LGBT Characters in Trek (Help and no flames Please)

[neogothboy74]

So, I'm working on a section of my website devoted to Star Trek, which I need some help with. In particular I want a page that lists all the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered) inclusive characters and references in Trek Lit (or the games and comics, though I'm not as big into those as the others). I already have quite a few, but I'm pushing for a really complete site - and I've not read all of the Trek books, and I know there are examples in books that I've already read in the past that I didn't take the time to make note of. If anyone could help by letting me know about such characters and references and where they take place (just point me in the right direction), that would be most helpful.

I was thinking it might also be nice to have a list of OUT (of the closet) LGBT Trek authors, writers, producers actors and such. Links of interest. And maybe a list of actors that have appeared on Trek who've also played LGBT roles. That kind of thing. I already have some lists for that kind of thing, but it's very emryonic. Again, any help here would be greatly appreciated.

I understand that some fans are not into this and if that applies to you this thread isn't meant to be offensive in any way. I'd appreciate it if you didn't flame me or protest this basic request. Just respect that I'm a Star Trek fan too and this is what I'm looking for. If you find this thread upsetting then please just leave it be, move on - and by all means, have a fantastic day.

Any help here would be very appreciated!

Also, a BIG thank you to all those writers, authors, and anyone involved in Trek in general who pushed for LGBT inclusion in TREK of any kind, whether it be a reference, a character, or the hiring of a LGBT actor or producer - all of this helps. I'm grateful for all of this, and I know a great many other fans are as well!

Thanks!

 

[David R. George III]

Jason, I know that I've included a number of LGBT characters in my Star Trek fiction, though it may take me some effort to recollect them all. Off the top of my head, I can think of a few.

In my Lost Era novel, Serpents Among the Ruins, the female Romulan ambassador, Gell Kamemor, had a female partner named Ravent. The couple had a son. Kamemor and her family were characters I created.

In my Crucible: Kirk novel, The Star to Every Wandering, I included as a character the woman who had appeared as the captain of the U.S.S. Saratoga in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In the novelization of the film, she had been given the surname Alexander. I added her given name and nickname, Margaret ("Madge"), and her married name, Sinclair-Alexander, in tribute to the actress who originated the role. Margaret Alexander married Cynthia Sinclair, and the two hyphenated their last names.

I also included a relationship between Krissten Richter and Etana Kol in my Mission: Gamma novel, Twilight. I think I introduced the relationship, and perhaps one of the two characters, though if I recall correctly, that relationship had been crafted for a subsequent novel; it just made dramatic sense for the romance to be shown at an earlier time in the story arc.

That's all I can think of at the moment, though I know there are others. (How come I can only recall lesbian characters right now?!?) Unfortunately, I don't know when I'll have time to search through my novels to find the others for you. Perhaps some of the readers of my work can help you in a more expeditious manner than I can.

Best of luck with the research and that section of your website.

 

[neogothboy74]

^Thanks David. I wasn't aware of those characters. Very helpful!

I can't remember the details but I seem to remember something turning up in the 'Tales From the Captain Table' story you did. I've been meaning to go back and read that one. I'll get there eventually.

On a side note...

Years ago you exchanged some e-mails with me after a really brutal exchange in a Yahoo Trek Group concerning this very topic. It was very much appreciated then (I still have the messages) and your help is appreciated just as much now. Thank you so much! You rock!

 

[captcalhoun]

Ranul Keru is a gay Trill.

Kent Norel in Titan is IIRC, gay too. (human)

there was a lesbian in a TNG novel called 'The Best and the Brightest'. the first one.

T'Prynn in Vanguard is a lesbian Vulcan

there's a pair of gay Klingons mentioned in IKS Gorkon. one's more accurately bisexual since he's married. (gay affair)

 

[David R. George III]

Happy to help, Jason. By the way, I just edited my original message in this thread, as I remembered another LGBT relationship.

 

[captcalhoun]

oh, and a gay Vulcan appeared in New Frontier.

 

[neogothboy74]

Ranul Keru is a gay Trill.

