Do you think LGBT characters will feature more prominently?

[Guy Gardener]

I was wondering about that earlier today.

Is Chekov's accent real or is he just having a laugh?

Other than the Rochenkos (Worf's mum and dad) have we seen any noticeable mass of people that speak like that in an era when every sound/voice you hear is weighed, manipulated and censored by a universal translator?

 

[Spider]

Already had a Russian character, Pavel Chekov.

That was a long time ago. Keep up with the thread. Or drink more. At some point you'll meet your medium.

 

[JeffinOakland]

It's amazing how little Kirk got turned down.

Every frakking week he's batting a hundred.

Even James Bond ran afoul of a lesbian once, not that that stopped him.

"Sigh"

Bond exercised "conversion therapy ".

 

[JWPlatt]

Already had a Russian character, Pavel Chekov.

Just make it a Russian gay, for fuck's sake. Everyone's happy. It'a so fucking obvious.

 

[dregj]

Hows that racist?

Thats like saying straight men who only fancy women are homophobes.

Sexual attraction is diffrent to racism.

I wish you could explain this to all those people that say
grndr users are racist because they state there preferences blatantly

 

[Balok's Decoy]

I hope LGBT+ characters are featured in Trek. It's a long time coming. Trek has always addressed issues of contemporary socio-political importance. When TOS premiered in the sixties, it was during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War, and Roddenberry intentionally decided to put a black woman and a Russian on the bridge. Those weren't coincidences -- it was to make a point about where we're going. Inclusion, understanding, sensitivity to other cultures and people, tolerance and better yet, acceptance. Those have been Trek values since "The Cage." Today, justice and equality for LGBT+ people is a relevant contemporary issue and it would frankly be tone-deaf if DSC failed to represent those individuals or address those issues in a story at some point. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, etc.

 

[Nyotarules]

Sarek married a human. Given how many Vulcans treated Spock in both the Prime and Kelvin timelines, most would consider that illogical. But he did so anyway. The heart wants what the heart wants and that applies to every species.

A few Vulcans out of a planet of billions is not a fair representation. Even in Vulcan life one will meet crappy people, hopefully they don't out number the logical , decent one.

 

[Nyotarules]

If we are trying to eliminate judgement based upon race, or gender, or whatever, why do those things still matter at all? Why can't people dye their skin like hair color? Why can't women play men in productions (other than transvestite comedies) and demand that we use our imaginations? Or Asians play Brits? There's no symmetry in the objection to those things.

Suspension of disbelief plays a part. People do dye their skin its called tanning and skin bleaching, neither are done from a healthy mindset, especially the latter.

 

[JWPlatt]

I hope LGBT+ characters are featured in Trek. It's a long time coming. Trek has always addressed issues of contemporary socio-political importance. When TOS premiered in the sixties, it was during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War, and Roddenberry intentionally decided to put a black woman and a Russian on the bridge. Those weren't coincidences -- it was to make a point about where we're going. Inclusion, understanding, sensitivity to other cultures and people, tolerance and better yet, acceptance. Those have been Trek values since "The Cage." Today, justice and equality for LGBT+ people is a relevant contemporary issue and it would frankly be tone-deaf if DSC failed to represent those individuals or address those issues in a story at some point. Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, etc.

The new show has already stated that there will be representation. Including a gay character now will not be as radical as a black character in 1966. Although both are progressive, I don't think inclusion today requires as much courage or risk as it did back then. Doing it today is close to closing the proverbial barn door.

Suspension of disbelief plays a part. People do dye their skin its called tanning and skin bleaching, neither are done from a healthy mindset, especially the latter.

Tanning is natural (when from the sun and not tanning cancer beds), so it's not an "ism" problem. Agreed about the lack of healthy mindset about tanning or bleaching.

 

[Balok's Decoy]

Including a gay character now will not be as radical as a black character in 1966. Although both are progressive, I don't think inclusion today requires as much courage or risk as it did back then. The show has already stated that there will be representation.

Fair enough, I think that's true. But given how, for the most part, pop culture tends to lack LGBT representation, at least in a "this is normal and totally accepted" way that Trek is generally really good about, I think it'll be meaningful to see an LGBT character on DSC. I'm glad Fuller is on board with it.

 

[JeffinOakland]

Is it true or fair to say that one person, Rick Berman, is sole responsible for the fact that the TNG-ENT era of ST never featured a gay character?

 

[JWPlatt]

Is it true or fair to say that one person, Rick Berman, is sole responsible for the fact that the TNG-ENT era of ST never featured a gay character?

I think it's because the studio and production listened mostly to advertisers and their customers when they were making their budgets and story decisions. Now, companies (advertisers) avoid discrimination scandals like the plague and pressure states to change laws. The internetic democracy has arrived.

Times change.

 

[mdtauk]

Studio involvement seemed (at least to my knowledge) to increase as the series went on. Enterprise seemed to be pushed toward "sex appeal" with the bolder story ideas like the Year of Hell season, and the 1st season of ENT being earth based. Both of which could have been wonderful fresh approaches.

The fact much of the best TV is serialised, must be some kind of vindication for that approach. The Sopranos. The Wire. Breaking Bad. The Shield. etc...

 

[Awesome Possum]

The new show has already stated that there will be representation. Including a gay character now will not be as radical as a black character in 1966. Although both are progressive, I don't think inclusion today requires as much courage or risk as it did back then. Doing it today is close to closing the proverbial barn door.

If they were brave they would have a transgender character. Really the only positive representation I can think of is Nomi in Sense8. It would be especially great now since there is such a negative image of them in the US due to certain political parties pandering to the worst aspects of humanity for votes.

 

[BillJ]

If they were brave they would have a transgender character. Really the only positive representation I can think of is Nomi in Sense8. It would be especially great now since there is such a negative image of them in the US due to certain political parties pandering to the worst aspects of humanity for votes.

Gay people are kind of accepted generally now. I doubt Fuller would have enough clout to go that direction with a CBS' cash cow.

 

[locutus101]

If they were brave they would have a transgender character. Really the only positive representation I can think of is Nomi in Sense8. It would be especially great now since there is such a negative image of them in the US due to certain political parties pandering to the worst aspects of humanity for votes.

Since we already have all these heterosexual couples (Worf and Jadzia, O'Brien and Keiko, The nagus and Quark's mother...), what they should have is a gay couple, that we would see as regularly as the others.

 

[borgboy]

I wish you could explain this to all those people that say
grndr users are racist because they state there preferences blatantly

My take on that is that I don't have to want to sleep with everyone to respect them as a person worthy of equality.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Gay people are kind of accepted generally now. I doubt Fuller would have enough clout to go that direction with a CBS' cash cow.

Since we already have all these heterosexual couples (Worf and Jadzia, O'Brien and Keiko, The nagus and Quark's mother...), what they should have is a gay couple, that we would see as regularly as the others.

They're going to play it really safe and try not to raise any controversy. So a gay couple would be in line with that. Some people will complain, but its the same numb skulls who think soup commercials will damage children.

I do wish that they would actually try to make a difference in a time when it would actually mean something. Given the track record maybe we'll get something in another 20 years.

 

[BillJ]

I do wish that they would actually try to make a difference in a time when it would actually mean something. Given the track record maybe we'll get something in another 20 years.

After everyone else has done it.

 

[Awesome Possum]

After everyone else has done it.

Star Trek quit being groundbreaking in the 60s. If it had been like the shows after it, the cast would have been all white. They would have finally thrown a bone at other races by the time TNG came along because it was safe by then.