More importantly, when do we find out if Gertrude / Beauregard is male or female in the Prime Universe?
HUGE Mr Sulu Spoiler
- Thread starter Danlav05
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If we're thinking of the same scene, where Sulu fumbles his controls, it wasn't in the theatrical release. But I don't think it matters here anyway, even if it's counted in continuity.
It's truly disappointing to see how many bigots suddenly came out of the woodwork with the news of Sulu being gay in the Kelvin Timeline. It also makes no sense in a franchise that's had Kirk sleeping with who knows how many different alien species, a Klingon and a Trill being married, Riker falling in love with a member of an androgynous & hermaphroditic species, etc. With all that going on, Sulu being gay is suddenly a problem? Unbelievable.
It's a great move forward and very in-keeping with the Star Trek universe, inclusiveness. It's something that I think is way overdue. 
I am somewhat surprised by Takei's reaction. Though to be fair, he has been saying things like "I'm gay, but the character I play in Star Trek is not" for years, so maybe it's something he's trying to adjust to himself?
I'm not of the view that it helps to split it along the lines of "But it's only the Kelvin-verse Sulu", etc etc. Perhaps the character always had bi-tendencies in the main Trek verse? The only time we really see him overtly flirt with women is IIRC the Mirror-Sulu in 'Mirror, Mirror', and a little bit with Ilia in 'The Motion Picture'. That doesn't mean he wouldn't swing both ways, nor indeed that he wouldn't settle down with a male partner in the end.
I am somewhat surprised by Takei's reaction. Though to be fair, he has been saying things like "I'm gay, but the character I play in Star Trek is not" for years, so maybe it's something he's trying to adjust to himself?
I'm not of the view that it helps to split it along the lines of "But it's only the Kelvin-verse Sulu", etc etc. Perhaps the character always had bi-tendencies in the main Trek verse? The only time we really see him overtly flirt with women is IIRC the Mirror-Sulu in 'Mirror, Mirror', and a little bit with Ilia in 'The Motion Picture'. That doesn't mean he wouldn't swing both ways, nor indeed that he wouldn't settle down with a male partner in the end.
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What I don't understand is his insistence that they should have added a new character instead.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I were a gay person I would have found that adding a whole new character solely to have a gay character to be a lot more pandering tokenism.
Using one of the main characters seems much stronger. And, of all the candidates, Sulu was the most obvious choice, regardless of Takei's social standing.
I don't know about anyone else, but if I were a gay person I would have found that adding a whole new character solely to have a gay character to be a lot more pandering tokenism.
Using one of the main characters seems much stronger. And, of all the candidates, Sulu was the most obvious choice, regardless of Takei's social standing.
Thinking it over, getting Uhura may have been a way to show his power to the rest of the crew. She was a prize to be had, and something he needed to get the crew's respect if he was to take over as captain of the Enterprise.
It is definitely more of a statement than adding Joe Anonymous.
That's what I thought too. While MU Sulu could be bi, straight or gay, it's possible that homophobia exists on MU Earth. I don't think it's that unreasonable considering their society is pretty awful, unlike the more progressive Prime and Kelvin universes.
About character ages, guys...
Jim Kirk was born in the same year as his canon counterpart, though maybe a tad earlier in the year. Chekov is 17 in the Kelvin timeline, putting his birth at 2241 rather than 2245 in the Prime Timeline.
Memory Alpha doesn't list Hikaru Sulu's birth year in either timeline, so we can't even be sure of his age.
As for sexuality in the Mirror Universe, I think it's advant-sexual, i.e., banging whoever will get you furthest. ETA: I think that makes sense.
Jim Kirk was born in the same year as his canon counterpart, though maybe a tad earlier in the year. Chekov is 17 in the Kelvin timeline, putting his birth at 2241 rather than 2245 in the Prime Timeline.
Memory Alpha doesn't list Hikaru Sulu's birth year in either timeline, so we can't even be sure of his age.
As for sexuality in the Mirror Universe, I think it's advant-sexual, i.e., banging whoever will get you furthest. ETA: I think that makes sense.
I'm amazed that people, especially Trek fans, would even get upset at this late date.
Like much of TOS, it is just vague enough that you can have multiple interpretations and not really be wrong.
I'm extracting this from my earlier post, because it kind of explores the broader issue. 
My view of Trek's enlightened future humans includes the possibility that all the characters have, potentially, experimented with their sexuality, because it just feels right, and fully in-keeping with humanity overcoming it's prejudices. Not to say everybody is Bi, but simply that there wouldn't be social hang-ups associated with it.
Of the main characters, for example, I've never seen it as much of a stretch to believe that Riker has had both male and female sexual partners. His Imzadi is female, yes, but I've often thought he'd have been likely to be open-minded and quite prepared to have different types of relationships over the years.
Likewise, it's possible that Sulu had dalliances of many types before settling with a male partner.
All of this is in-keeping with Star Trek's enlightened, inclusive future.
My view of Trek's enlightened future humans includes the possibility that all the characters have, potentially, experimented with their sexuality, because it just feels right, and fully in-keeping with humanity overcoming it's prejudices. Not to say everybody is Bi, but simply that there wouldn't be social hang-ups associated with it.
Of the main characters, for example, I've never seen it as much of a stretch to believe that Riker has had both male and female sexual partners. His Imzadi is female, yes, but I've often thought he'd have been likely to be open-minded and quite prepared to have different types of relationships over the years.
Likewise, it's possible that Sulu had dalliances of many types before settling with a male partner.
All of this is in-keeping with Star Trek's enlightened, inclusive future.
Indeed, the only time Sulu shows overt interest in women is the Mirror Universe. So either MU Sulu is actually straight (DS9 does show not everyone is the same orientation in the MU) or perhaps MU Sulu is gay but tries to hide it. MU Sulu does come off as someone overcompensating by trying to be too straight.
Maybe he's upset with the notion that Sulu might have a beard in an otherwise enlightened century...
Except there's no evidence of that. That's the problem with Takei's argument. Any evidence that Sulu was strait in prime is circumstantial at best, and "Because Gene said so..." isn't a reason.
How does one "play a strait character" who sits in a seat and presses buttons?
How much total on-screen time did he spend in would-be romantic or sexual situations? 90 seconds maybe?
How much total on-screen time did he spend in would-be romantic or sexual situations? 90 seconds maybe?
Yeah, there isn't enough evidence. We've seen Sulu be courtly toward women but not which way his fancy truly goes.
I thought he did a fine job playing a human being. So we didn't know which way he swung, but that's okay! Zach Quinto didn't come out in "LOOK AT ME!" fashion, and you wouldn't know unless someone told you he was gay, right?
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