Kent Norel in Titan is IIRC, gay too. (human)

there was a lesbian in a TNG novel called 'The Best and the Brightest'. the first one.

T'Prynn in Vanguard is a lesbian Vulcan

there's a pair of gay Klingons mentioned in IKS Gorkon. one's more accurately bisexual since he's married. (gay affair)

I had Kenneth Norellis, the lesbian characters from 'The Best and the Brightest' (trill Moll Enor & human Jayme Miranda), T'Prynn (and Mirror T'Prynn from David Mack's "The Sorrows of Empire" - hottest scene ever).

I didn't have the gay Klingons from IKS; what book are they in? Do you remember?

Thank you captcalhoun!

oh, and a gay Vulcan appeared in New Frontier.

If you mean Selar's brother Slon, I have him too. And I believe he referenced his former partner Sotok - I made a note of that one.

The New Frontier series is extremely inclusive. One of the things I love about it is that the characters are often not assumed to be straight. Peter David gets it. And I appreciate it.

Happy to help, Jason. By the way, I just edited my original message in this thread, as I remembered another LGBT relationship.

Thanks for letting me know; I might have missed out on the update. I was aware of Krissten Richter & Etana Kol from the DS9 Relaunch (though I couldn't remember what novels they appeared in) but I was under the impression that they had been introduced in a comic book? Or perhaps they were introduced in the comics and then you brought them together? I'll have to research them more. I've not actually seen the comics in question, I just have some scribbled notes about them. Thanks again for the info.
-----------------------------

Concerning the Titan character Bowan Radowski, was it just me or was it implied that Radowski was interested in Keru? I remember reading something about a look between them but it has yet to be followed up on. And actually, I don't think the character has appeared since the first 2 Titan novels, though I could be wrong.

-----------------------------
Maybe I should post the LGBT characters I already have? I'll try to organize a post for that.

 

[Astraea]

Bart Faulwell in SCE (and his partner, Anthony Mark) is the first one that I can think of that hasn't already been mentioned. Also Sean Hawk, who was Keru's partner before his death in the movie First Contact (although his sexuality was never established in the movie, only in the TrekLitverse.)

 

[neogothboy74]

^ Thank You Astraea!

 

[Stevil2001]

Memory Beta has some good info on Etana and Richter:
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Krissten_Ricter
http://memory-beta.wikia.com/wiki/Etana_Kol

 

[Kemaiku]

In "Kobayashi Maru" a Klingon character named Krell from the Augment arc in season 4 of Enterprise is not only gay but has a very protective husband who stands by his Augment altered partner after he and Archers combat in the book.

 

[neogothboy74]

Ok. Here's what I have for LGBT characters and references in Trek Lit:

Albert "Bert" Tucker & his husband Miguel from
"The Good That Men Do" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin

Krell & his husband Kon’Jef from
"Kobayashi Maru" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin

Thanks for the help Chemahkuu & Andy!

Anna Sandesjo / Lurqal from
"Vanguard: Harbinger" by David Mack

T'Prynn from
"Vanguard: Harbinger" by David Mack
"Vanguard: Summon the Thunder" by Dayton Ward & Kevin Dilmore
"Vanguard: Reap the Whirlwind" by David Mack
"The Lost Era: The Art Of the Impossible" by Keith R.A. DeCandido
"Mission Gamma: Lesser Evil" by Robert Simpson

Thanks for the confirmation on the Mission Gamma book KRAD!

Mirror T'Prynn & Mirror T'Meri from
"The Sorrows of Empire" by David Mack

Margaret "Madge" & Cynthia Sinclair-Alexander from
"Crucible: The Star to Every Wandering" by David R. George III

Gell Kamemor & Ravent from
"The Lost Era: Serpents Among the Ruins" by David R. George III

Stefcia & Jameela Janosz from
The Lost Era: The Buried Age by Christopher L. Bennett

George (Harry Kim's Roomie) Brad Harrison & Noah Mannick from
Voyager: Pathways by Jeri Taylor

Thanks LightningStorm & DGCatAniSiri!

