Gay Character in Star Trek

(Cronan Thompson)


There are rumors circulating of a gay character in Star Trek: First Contact.

I am not going to say that as a male heterosexual, I feel comfy around homosexuals, but I do not allow that to influence any important decision in my life. That said, I have three problems with this gay guy in Trek.

1. How in the hell are we to find out he is gay? Is his uniform going to be pink? Is he going to hit on some guy early in the film? Is he going to wink at Riker? Is Data going to set the tricorder to "find the homo" and this guy is gonna show up? When the Borg attack is he going to run from the Bridge screaming like a girl? Is he going to ask Troi were she got that dress? Obviously none of these make the slightest bit of sense. I have seen people try to play it off as something that comes up in casual conversation or an interview with Troi. Here is the only possible way that this can come up:

Someone: Hey, she's hot huh?

Gay Guy: I guess so, although she isn't my type.

Someone: You don't like Zizza Wottians?

Gay Guy: Well, the twelve legs turn me off.

Someone: Ohhhhhhh so your a homo.

Gay Guy: Yup.

Someone: You should go see Troi.

Gay Guy: Okay, You think Worf is available?

2.It is bad enough that Trek is so damn politically correct already, but to kiss up to everyone is a bit ridiculous. Black Vulcans? Okay... A little off the wall but I can live with it. Token racial Characters? This pisses me off.... People should be cast according to acting ability first, race and all else second. But token characters of today's sexual practices for the purpose of continuing a more demeaning than helpful set of crazed panderings to every wacko group with more than 2 members is FUCKING CRAZY. If Trek had any guts: Cassidy Yates would have been white and Vash would have been black, showing that in the future relationships don't have any limits. It sucks that they continually pair people on today's conservative standards.

3. And finally, why not have a gay Vulcan? Okay, so this one is silly but wouldn't that be funny as all hell?

We all know by now that Trek IS PC. We also can see pathetic attempts at overcoming this while staying within the barriers of PC (which is impossible). The funniest thing is when people have the balls of steel to call today's trek as daring as TOS. It is the most laughable thing I have ever heard. DS9 has a black captain. SOOOOOO? There have been at least twenty drama shows that I can name that have had strong black men in lead roles (Homicide and NYPD Blue comes to mind). Not to mention the fact that they have far better actors. Seems to me Trek is behind and stuck in the 60's. Janeway is a woman? SOOOOOO? How many times have we seen strong, deep female characters in scifi? Anyone Remember Ripley form Alien? Or Devin from Earth 2? Both are superior actresses and managed to flesh out deep motivated characters. Anyone remember when Trek was daring? Kirk doing anyone of any color whenever.... AHHHHHHHHH those were the days. But today a black captain HAS to have a black girlfriend and so on. It pisses me off. Does Trek want to be daring? Does it want to kick ass again? Here are some thing they should do to be truly brave. Things that would push the envelope.

1. Have someone who is a zenophobe or ethnocentric (if you don't know what one is watch Bob Dole)

2. Have Janeway, Dax and Troi have and orgy (They're not on the same ship but who cares, they got Riker so why not them).

2b. Or Kes, Kira, and Yar.

3. Have a crewmember do something not nice and not get away with it.

4. Begin hiring actors based upon *gasp* talent.

5. Meet a warlike culture and don't tame them in two episodes.

6. Have someone evil turn out to be FULLY evil with NO redeeming quality.

7. A character has deep dark secret that was their fault.

8. When someone gets angry at someone else have them stay angry for more than one episode.

9. Show someone praying.

10. Have a major character be flawed.

11. Have someone permanently disabled (like in a hover chair).

12. Follow a consistent history that goes against current events.

13. And most importantly, don't enforce human behavior patterns, reproductive cycles, and turn-on aliens.


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