Fraternization in Starfleet

[LaBarre]

Well now that several officers in the command structure (in Titan and Enterprise, at least) are linking up romantically in the novels, it will be interesting to see how the concept of fraternisation develops in light of this - if at all.

In Bill Leisner's Losing the Peace, there is a moment where the head of Starfleet sneers at Picard for making a decision that he states was based on Picard's "wife's" recommendation, and Picard counters forcefully, in words to the effect of - my Chief Medical Officer's recommendation.

 

[DevilEyes]

What I am saying is that fraternization is a policy that is based on the social mores of the time...

But I'm not sure that it is. The policy against fraternization is not simply based on some idea that it's "inappropriate" for an officer to be involved with an enlisted person, for example. It goes alot deeper than that. It helps prevent a whole slew of things such as sexual harassment, sexual coercion, abuse of power, favoritism, etc. And in situations where one person in the relationship might be able to order or not order a person into a lethal combat situation, those concerns become magnified tenfold over what they are in the average workplace.

Now, I suppose you could argue that people have changed so fundamentally by the 23rd or 24th century that such concerns are no longer an issue. But I think we saw from how conflicted Picard was in "Lessons" that such is not necessarily the case. Of course, Picard wasn't trying to abuse his power. But, still, he had a natural tendancy to protect the woman he was in love with and his officers, in particular Riker, were worried about potential favoritism.

Even if we argue that people will have evolved beyond sinister motives, the desire to protect the ones closest to you is a fundamental instinct that I think -- and hope! -- will not have changed, even 300 years from now. And, as such, those types of issues will always remain relevant.

And why is that not an issue with Kirk having his two best friends as his first officer/science officer and his chief medical officer?

Is the logic that you only can have strong emotions or want to protect someone if you're sleeping with them? I don't think so.

For that matter, what is the policy on having one's family member as a subordinate officer as in Battlestar Galactica?

 

[Star Wolf]

What I am saying is that fraternization is a policy that is based on the social mores of the time...

But I'm not sure that it is. The policy against fraternization is not simply based on some idea that it's "inappropriate" for an officer to be involved with an enlisted person, for example. It goes alot deeper than that. It helps prevent a whole slew of things such as sexual harassment, sexual coercion, abuse of power, favoritism, etc. And in situations where one person in the relationship might be able to order or not order a person into a lethal combat situation, those concerns become magnified tenfold over what they are in the average workplace.

Now, I suppose you could argue that people have changed so fundamentally by the 23rd or 24th century that such concerns are no longer an issue. But I think we saw from how conflicted Picard was in "Lessons" that such is not necessarily the case. Of course, Picard wasn't trying to abuse his power. But, still, he had a natural tendancy to protect the woman he was in love with and his officers, in particular Riker, were worried about potential favoritism.

Even if we argue that people will have evolved beyond sinister motives, the desire to protect the ones closest to you is a fundamental instinct that I think -- and hope! -- will not have changed, even 300 years from now. And, as such, those types of issues will always remain relevant.

And why is that not an issue with Kirk having his two best friends as his first officer/science officer and his chief medical officer?

Is the logic that you only can have strong emotions or want to protect someone if you're sleeping with them? I don't think so.

For that matter, what is the policy on having one's family member as a subordinate officer as in Battlestar Galactica?

Well it does happen as Lt Cmdr McCain was subordinate to Admiral McCain but in a fleet large enough it can be avoided. In NuBSG little Adama wasn't assigned to papa Adama. He was just another survivor who had no where else to go. With all hands needed it seems he should be more valuable as a warrior for humanity then a lawyer/politician.

 

[apenpaap]

I don't think there are regulations against family members serving under each other's command. Prynn Tenmei served under her father's command.