Just about all the girls in the Alternate Mirror Universe of
"Dark Passions" by Susan Wright

Moll Enor (Trill) & Jayme Miranda (Human) from
"The Best and the Brightest" by Susan Wright

Andrul (Cardassian) & 2 burly Terran men (unnamed) from
"MU: Shards and Shadows: The Sacred Chalice" by Rudy Josephs

Thanks Thor Damar & Christopher L. Bennett!

Sean Hawk (Human) from
"Star Trek: First Contact" by J.M. Dillard
"Section 31: Rogue" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin

Sean is also referenced in several other stories, usually by Ranul Keru.

Ranul Keru (Unjoined Trill) from
"Section 31: Rogue" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin
"Immortal Coil" by Jeffrey Lang
"Worlds of DS9: Trill: Unjoined" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin
"Improvisations on the Opal Sea" by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
"Titan: Taking Wing" by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
"Titan: The Red King" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin
"Titan: Orion's Hounds" by Christopher L. Bennett
"Titan: Sword of Damocles" by Geoffrey Thorne
"Destiny Book I: Gods of Night" by David Mack
"Destiny Book II: Mere Mortals" by David Mack
"Destiny Book III: Lost Souls" by David Mack
"Titan: Over a Torrent Sea" by Christopher L. Bennett

Loolooa Tereshini from
"Titan: Sword of Damocles" by Geoffrey Thorne

Thanks RedJack!

Bart Faulwell & Anthony Mark from
the S.C.E. series.

The Hermat character of Burgoyne from
the New Frontier series has bisexual / trans overtones.

Slon & Sotok from
"New Frontier #10: Renaissance" by Peter David

Mirror McHenry from
"New Frontier: Turnaround" by Peter David

Garak is intimated to be bisexual in
"DS9 #27: A Stitch in Time" by Andrew J. Robinson

He's never involved with any men, in fact the apparent love of his life is a woman, but Garak mentions being powerfully attracted to another male Cardassian; one of the little touches that made me love this book. Andy Robinson has also mentioned in interviews that he played him as if he were gay in his first appearance.

Kelly Eideman from
"DS9: Avatar, Book One" by S.D. Perry

Krissten Richter & Etana Kol from
the DS9 Relaunch + Marvel Comics
"Mission Gamma: Twilight" by David R. George III

Thanks for the links 'Steve Mollmann". I wish I could find a detailed list of their appearances.

Moq & Yojagh from
"I.K.S. Gorkon: Enemy Territory" by Keith R.A. DeCandido

I'm not sure what books these character appear in, but I'm told
Moq also appears in "Klingon Empire: A Burning House" also by KRAD.

Thanks captcalhoun!

Kenneth Norellis from
"Titan: Taking Wing" by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
"Titan: The Red King" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin

Bowan Radowski from
"Titan: Taking Wing" by Michael A. Martin & Andy Mangels
"Titan: The Red King" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin

Ruth Grabowski & "her Jewish girlfriend" from
"TNG: Greater Than the Sum" by Christopher L. Bennett

---------

Apparently there's some Kirk / Spock slashy-ness in the first editon of Della Van Hise's "Killing Time" novel.

I've heard (but don't know for sure) that there are LGBT or alternate family type references in these novels: (any confirmation would be nice)

"The Entropy Effect" by Vonda N. McIntyre
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" by Gene Roddenberry
"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntyre
"Star Trek III: The Search For Spock" by Vonda N. McIntyre
"Imzadi" by Peter David
"Triangle: Imzadi II" by Peter David

I've been told there are two gay characters in the upcoming Mryiad Universe graphic novel "Star Trek: The Last Generation" - which can be preordered from Amazon.

Thanks for the correction KRAD.

