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Related: About this forumStar Trek’s History of Progressive Values — And Why It Faltered on LGBT Crew Members
In 2009, director J.J. Abrams transformed Star Trek into a true mainstream hit with his blockbuster movie reboot, earning $385 in worldwide box office and shattered the opening weekend IMAX record; with Star Trek Into Darkness about to hit theaters this Friday, he seems poised to do it again.
But long before the 47-year-old franchise was breaking box office records, it was breaking ground as one of the most forward-thinking franchises in television and film history. Thanks largely to the (at the time) radical philosophy of creator Gene Roddenberry, the show attracted audiences with its adventure stories, but it kept them with its utopian optimism: the idea that the raging intolerance of the day would someday become a thing of the past, and anyone could explore the stars if they wanted.
In the future, Roddenberry envisioned race and gender as non-issues. He put Japanese-American George Takei, as Lt. Hikaru Sulu, at the helm; African-American Nichelle Nichols, as Lt. Nyota Uhura, in the communications chair; and even attempted to make the Enterprises first officer a woman (studio executives rejected that unsavory idea, so the alien Spock took the job). The equality on the U.S.S. Enterprises bridge was a watershed moment, both in television history and in Americans understanding of social equality.
Most television shows, at best, follow cultural trends. Star Trek had clear-cut ideals of its own, wrote Joan Winston, Jacqueline Lichtenberg and Sondra Marshak in their 1975 book Star Trek Lives!, the first and most definitive chronicle of the early years of Trek fandom. No one would claim that Star Trek was the cause of all the improvement [we've made with problems like racism and sexism]. But it is still harder to believe that it had no effect, when twenty million people tuned in to Star Trek and saw Mr. Spock being treated as friend and brother by Captain Kirk, saw the black and the Russian and the Oriental [sic] and the Southerner and the others treating each other with respect and love.
But long before the 47-year-old franchise was breaking box office records, it was breaking ground as one of the most forward-thinking franchises in television and film history. Thanks largely to the (at the time) radical philosophy of creator Gene Roddenberry, the show attracted audiences with its adventure stories, but it kept them with its utopian optimism: the idea that the raging intolerance of the day would someday become a thing of the past, and anyone could explore the stars if they wanted.
In the future, Roddenberry envisioned race and gender as non-issues. He put Japanese-American George Takei, as Lt. Hikaru Sulu, at the helm; African-American Nichelle Nichols, as Lt. Nyota Uhura, in the communications chair; and even attempted to make the Enterprises first officer a woman (studio executives rejected that unsavory idea, so the alien Spock took the job). The equality on the U.S.S. Enterprises bridge was a watershed moment, both in television history and in Americans understanding of social equality.
Most television shows, at best, follow cultural trends. Star Trek had clear-cut ideals of its own, wrote Joan Winston, Jacqueline Lichtenberg and Sondra Marshak in their 1975 book Star Trek Lives!, the first and most definitive chronicle of the early years of Trek fandom. No one would claim that Star Trek was the cause of all the improvement [we've made with problems like racism and sexism]. But it is still harder to believe that it had no effect, when twenty million people tuned in to Star Trek and saw Mr. Spock being treated as friend and brother by Captain Kirk, saw the black and the Russian and the Oriental [sic] and the Southerner and the others treating each other with respect and love.
the rest is here
i've been watching old tng episodes and the subplot of the one i'm watching tonight involves a race of asexual aliens and what happens when one of the visiting crew members reveals she identifies as female and becomes involved with ryker. they're found out and, under her law, she had to go to treatment to cure her of her 'deviancy'.
ryker and worf are staked outside the treatment center, but i haven't finished the episode and have no idea what happens next.
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Star Trek’s History of Progressive Values — And Why It Faltered on LGBT Crew Members (Original Post)
fizzgig
May 2013
OP
Behind the Aegis
(53,956 posts)1. SPOILERS
It doesn't end well.
There is also an episode where there is a being that has to use "host" bodies to survive. He comes aboard the enterprise (obviously a male), and falls in love with Dr. Beverly Crusher, whom returns the affections. When his body is damaged, a new host is sent...it is a woman. And there ends the relationship. It was interesting.
Now, off to read the article.
ETA: Great article! I see they mentioned the Crusher episode. I also agree it is a slight to us, by not including us.
fizzgig
(24,146 posts)2. i just finished it
ryker has a sad
closeupready
(29,503 posts)3. Nichelle Nichols gave an amazing interview about her role
as Lt. Uhura. This is not completely topical, but I wanted to share it (if I can find the youtube link, I'll post that too): FOUND THE LINK HERE IT IS
Soon after the show had begun (or at the end of the first season, something like that when the show had become a hit), she went to Gene and resigned, as she didn't want to be typecast and wanted to do other things. He told her, I'll keep your letter of resignation in my desk over the weekend; you think about it, and if you still want to resign on Monday, I will send you along with my blessings.
So she went home. ...
Editing to remove my characterization, I got it wrong, and rewatching this interview, it's bringing tears to my eyes, but please watch this whole thing.
fizzgig
(24,146 posts)4. thanks for sharing this