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What do women see in Star Trek?

xortex

Commodore
Commodore
Just curious. I didn't even think women liked Star Trek other than loving Captain Picard and Admiral Janeway of course. I know what men like, gadgets, concepts, stories, battles, but do women go for love interests, character interaction, strong women, and emotional investments and involvements, politics and moral and ethical dilemmas.
 
This?

shirtless-kirk.jpg
 
Just curious. I didn't even think women liked Star Trek other than loving Captain Picard and Admiral Janeway of course. I know what men like, gadgets, concepts, stories, battles, but do women go for love interests, character interaction, strong women, and emotional investments and involvements, politics and moral and ethical dilemmas.

Stereotype much?

While there are definite differences, men are not from Mars, nor women from Venus. Both are from Earth. The similarities far outweigh the differences.
 
It doesn't hurt that both Kirk and Sisko are macho stud muffins. Kirk is a scoring machine. Sisko is a dedicated father. They come at sexy from two directions.
 
Um, I like the same thing the men do. Good stories, explosions, cool technology, hope for a bright future? A little romance, too, but it's not a major concern.
 
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I had to come out of lurkerdom JUST to answer this question!

Women see the same thing in Trek that men do (with the possible exception of wishing that they could be Jeri Ryan's cat suit for a day...). I started watching Star Trek when I was 11 after my dad took me to see Generations in the theater. It's all about the story, the vision of technology and the future, the variety of characters.

I actually generally don't like the romantic side of trek. Picard and Crusher: sweet. Odo and Kira getting it on: ick. Keep it professional, people, we're trying to run a Federation here.
 
I like it for exactly the same reasons as men do. My favorite aspects of it are the characters and the drama, but I like the technical stuff as well. The explosions are cool and I'd love briefly wearing a Trek uniform. Space opera is my favorite genre because of the countless story possibilities and because it's epic by definition. (Interesting how the first people to answer this question seem to be men...)
 
I had to come out of lurkerdom JUST to answer this question!

Women see the same thing in Trek that men do (with the possible exception of wishing that they could be Jeri Ryan's cat suit for a day...). I started watching Star Trek when I was 11 after my dad took me to see Generations in the theater. It's all about the story, the vision of technology and the future, the variety of characters.

I actually generally don't like the romantic side of trek. Picard and Crusher: sweet. Odo and Kira getting it on: ick. Keep it professional, people, we're trying to run a Federation here.

We sure don't want new people in it!:p

Okay, with Odo and Kira, that's not actually valid...

My God, I just realized how insanely glad I am it didn't come to an Odo/Kira changeling baby plot. Oh me oh my. On the other hand, it could've worked, given that changelings were shown to be able to emulate biological matter, why not gametes?

I think Laas might have said he had kids, but I don't remember. Odo probably couldn't, because dude couldn't even get gross features like a skull right, which even amateur sculptors can do. I doubt he was up to making something as complicated as sperm cells.
 
I went to a UK convention around the time of Generations and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of young women in the audience. I too had assumed that geekdom was largely a male-dominated realm. My friend dragged me outside so she could take a photo of the back of Patrick Stewarts head. I will also say that although the next gen cast were great, I couldn't help gushing uncontrollably when Nichelle Nichols stepped on stage. She was in a different league!
 
Just curious. I didn't even think women liked Star Trek other than loving Captain Picard and Admiral Janeway of course. I know what men like, gadgets, concepts, stories, battles, but do women go for love interests, character interaction, strong women, and emotional investments and involvements, politics and moral and ethical dilemmas.


Seriously?
I started watching Star Trek in 1966 and as a 10 year old girl i loved the same things you said "men" like about it. And the things you said "women" liked about it.
 
I asked the wrong question. Let me just ask what do woman not like about Star Trek and I'm trying to mean women in general, ie those women and men who don't like it to begin with. I.e., why isn't fandom more prevalent?
 
My mom watched TOS back in the 60's, and she sorta liked the new movie (it was good because she thought there weren't as many "weird aliens"). My wife was into Trek (and things like Robotech) way before I met her.
 
Y'know, I spent my first three years or so on the internet hanging out with scores - probably hundreds - of Trek fans. To the best of my knowledge, about half a dozen of them ID'd as men.

I'm sure I like Trek for the same reasons as some men and women, and different reasons than others.

I'm an unashamed shipper, and writing 'shippy fic does seem to be a woman-dominated hobby. But if most shippers are women, that doesn't mean most women are shippers. IDIC, and all that.
 
What's a shipper? And guys could answer this question about the women in their lives. What do they want and don't want to see or like?
 
Just curious. I didn't even think women liked Star Trek other than loving Captain Picard and Admiral Janeway of course. I know what men like, gadgets, concepts, stories, battles, but do women go for love interests, character interaction, strong women, and emotional investments and involvements, politics and moral and ethical dilemmas.

Rather stereotyped there

As an 18 year old young girl I feel I must rectify this view you seem to have.

I, for one, love both what you think typical men like and most of what you think typical women like (I'm not that interested in love interests, I just don't think Star Trek can get them right most of the time)

I've also noticed around the interwebz (not really here but elsewhere) that it seems as if a female fan mentions how attractive she finds a male character then she's immediately labelled just a typical fangirl with no real interest in the show (I'm lucky that I don't frequent places like that otherwise I'd be completely slaughtered considering my insane obsession with Bashir)
However, a male fan is less likely to be labelled as 'just in it for the sexy women' if he mentions how attractive he finds certain women (a few spring immediately to mind)

I don't care either way. Though, being bisexual, I can join in with either (and yes, bisexual I am, although with a rather large preference towards Bashir XD)


Again, just a random thought that came to mind.
But, yeah, in conclusion, I can't speak for every female fan of Star Trek, but as for myself, I love all aspects of Star Trek (apart from most of the love interest stuff).
 
^You are right in that, more times than not, Trek gets the romance/love interest part wrong.

As a gay man, I have also found myself condemned if I state that a guy is hot. [cough, cough, Harry Kim, cough cough] The assumption is usually that because I find someone attractive, I have no legitimate interest in Trek. I am capable of thinking with the other head, also.:rofl: Once, I found myself being labeled as racist, merely because I do not approve of the Spock-Uhura make-out scenes in the new movie. My belief is that Spock 'makin' out' in elevators and transporter pads is neither professional, nor Vulcan-like.

Trekkies are the only species who eat their young (or old or anyone who disagrees).

Lastly, I hope xortex merely did not state his views very eloquently. I should hate to think he is really that sexist to attribute such stereotypes to all men and women.
 
^You are right in that, more times than not, Trek gets the romance/love interest part wrong.

As a gay man, I have also found myself condemned if I state that a guy is hot. [cough, cough, Harry Kim, cough cough] The assumption is usually that because I find someone attractive, I have no legitimate interest in Trek. I am capable of thinking with the other head, also.:rofl: Once, I found myself being labeled as racist, merely because I do not approve of the Spock-Uhura make-out scenes in the new movie. My belief is that Spock 'makin' out' in elevators and transporter pads is neither professional, nor Vulcan-like.

Trekkies are the only species who eat their young (or old or anyone who disagrees).

Lastly, I hope xortex merely did not state his views very eloquently. I should hate to think he is really that sexist to attribute such stereotypes to all men and women.

Sector 7, I have your back on Harry Kim :techman:

I was cranky reading xortex's post the first time, but on a re-read, I think you're right, he just didn't make his point all that well. I know several female Trekkies online and in the real world, but they are outnumbered by the men.

Interestingly, it seems like the nuBSG and Firefly fans I know are dang near evenly split. Perhaps Trek has a stigma? I dunno.
 
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