There are great moments in the New Frontier series in which sexual identity is referenced - two I made note of while working on this project were:

"New Frontier #12: Being Human" by Peter David (page 218)
"New Frontier #13: Gods Above" by Peter David (pgs 84-85)

In the first Voyager Relaunch novel, Harry Kim is worried that Libby has moved on in his absence, and his fears are not restricted to only male competition:

"Voyager: Homecoming" by Christie Golden (page 48)

Lesbianism is discussed in "Destiny Book II: Mere Mortals" by David Mack (pgs 114-115)

And the DS9 Relaunch did a wonderful job of exploring Andorian sexuality which apparently includes levels of bisexuality (though that's probably not the best word) - I remember there being references of such things between characters Thirishar "Shar" ch'Thane & "his" bondmate Thavanichent "Anichent" th'Dani - even though these characters aren't really male, per say - they are perceived at such by most, just as Shran from Enterprise would be. It's been a while since I read those, but I remember it being handled extremely well.

I know there are more that I'm missing. I know there are some gender swapping aliens and some alternate family type aliens that are probably of note. Again - any help is appreciated.

I've been editing this list as some info comes in.

 

[Kemaiku]

I'm sorry, I don't remember the name of the husband but Memory Beta may well have the information, I'll go look it up.

As for genders, Starfleet Command listed the Hydrans as having three sexes but not only were they not shown, the mention itself was brief and games are not all that canon to begin with.

The Andorian sexuality is one of the most interesting in Trek. They have Four sexes, each take part equally in the courting, relationship, sexual intercourse and even marriage. The four split into two "male" and two "female";, with only the male and female most resembling Human genders leaving their homeworld apparently, the two stranger sexes remain on Andor. This can lead to trouble maintaining a good population density, achieving a balanced and stable union of four rather than two.

 

[Andy Mangels]

I also included a relationship between Krissten Richter and Etana Kol in my Mission: Gamma novel, Twilight. I think I introduced the relationship, and perhaps one of the two characters, though if I recall correctly, that relationship had been crafted for a subsequent novel; it just made dramatic sense for the romance to be shown at an earlier time in the story arc.

Sorry David - Mike and I introduced the characters first in our Marvel Comics DS9 series, then transported them over via Marco to the Mission Gamma series. You wrote them first in the MG books, but they were our characters, and part of the original bible for MG.

 

[Andy Mangels]

Krell (or so I'm told) from
"Kobayashi Maru" by Andy Mangels & Michael A. Martin

Thanks for the help Chemahkuu I already had them listed, but it's nice to have it confirmed! can you tell me if Krell's husband had a name?

Admiral Krell's husband was Kon’Jef, based on a very large costumer friend of mine named Jeff Cone.

The exact line in which he outs himself is in this passage:

“If you harm Krell any further,” she snarled, “you will not see another sunrise, DenobuluSngan.” She spat out the Klingon name for his race as though it were a curse.
As she moved away from him, Phlox stepped in to examine the work already being done by Kon’Jef and the other Klingon medic. The work seemed to be competent — at least so far — but Phlox feared it would leave Krell with only partial use of his hand.
“Please allow me to assure you and the admiral’s. . . wife, that I will do everything in my power to help him.”
Kon’Jef glared at him with hard, steel-gray eyes. “She’s his sister. I am his husband. And I will make certain you do nothing wrong.”
Being a Denobulan with three wives, each of whom had three spouses of her own, Phlox had no reason to find Krell’s family arrangement in any way unusual. Nodding, he reached for a microscalpel that lay on a nearby tray. “Do you have a pair of fiber-enhancers and some brighter surgical lights?” he asked the other two medical personnel. “I’d like to make certain that Admiral Krell regains full use of his arm.”

 

[Kemaiku]

Thanks Andy.

 

[Andy Mangels]

Also, there was this character from Lost Era - The Sundered, who apparently doesn't even rate a listing on Memory Beta despite his/her extensive novel appearance

Ensign P’mu’la (Pamela) Hopman (an exosociology expert who belongs to an androgynous humanoid species whose members change genders regularly; a large, bulky being who identifies most closely with the female gender, she insists on being addressed as Ensign Pamela in order to avoid the use of awkward, synthetic cross-gender language. Her terrestrial-sounding surname is the result of her once having married into a human family)

One of the MACOs in The Good That Men Do was gay as I recall, though I think it was one of the not-so-heroic characters (boy it's been a while since I worked on these), and I believe in DS9 Mission Gamma: Cathedral that we revealed that Ro Laren had previously had both male and female lovers.

