She must have a boring life.
Ever been made fun of for liking Star Trek?
- Thread starter Civ001
- Start date
I can't recall a time that I was made fun of just because I liked Star Trek, but I never tried to advertise it either. I had friends who liked sci-fi & comics and I knew I could talk to them about that sort of stuff, but I usually kept things under wraps when around the rest of my classmates. It wasn't that I was hiding my interests, I just didn't go out of my way to advertise.
That was my junior high and high school days in the 80s. Things were different by my college days of the early 90s, when even the popular girls watched TNG.
That was my junior high and high school days in the 80s. Things were different by my college days of the early 90s, when even the popular girls watched TNG.
It's 2014 and the "People who dress-up at conventions" thing still exists?
I'm not into that sort of thing myself, but if someone else enjoys it, who an I to judge?
I'm far removed from the days of having to conceal my The Making of Star Trek book in study halls and such, but it did teach me the value of not judging and mocking people in general.
Same here. It's not my thing either but dressing up in a costume isn't hurting anyone. It's just a way of expressing love for a fandom. I think a lot of people once they reach adulthood have this notion that they can no longer act playful because it's seen as childish. I feel sorry for them.
And thereby you miss an opportunity to educate these people by making them realize that fans come in all ages, social groups, financial brackets, jobs, and personalities.
As far as dressing in costumes, is there some reason people should not dress up at conventions if they want to? As long as everything is covered that legally has to be and the person acts appropriately, what harm is there?
Maybe she should consider how weird it is that people dress up in other situations. Why anyone would subject themselves to uncomfortable evening dress if they're going to sit in a darkened auditorium where nobody will see them, is beyond me.
Hall costumes are fun. I knew somebody who enjoyed dressing in a bathrobe and standing around in the hallway, asking people what planet he'd landed on (he really got into his Arthur Dent persona). Later that weekend, this same person put on his "Sandor the Barbarian" caveman-like costume, and attended an SCA demo... and when they invited the audience to participate in the dancing lessons, he happily took part, still in his caveman outfit (consider that in RL, this person resembles a blond version of Hagar the Horrible, but doesn't wear a grubby bearskin tunic).
I've mentioned here and there around the forum about the time I attended a convention that had the misfortune of having to share the hotel with a political convention comprised of some of the rudest people I've ever seen. One conversation that I will never forget took place in the elevator, shortly after I'd changed into my hall costume - a floor-length, light green court gown with gold trim and accessories, based on Robert Silverberg's novel Lord Valentine's Castle. An already-drunk delegate got into the elevator with me, looked me up and down, and the conversation went like this:
Him: Where you s'posed ta be from?
Me: (deciding to put on a cheerful persona, in hopes he'd decide I was crazy and leave me alone): I just got in from Majipoor.
Him: Did'ja have a good t'rip?
Me: Well, 14,000 years of time travel is rather tiring, but I feel fine now, thank you.
Him:
He didn't bother me any further.
Well for me it's more about the argument that of all the people who say that, how many of them have worn a player's uniform/jersey and painted their face for a sporting event? Or gone to a costume party?
I'm not into cosplay either nor do I dress up for sports, even as a huge sports fanatic. It's just that, even if you ignore the fact it's not my business what other people do, doesn't hurt anyone, and just isn't something worth being judgmental about, it's 2014; dressing up is common place, whether it be for sporting events, costume parties, Star Trek conventions, E3, Comicon, or a host of other places.
I'm not into cosplay either nor do I dress up for sports, even as a huge sports fanatic. It's just that, even if you ignore the fact it's not my business what other people do, doesn't hurt anyone, and just isn't something worth being judgmental about, it's 2014; dressing up is common place, whether it be for sporting events, costume parties, Star Trek conventions, E3, Comicon, or a host of other places.
When you're an adult it's easy only to talk about Star Trek with other people who like star Trek. And if you get overheard it's by people who will just giggle and leave it alone.
There's only really a big risk when you're in high school and the places you can talk about Star Trek with your like minded friends are easily overheard by people with nothing to lose by beating you up. In high school you can get away with doing things that would get you sent to jail as an adult.
There's only really a big risk when you're in high school and the places you can talk about Star Trek with your like minded friends are easily overheard by people with nothing to lose by beating you up. In high school you can get away with doing things that would get you sent to jail as an adult.
Anyone who beats you up for liking Star Trek was probably going to find any reason to beat you up.
