(Note: Spoilers for all of Star Trek, especially Discovery!)
Wow, I was thoroughly happy to be invited to speak on a panel about diversity and inclusion in Star Trek! (Spoiler alert: it needs work). It was SO fun to give hot takes on the entire history of Trek with fellow transgender nerds.
My main feeling is that since Trek has such a problematic past with it’s coverage of, or allusions to, queer topics, they are still operating from a deficit with their content today. Don’t get me wrong, I love Wilson Cruz, Anthony Rapp, Blu del Barrio, Ian Alexander, Tig Notaro, etc. But Trek still manages to murder half of each queer relationship disturbingly soon after they are introduced. I know, some of them “come back” in bizarre, sci-fi ways. But is it too much to ask to simply be portrayed as having nice, good relationships with non-dead people?
From my perspective, Trek still has a long way to go, and I don’t give them full kudos, yet.
For example, there are several, infamous episodes that deal with gender and sexuality minorities (The Outcast, Cogenitor), in which characters forced into gender presentations that don’t suit them, or forced into procreating against their will. To my memory (correct me if wrong!) each of them request help and asylum from the Federation, and each were denied. The decision that we “cannot interfere with their cultures” was upheld in each, with each character having to force a horrifying “Okay” out of their heart-wrenching closing scenes.
Today, the USA already grants asylum to transgender people facing oppression and murder in other countries. A fully compassionate and cognizant, modern Star Trek would need to take this kind of stand in future episodes, granting asylum to these kinds of seekers.
Would conservative fans decry that as “political?” Yes, absolutely. No question. But it is not Star trek’s fault that conservative politics in the US have painted what is actually a very clear human rights issue as a political debate point.
The fact is, the cat’s out of the bag, and they can’t silence our stories, anymore.
But Trek could stop killing us. That would be nice.
