Khan and Marla First Interracial Kiss on Star Trek

[Flork]

I think the "first interracial kiss" thing between Kirk and Uhura is oversold, for a variety of reasons. But Ricardo Montalban clearly kisses Marla McGivers in "Space Seed," long before the Kirk and Uhura moment. Montalban was Mexican American, and while many Latino/Hispanics consider themselves white, not all do. In addition, he's supposed to be playing an Asian character. Is this moment really the first interracial kiss on Star Trek? Or do we fall into the tired idea that race is only Black and White?

 

[alensatemybuick1]

I think you are confusing nationality and ethnicity. Montalban was of Castilian Spanish descent.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Possibly, but she was Scottish, a group who often has trouble proving that they come from Earth.

 

[Jayson1]

Khan was suspose to be Asian? I thought he was a Seek Indian on the show/movie?


Jason

 

[Tosk]

^Sikh.

And Marla IDs him as one, but nothing much about him confirms that.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Khan was suspose to be Asian? I thought he was a Seek Indian on the show/movie?


Jason

India is on the continent of Asia.

So yes, that is a correct and polite term.

Oh... Sikh is a religion, not an ethnicity.

 

[Tenacity]

And Marla IDs him as one, but nothing much about him confirms that.

Two possibilities.

One, she was simply wrong, was a half-assed historian, and was incapable of doing her job correctly.

Two. As soon as she saw Khan she knew exactly who he was (owing to being a excellent historian). After seeing him, there was a somewhat long pause while she collected her thoughts and she made a deliberate decision to lie to Kirk as to who they had found. Identifying Khan initially as a Sikh was a part of that.

For her own reasons.

India is on the continent of Asia.

According to the people of India (as I've read), they don't consider themselves to be Asian, or their country to be a part of Asia.

Asia is on the other side of that huge mountain range.

 

[Tosk]

Two possibilities.

One, she was simply wrong, was a half-assed historian, and was incapable of doing her job correctly.

Two. As soon as she saw Khan she knew exactly who he was (owing to being a excellent historian). After seeing him, there was a somewhat long pause while she collected her thoughts and she made a deliberate decision to lie to Kirk as to who they had found. Identifying Khan initially as a Sikh was a part of that.

For her own reasons.

I tend to think it's the former. But only because if it was on purpose, why choose a lie that can be so easily dissected? On the other hand, that means either choice makes her foolish in some way. Considering how easily she was swayed to his side, maybe that's true.

 

[Guy Gardener]

You lead 80 tanks onto foreign soil, murder the rich, feed the poor, declare yourself god, and then the best way to avoid being over thrown in a coup three years later, the second you let your guard down, is to marry a local girl (who is into you) and take her (local) religion and customs to heart.

If you become one of them, they don't consider you an outsider in need of a kicking.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Khan was suspose to be Asian? I thought he was a Seek Indian on the show/movie?


Jason

India is in Asia.

 

[scotpens]

It's even been suggested that William Shatner and Barbara Luna shared an interracial kiss in "Mirror, Mirror." Barbara Luna is of Italian, Hungarian, Spanish, Portuguese and Filipino descent. Are any of those a "race"? It just shows how silly and arbitrary the whole concept of "race" is. The more you try and pin it down, the more it eludes your grasp and slips away, like a greased pig.

 

[Guy Gardener]

Who kissed a Tellerite?

 

[Nerys Myk]

Who kissed a Tellerite?

 

[Guy Gardener]

No Katy Perry?

 

[johnnybear]

Possibly, but she was Scottish, a group who often has trouble proving that they come from Earth.

Be careful where you say that, Guy! HaHaHa I think it's hilarious on certain shows when a Scotsman is speaking and subtitles are needed to identify what he is saying! Most of the time I get it, having some Scottish blood on my Grandfather's side helps perhaps?
JB

 

[johnnybear]

I thought BarBara Luna had some Jewish in her as well? Whatever she is or was she is definitely one of my favourite women in the show!
JB

 

[Guy Gardener]

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[johnnybear]

?
JB

 

[Tenacity]

Barbara Luna is of Italian, Hungarian, Spanish, Portuguese and Filipino descent. Are any of those a "race"?

Most Filipinos are Malayo-Polynesian, ethnically (from what I just read) Filpinos identify mostly with their Malayo origins.

So Luna is European-Pacific Islander, while Shatner is European. That would seen to have made their kiss Star Trek's first interracial kiss, although hardly the first interracial kiss on broadcast TV.

It just shows how silly and arbitrary the whole concept of "race" is.

Race is just a convenient and common identifier. Let's not get all wacky-doddle SJW here.

 

[scotpens]

I thought BarBara Luna had some Jewish in her as well? Whatever she is or was she is definitely one of my favourite women in the show!

Jews can be any nationality, you know. We're everywhere!

Race is just a convenient and common identifier. Let's not get all wacky-doddle SJW here.

SJW? Me?? Hardly.

Anyway, to steer the thread back to safer territory, here are some cute baby squirrels.