapphire and Pearl and Rose and even to an extent Amethyst and Pearl (who I think probably have some feels for each other, but have too many issues to actually be together) and also of course he fucked up unhealthy Jasper/Lapis dealio.

There are also times when it is sexual as with Garnet and Amethyst, Pearl and Rose and even Amethyst (unreciprocated) with Pearl

It’s also clearly incredibly intimate, Pearl describes it as the most intense form of connection gems can experience, but also it’s okay to do in public and as children and in front of children, and can also be platonic (Alexandrite) but there’s also the fact that Pearl blushes when she sees Stevonnie, which means maybe it’s something that’s a little bit embarrassing to see your kid doing?

Like maybe it’s in some ways similar to kissing, very capable of being very different meaning wise (friendly, romantic, etc) doable in public, in front of children and with children (like you can kiss a kid as an affectionate gesture as an adult) but seeing your child kiss their romantic partner for the first time would be a little awkward. It can be sexual, romantic, friendly, or any combination or all of the above.  It can even be hostile (though still intimate)

It’s its own thing, separate from any interaction humans have because they’re aliens.

I also have some notes on the type of dancing involved and each gem’s reaction, but I’m not sure what they mean:

There’s also the interesting thing with the dance moves involved, Garnet and Amethyst both use fairly… suggestive movements when they fuse.  When Pearl fuses with Amethyst, Pearl’s moves are more ballet inspired and less suggestive, while Amethyst’s are as suggestive as ever (which kind of maybe backs up my theory that Amethyst has an unrequited thing for Pearl), when Ruby and Sapphire fuse it’s almost instantaneous and the movements are very simple suggesting that fusion for them has become essentially instinctive.  When Pearl fuses with Rose her movements while still “Pearl like” are certainly more intimate, and suggestive.

When Amethyst tries to fuse with Steven (in the teaching Steven portion) she uses less… ahem hip movement than usual.  When Garnet and Pearl do the dance, it is more suggestive again, ending with Pearl backed against a wall.  When Steven tries to practice the same movements with Pearl she looks distinctly chagrined and uncomfortable like “How do I explain that that’s not how you fuse at your age”.

When Steven and Connie fuse their movements have romantic connotations but not significant sexual ones, like the kind of crushes 12 year olds get.

Also Pearl covers Steven’s eyes when Amethyst and Garnet fuse, which I perceive as a “sexual” (in as much as Gems can be sexual) but not romantic interaction (as Garnet is herself a committed or at least I assume so, relationship, where they may have gotten to the point of comfort of having “sexual” interactions with outside parties).

When Pearl and Amethyst attempt to fuse in front of Steven Amethyst (perhaps because she is young and not as aware of social conventions among Gems, also because she’s thirsting for Pearl if you ask me) uses some pretty overt booty shaking movements, which clearly puts off Pearl and makes her uncomfortable.  We don’t actually see what their fusion dance looks like because it happens off screen (and out of Steven’s sight).

Like Pearl clearly has some discomfort fusing in front of Steven (but not in front of Greg, presumably because he was an adult who she wanted to make jealous) or maybe Pearl is more conservative in terms of fusing than other gems.