Anyone wanting to list religious Star Trek characters can also find those in books by Mike and I. That's part of my diversity agenda as well...

 

[Christopher]

In Myriad Universes: Places of Exile, I mention that Gennaro, a male Voyager crewmember whose voice was heard over the comm in "Displaced," has a husband back home. Since the PoE timeline diverged from the main timeline three years into Voyager's journey, this would be true of the main-timeline Gennaro as well.

Concerning the Titan character Bowan Radowski, was it just me or was it implied that Radowski was interested in Keru? I remember reading something about a look between them but it has yet to be followed up on. And actually, I don't think the character has appeared since the first 2 Titan novels, though I could be wrong.

It hasn't been made overt, but it's safe to assume that Radowski is attracted to other men -- perhaps exclusively, perhaps not.

Ranul Keru (Unjoined Trill) from
...
I assume he's also in the latest Titan installment ("Over A Torrent Sea" by Christopher L. Bennett).

Yes.

OaTS also establishes that the Selkie crewmember Aili Lavena has, in the course of her life, had numerous sexual liaisons with "alien males, females, and miscellanea." So she's basically omnisexual, and that may be fairly common for her species.

I've heard (but don't know for sure) that there are LGBT or alternate family type references in these novels: (any confirmation would be nice)

"The Entropy Effect" by Vonda N. McIntyre
"Star Trek: The Motion Picture" by Gene Roddenberry
"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" by Vonda N. McIntyre
"Star Trek III: The Search For Spock" by Vonda N. McIntyre

Entropy Effect referred to group families, partnerships consisting of multiple men and women; these may have been alluded to in one or both of the McIntyre novelizations you mention. As for the TMP novelization, you're probably referring to the footnote wherein Admiral Kirk (speaking to the readers -- the conceit is that the book is a 23rd-century dramatization of actual events) addresses the rumors of his sexual relationship with Spock and says that, although he has no objection to love in any of its forms, he personally is only interested in women.

I know there are more that I'm missing. I know there are some gender swapping aliens and some alternate family type aliens that are probably of note. Again - any help is appreciated.

Well, if we're counting aliens with unusual sexualities, the Damiani (from KRAD's Perchance to Dream comic, Articles of the Federation, and elsewhere) are a three-sex species, and Perchance to Dream is about the TNG crew's efforts to protect a newly elected Damiani leader from moralists who object to the fact that she only has one sexual partner instead of the usual two.

Then there are the Pak'shree from Titan, who are born asexual, become male at puberty, then turn female at full maturity.

In Over a Torrent Sea, the squales have four sexes, "two that were roughly male (in that they only donated gametes) and two that were hermaphroditic, exchanging gametes with each other and both bearing and raising young."

The Manraloth in The Buried Age were capable of gradually transforming their bodies to take on various traits as needed, including different sexes or combinations thereof. They considered it normal to maintain "a proper balance of lovers" from both (or all?) sexes.

 

[neogothboy74]

LONG REPLY - Sorry.

As for genders, Starfleet Command listed the Hydrans as having three sexes but not only were they not shown, the mention itself was brief and games are not all that canon to begin with.

I'll still make a note of it. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all the alien sexuality stuff, but I definitely want to keep track of it; I'm just not sure it will find a home on my website or not - it depends. Thanks for the info though. Seriously.

The Andorian sexuality is one of the most interesting in Trek. They have Four sexes, each take part equally in the courting, relationship, sexual intercourse and even marriage. The four split into two "male" and two "female";, with only the male and female most resembling Human genders leaving their homeworld apparently, the two stranger sexes remain on Andor. This can lead to trouble maintaining a good population density, achieving a balanced and stable union of four rather than two.

I agree that the Andorian's sexuality is very interesting. I read the DS9 Relaunch, as well as "The Good That Men Do" - both of which dealt with Andoran sexuality. Though I'm pretty sure that all of the "male" (Chan & Thaan) & "female" (Zhen & Shen) Andorians are able to leave Andor - or at least that's how I remember it; I know that all four genders were brought to DS9 at some point. Speaking of which, I miss Shar from DS9 terribly. I hope we see 'him' again.

