Chase Masterson speaks candidly about DS9 and Catsuits

[Malcom]

Hoshi_Mayweather said:
As for Trek, I think it became a bit sexist that in order for women to be on equal terms wit the males, they had to be ‘in uniform’ (pun intended)….

The women should have been shown to have a choice on what to wear, be it catsuits/jumpsuits, modest skants, tunic/trousers…etc…

Janeway could have been the character to show that, I think…(and, in a way, Dax and Kira were portrayed as such).

And I think Roddenberry, as much as a horndog he was would approve in depicting a more ‘libral’ future(sexual, or otherwise)…of sexy, independent women that wore outfits—not so much revealing—that could be sexy as well as professional. And even if they weren’t worn on duty, it was shown that women can be women without conforming to what they are ‘supposed’ to be, according to puritan standards.

But it is sexist to give the women more options than the men. And a lot of people like the security of 'belonging' to something larger than themselves that a uniform symbolizes. Do women need that less than men? If so, why join Starfleet?

 

[WillCAD]

Hoshi_Mayweather said:
As for Trek, I think it became a bit sexist that in order for women to be on equal terms wit the males, they had to be ‘in uniform’ (pun intended)….

I sort of agree with that, but not entirely.

Most of the non-uniform females in 24th century Trek are protrayed differently than the males not because they were women, but because they were not Starfleet officers and didn't have the years of training and experience that the Fleeters did.

However, Kasidy Yates was portrayed well, during the small amount of screen time she got. She was a freighter captain - a person with a lot of responsibility and skill.

Leeta wasn't given a lot of respect, but again, that was an integral part of her character - she was a Dabo girl, a casino hostess whose job it was to look sexy and distract the customers from their game play so they'd be more likely to lose to the house. Naturally, a Dabo girl isn't going to get much respect, either in-universe or IRL.

Seven, on the other hand, never joined Starfleet, never wore the uniform (except for a fewisolated incedents), yet she was written and played as a strong main character with plenty of skill and talent.

I guess there aren't a lot of examples of regular female characters in Trek who are not in Starfleet, but I don't see them getting less respect than those in uniform unless the character specifically calls for it.

 

[thestonedkoala]

You forgot Kira, she wasn't in Starfleet...

 

[Malcom]

WillCAD said:
Seven, on the other hand, never joined Starfleet, never wore the uniform (except for a fewisolated incedents), yet she was written and played as a strong main character with plenty of skill and talent.

You've made good points. But I don't think of the uniforms on Voyager as being Starfleet uniforms as much as they are, in a practical sense, uniforms representing the starshipVoyager rather than a distant, unknown organization. On away missions, 7o9 should have been wearing what everyone else wore.

 

[WillCAD]

thestonedkoala said:
You forgot Kira, she wasn't in Starfleet...

Not at first, but later she was commissioned so as not to piss off the Cardassian resistance by being a Bajoran officer telling the Cardies how to fight.

But the point Hoshi_Mayweather was trying to make was that women had to be in uniform before the writers gave them respect. Kira was in uniform, as an officer in the Bajoran Militia, and I think she always got respect from the writers and treated as a serious character, not just window dressing.

 

[ladyheather69]

Ok, I haven't read all the posts, but I can say this:

Yes they wore catsuits. Yes they had bodies to fill those catsuits. Yes it appealed to the "lowest common denominator"....BUT, people KEPT WATCHING THE SHOW!

That tells me that although those characters wore tight, form fitting uniforms that showed off their "assests," people still found a reason to watch the show. Which means either they were just looking for T and A, or they found something redeeming in the characters or the show to continue watching it.

The catsuits got people to START watching the show, but the characters and the stories are what kept them watching. :thumbsup:

 

[UnknownSample]

Those were definitely uniforms on Voyager... not just work overalls or something. 7 wasn't supposed to be wearing one.

 

[Malcom]

ladyheather69 said:
The catsuits got people to START watching the show, but the characters and the stories are what kept them watching. :thumbsup:

The catsuits got teenaged boys to watch and insulted other demographic groups.

 

[UnknownSample]

I wish people would speak for themselves, rather than pronouncing the Truth for all of us. We all state our opinions as fact sometimes, I know I do, but at least acknowledge the possibility that an intelligent person could disagree with you, please. This is not a demand but a request. If I don't do it enough, someone please tell mer also.

 

[WillCAD]

UnknownSample said:
I wish people would speak for themselves, rather than pronouncing the Truth for all of us. We all state our opinions as fact sometimes, I know I do, but at least acknowledge the possibility that an intelligent person could disagree with you, please. This is not a demand but a request. If I don't do it enough, someone please tell mer also.

Hey! Don't tell me when to tell you or what to tell you to tell me about what you should tell me or anybody else to tell everybody! Or whatever.

