Does the show really need to tackle discrimination and bigotry at this point? Granted both are huge problems for the Trek fandom and fandom in general, but Star Trek has largely moved past that because TOS, TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT already did it. At this point it's just repeating itself and telling bonk bonk on the head stories about morality in order to teach Trekkies that they shouldn't be racist. Instead they just increased the number of people of color, women, and LGBTQ people and treat them like fully realized people, which is what those groups have always asked for. I'm a trans woman and I don't want to see my trauma and whatever bullshit i have to deal with played for drama on Star Trek, I just want to see a trans woman being part of the crew and having interesting stories about shit in space. I don't want misery porn, just seeing someone like myself on Star Trek treated like everyone else. If you need Star Trek to explain empathy for you then you have a problem that Star Trek really can't solve.
Everyone has a different opinion, but IMHO the whole didactic moral framework of Star Trek is built into its DNA, and what distinguishes it from most other TV science fiction. That isn't to say it's unique to Star Trek (it arguably came from anthologies like the Twilight Zone). But when you don't have it, it's easy to slip into generic action adventure as default. If I wanted that I'd just watch The Mandalorian.
I can think of two examples where this was done relatively recently - both by shows which involved Trek alums. One was Michael Taylor's show
Defiance. One subplot introduced showed humans had an underground club where they dressed as an alien race (Catharians). The humans seemed to take this as being akin to drag (pretending to be something else at night to have a good time) while the Catharians saw this as blackface, which created interesting conflict. Another example was in the more recent
Carnival Row, which Rene Echevarria was involved with. Orlando Bloom's character in the show is of half-fairy blood, which he's kept a secret his whole life. At one point he has a discussion with a closeted gay man which makes it explicit that he understands the lie that he has to live each day - pretending to be something he is not - is very much akin. Indeed, the entire character arc of the season for his character is more or less coming out of the closet.
I'd also say that that while it is nice to have a character of a different background and be able to say "oh look, they are just like me!" it's even better to be able to say "wait, their lived experience is not exactly like mine!" A central part of empathy is not only to recognize others as people, but also to understand where they are coming from. I mean, to provide a personal example, I was shook when I realized how many women have experienced assault - and how almost all of them have fears of walking in public alone or have other "protection mechanisms" for themselves. The idea that just walking somewhere after dark was generally perceived as unsafe never even crossed my mind.
But yes, none of us are defined by our traumas, and that should not be all of what we see onscreen. But Trek can, and has been many different things depending upon the series and the episode. It just seems silly to me to leave this important part of its legacy behind.