I also included a relationship between Krissten Richter and Etana Kol in my Mission: Gamma novel, Twilight. I think I introduced the relationship, and perhaps one of the two characters, though if I recall correctly, that relationship had been crafted for a subsequent novel; it just made dramatic sense for the romance to be shown at an earlier time in the story arc.

Sorry David - Mike and I introduced the characters first in our Marvel Comics DS9 series, then transported them over via Marco to the Mission Gamma series. You wrote them first in the MG books, but they were our characters, and part of the original bible for MG.

I was pretty sure that I'd read that those characters were introduced in comics before the books. Is there anywhere online where I could find a complete listing of the appearances of these characters?

Admiral Krell's husband was Kon’Jef, based on a very large costumer friend of mine named Jeff Cone.

Thank you Andy. I edited my list above to include Kon'Jef.

Also, there was this character from Lost Era - The Sundered, who apparently doesn't even rate a listing on Memory Beta despite his/her extensive novel appearance

Ensign P’mu’la (Pamela) Hopman (an exosociology expert who belongs to an androgynous humanoid species whose members change genders regularly; a large, bulky being who identifies most closely with the female gender, she insists on being addressed as Ensign Pamela in order to avoid the use of awkward, synthetic cross-gender language. Her terrestrial-sounding surname is the result of her once having married into a human family)

I remembered this one in passing, but wouldn't have been able to tell you her name. I'd made a note of it and planned to go back someday and sort it out. Thanks for the info. This is making things much easier!

One of the MACOs in The Good That Men Do was gay as I recall, though I think it was one of the not-so-heroic characters (boy it's been a while since I worked on these), and I believe in DS9 Mission Gamma: Cathedral that we revealed that Ro Laren had previously had both male and female lovers.

I don't recall the MACO character at all, and I definitely read that book. I loved it, by the way. I've yet to read "Kobayashi Maru" yet, as I wanted to reread this one first and I just don't have the time at the moment. I'll look for this character though. Thanks.

And I dimmly recall the Ro Laren comment now, as if from a dream. Maybe it was a dream? You don't sound so sure. lol. Just makes me love her more if it's true, and I didn't think that was possible.

In Myriad Universes: Places of Exile, I mention that Gennaro, a male Voyager crewmember whose voice was heard over the comm in "Displaced," has a husband back home. Since the PoE timeline diverged from the main timeline three years into Voyager's journey, this would be true of the main-timeline Gennaro as well.

Very cool.

It hasn't been made overt, but it's safe to assume that Radowski is attracted to other men -- perhaps exclusively, perhaps not.

THANK YOU. lol I thought I was going crazy.

OaTS also establishes that the Selkie crewmember Aili Lavena has, in the course of her life, had numerous sexual liaisons with "alien males, females, and miscellanea." So she's basically omnisexual, and that may be fairly common for her species.

Omnisexual is good. We love Captain Jack at our house.

As for the TMP novelization, you're probably referring to the footnote wherein Admiral Kirk (speaking to the readers -- the conceit is that the book is a 23rd-century dramatization of actual events) addresses the rumors of his sexual relationship with Spock and says that, although he has no objection to love in any of its forms, he personally is only interested in women.

That sounds really cool! I mean, that's from the mouth of Kirk; words placed there by Gene Roddenberry! That's key. Even if it wasn't in the shows or movies, who could argue that Gene and Kirk were acknowledging that GLBT relationships existed and were talked about. Thank you.

Well, if we're counting aliens with unusual sexualities...

I am making note of them. Some of them may be relevent to a LGBT audience. Others may be used to demonstrate that Trek has embraced all sorts of different options. It's all good to know.

Again to everyone who has contributed to this threat - THANK YOU.

I'm running out of ways to say that, which is nice actually.

 

[LightningStorm]

In Jeri Taylor's Pathways Harry Kim's academy roommate (whose name escapes me) was gay.