 

[WillCAD]

Hey! Don't tell me when to tell you or what to tell you to tell me about what you should tell me or anybody else to tell everybody! Or whatever.

 

[Malcom]

UnknownSample said:
I wish people would speak for themselves, rather than pronouncing the Truth for all of us. We all state our opinions as fact sometimes, I know I do, but at least acknowledge the possibility that an intelligent person could disagree with you, please. This is not a demand but a request. If I don't do it enough, someone please tell mer also.

Permit me to rephrase:

The catsuits were designed to attract teenaged boys and insulted other demographic groups.

 

[TiberiusK]

Doesn't the catsuit seem pretty illogical for Seven to wear? Picardo, in a Trekdom interview, spoke about how production halted if Jeri Ryan had to pee. It was a huge ordeal to get her back in that thing.

Beauty is irrelevant to seven. She doesn't know how to express her sexuality. The catsuit just made no sense, let alone a silver one that makes her look like a Vegas showgirl.

 

[AlphaMan]

You guys are putting me in the awkward position of defending Voyager... but yes, 7/9 walked around in a catsuit, but she had some pretty good eps centered on her character's arc.

 

[Hoshi_Mayweather]

Malcom said:
But it is sexist to give the women more options than the men. And a lot of people like the security of 'belonging' to something larger than themselves that a uniform symbolizes. Do women need that less than men? If so, why join Starfleet?

Sexist for men?

Not really. (We’re speaking about the 24th century, now).

Space exploration (at least in TOS’s time, before the military uniforms of the films—which should have been dress uniforms) wasn’t supposed to be uncomfortable.

Kirk had his leisure suit (or outfit) in the original series, which should have been okay for anyone else…as long as it was regulation.

Even in TMP, Kirk had his ‘dentist-like’ white tunic aside from the grey tunic…(as did Sulu, who had variations of his own uniform).

TOS originally had space as adventurous, and fun…albeit a little bit dangerous. Over the years, TNG and other Trek shows had a more military and generic sense; the uniforms for men and women showed that, unfortunately.

I am reading ‘McCoy: Crucible’ right now, and Tonia Barrows (I know you males have heard of her! ) wears the pants and tunic due to her new posting in physical sciences and new rank of Ensign. Of course, in the series, majority of the women were shown wearing the skirt uniform, with a few instances of female officers wearing the pants and tunic…

However, it shows the female officers have a choice. (And they aren't treated differently if they wear either pants/tunic or the skirt uniform, it depends on the job).

In the films (again where it was becoming more military with the uniforms), Kirk and Scotty had a somewhat variation of the jacket in ST:III and ST:V, and Uhura would wear either the skirt uniform or pants depending on her job, and practicality.

***

Now, as a thought: What if we saw Chakotay in the male, VOY version of the skant…? Maybe during a late shift: and for practicality he would change into his ‘catsuit’ when on regular duty?

I know I would be watching VOY regularly, but that is beside the point…

Variations(or choices) of uniform doesn’t have to regulated to just females…the guys could have that too…

WillCAD said:
I sort of agree with that, but not entirely.

Most of the non-uniform females in 24th century Trek are protrayed differently than the males not because they were women, but because they were not Starfleet officers and didn't have the years of training and experience that the Fleeters did.

However, Kasidy Yates was portrayed well, during the small amount of screen time she got. She was a freighter captain - a person with a lot of responsibility and skill.

Leeta wasn't given a lot of respect, but again, that was an integral part of her character - she was a Dabo girl, a casino hostess whose job it was to look sexy and distract the customers from their game play so they'd be more likely to lose to the house. Naturally, a Dabo girl isn't going to get much respect, either in-universe or IRL.

Seven, on the other hand, never joined Starfleet, never wore the uniform (except for a fewisolated incedents), yet she was written and played as a strong main character with plenty of skill and talent.

I guess there aren't a lot of examples of regular female characters in Trek who are not in Starfleet, but I don't see them getting less respect than those in uniform unless the character specifically calls for it.

Good post…:thumbsup:

 

[pookha]

i guess as a kid who grew up watching not only star trek but the avengers and batgirl i never have understood the whole problem with catsuits.

if anything they were worn by smart intelligent strong women who were not afraid to get in the middle of the action and mix things up.

unlike the ultra mini's of tos which would seem to be rather limiting in a fight.

it just seemed odd to me when later on the catsuit some how became the symbol of a bimbo.

i just wish chase had really seen more of the respective shows. at least she was honest in admitting she hadnt.
there was more to tpol then the catsuit and the four episodes with her in decon (and in three of those episodes they were a small part of the entire episode) just as there was more to seven then the catsuit.

 

[Baba101]

Catsuit's purpose are for male masturbation fatantisies.