I had my share of teasing in the '70s, in junior high and high school. Apparently around here, girls weren't supposed to like science fiction, or even science. My classmates couldn't wrap their closed little minds around the idea that I enjoyed reading nonfiction astronomy books and articles, watched Star Trek, chose astronomy for my science option, and regularly challenged and annoyed my English teachers by bringing as much science and science fiction into my assignments as I could manage.
Sadly that hasn't changed much. Science and math still aren't seen as "appropriate" for girls.
Ya, but thankfully that stigma is breaking. My oldest daughter, 34, is a scientist and I couldn't be happier.
Probably not at you per se. I recall a story about Leonard Nimoy, who notices some people looking and pointing at him. He then realized why, he was talking on his cell phone.Many years ago, I'm coming out of a subway station on Lexington Avenue in NYC and my cellphone (with the Communicator ring tone) goes off. Lots of people around me laughed.
But that was a long time ago. People don't do that anymore.
In a big city like that, where everyone has a cellphone, I doubt that was the reason.
Presumably it was before cell phones were ubiquitous, even in NYC.
So, to answer the OP's question:
A few years ago, when I had just been promoted to assistant executive director at work, the executive director was horrified that I hung a UFP flag in my new office. He said it was unprofessional, that the staff and residents wouldn't respect me as a leader, that most people think Star Trek is weird, and on and on.
What finally shut him up was my rattling off the names of the other Trekkies on staff who loved the flag. 
Yup. Sci fi costumes are weird, but sports stuff is normal. The aforementioned executive director wore team jerseys to work every Friday during football/baseball seasons.
Once or twice. But not in a long time.
Both my dad and my brother called me an idiot and told me I was stupid for liking Star Trek this, despite the fact that my dad used to watch it during it's original NBC run.
Other than that, a couple of people have made faces and and said "You like THAT?", but otherwise, no.
Other than that, a couple of people have made faces and and said "You like THAT?", but otherwise, no.
Yep, since about 6th grade, or so, I have had it pop up a couple of times (I'm 30 now). I seemed to always like Star Trek more than my group of friends, despite the fact that we all had various toys and the like. I always had more books, and wanted to do more costuming, write more and things like that. My friends, it was an up and down interest. Some days they were, some days they were not and it was not something we did anymore.
It was nothing ever seriously mean or the like, but I don't always advertise my Star Trek opinion for cautionary reasons.
I will never get this "math or science is not for girls." To me, that is just dumb and outside of my own personal experience. I'm sad that people experience that, but I rarely see people being encouraged to tell their girls to not pursue science. Again, I know it happens, but it is still weird.
Then again, I have weird experiences like my mom being a nurse practitioner, having a good friend who was going to be an anesthesiologist, a wife is far and a way better at math than I am, and the like.
It was nothing ever seriously mean or the like, but I don't always advertise my Star Trek opinion for cautionary reasons.
I will never get this "math or science is not for girls." To me, that is just dumb and outside of my own personal experience. I'm sad that people experience that, but I rarely see people being encouraged to tell their girls to not pursue science. Again, I know it happens, but it is still weird.
Then again, I have weird experiences like my mom being a nurse practitioner, having a good friend who was going to be an anesthesiologist, a wife is far and a way better at math than I am, and the like.
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I'm from a conservative bible-belt region of Alberta, and my junior high years were at a county school. The girls there were expected to grow up to be farmers' wives, for the most part. Quite a few got married right after high school graduation.
As for senior high, that was at a city school, but it was still considered weird for me to like science fiction. I remember a bunch of girls in my Grade 10 social studies class watching me trying to memorize all 79 TOS episode titles (by writing them down on a list) and being unable to imagine why I'd ever want to do that.
A bit. I think the extent of it was messing up the Vulcan salute and telling me to name the series in order and the cast/main characters. Nothing rabid and I like to think that I might have convinced a few people to watch it.
Great avatar! I'm a Tarheel, too. Also love my Carolina Panthers, win or lose.
My brother always teased me about being "a Trekkie"... until the 2009 movie came out. Now he is a fan, as well. I even found out his favorite is ENT ("the one that wears the NASA uniforms").
Substitute 70s for your 80s, 80s for your 90s and my story is pretty much the same. When TNG came around, some of the "just joking" came back. I hired an irritable office manager for my business, found out later she was a big TNG fan. Obviously, she and bonded... she did mellow, a little, afterwards.
My brother always teased me about being "a Trekkie"... until the 2009 movie came out. Now he is a fan, as well. I even found out his favorite is ENT ("the one that wears the NASA uniforms").
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