Homosexual Rights in the Star Trek Universe

The important term there would be "observed." Whenever researchers have investigated if a species does engage in same-sex sexual behavior, there is evidence. There hasn't been (I can't find) a study of black bears in this area, however a study on brown bears did find same-sex behavior, and given that black bears and brown bear (different species) exhibit the same behavior in a wide range of areas it likely that some black bears also display same-sex behavior.

I would not find anything odd in the least if portions of all intelligent extra-terrestrial species had sexualities beyond just heterosexuality.

 

It's also possible that the small (assuming it IS small) relative percentage of species that exhibit that behavior correlates strongly to the percentage of species capable of enough higher order thought to desire something and to couple beyond simple reproductive function. Bears probably have *opinions* about one another to some extent. It's hard to imagine any of the 80,000+ species of beetle complaining about a bad date the night before.

Now this, I'll agree with - it seems likely to me that at least one of the species we've been introduced to through Trek would have a strong, simple, very binary sex drive system, as opposed to the chemical and biological sexual spectrum that exists in ours. Just as we've met at least one species -Trill - where bisexuality would seem to be a given for just about everyone in it.

 

This. The percentage considered against all known species is a meaningless figure (virii etc do not have 'sexuality'). It's best considered in light of the kinds of species the behaviour has been observed in.

As an example of why this is the case, consider language. Only a tiny fraction of species have been observed to possess anything resembling language. This doesn't make us sceptical that intelligent alien life would have language.

 

Of the terrestrial life that is on the list of being observe engaging in same-sex, there are Humans of course, very intelligent. There are the toothed whales, orcas and dolphins, intelligent. Elephant are are also in the list, quite intelligent.

Elephants apparently are well known for engaging in lesbian sex.

 

In Star Trek, carbon-based humanoids of all stripes have politicians, soldiers, spies, diplomats, scientists, priests, priestesses, judges, jailors, husbands, wives, mistresses, families, etc. Given that Romulans, Cardassians, Terrans, Klingons, Bajorans, and so on seem to be basically the same under the skin, aside from some minor cultural and cosmetic variations, it seems safe to assume that some degree of homosexuality is a humanoid constant like politics, science, and medicine.

 

Any species which believes in such a thing as "love" is going to have homosexuals. Pretty straight forward I should think. So really, that's pretty much all the Trek races aside from the Borg and the Jem'Hadar. And who actually knows about the Cytherians?

 

I am Jewish. I have never lived in Israel; we came from Germany... hence, German Jews.

You may make such a distinction in a very limited situation, however, since the Diaspora the term Jew /Jewish is appropriate. We are Jews regardless of where our parents/recent ancestors were born.

BREAKING NEWS: Earthly views toward gay rights are still evolving today.

 

I am Jewish as well--from the Ukraine, if it makes a difference. However, about three millennia ago, I would have been an Israelite, regardless of being from the northern or southern kingdom. And indeed, it is appropriate to write "Israelite" considering we were discussing the evolution of sexual taboos within this specific period--in the formative era of what would become Judaism. The cultural distinction only emerges only after the Babylonian exile, when the religious practices of the north and south diverged. Correspondingly, it's in this era that the demonym Jew becomes appropriate. By this point, laws concerning sexuality had been well established.

 

The elephant in the Star Trek room: homosexuality. I expect when Trek comes back to tv (and it will), this issue will be force feed on the audience in a way some (maybe now half or more) wish it had been previously.

It's for this reason I kind of hope we don't ever see the original timeline again and the new show is based on JJ-Trek, it will be a lot easier to pass it off when they start pushing the gay agenda on the show. I like it has it exist right now.

I get that some may see this feeling as heartless (although I seriously doubt I'm alone, just maybe a bit more willing to voice my opinion on the issue than some who'd agree with me), but I really wish Star Trek would leave the issue alone. I'm really not interested in watching gay Trek, and if (when) it gets pushed more than previous versions did, I'm done with the franchise. I have more respect for myself than indulging in filth. I'm sad that so many today confuse love for lust. Peace out.

 

^^^"Gay agenda." You know what the gay agenda is? To be treated like everyone else. To have equal treatment under the law, like everyone else. To be represented in the media along with blacks and asians and hispanics and everyone else who is marginalized.

And when you post here and say crap like the above and use words like "filth" you're not just expressing an opinion, you're demeaning lots of lovely people just because you're squeamish about something you don't feel.

 

You are wrong, sir. Love is love.

 

Right... And YOU don't have an agenda maybe?

One could say (and I'm sure said) Star Trek involving black people in the 60s was "pushing" the civil rights agenda, Star Trek having female captains was pushing" the feminist agenda, etc.

Or one could say that having characters representative of the actual range of people in our society is a good thing. That Star Trek wouldn't be as good if 100% of all characters had been white males.

If Star Trek does come back on TV, which I certainly hope for, it will probably indeed feature gay characters. And for one, I'll be delighted.

As it turns out, I am gay, so obviously this is important to me - but I'm also a white male, who loved Captain Janeway and Sulu and Tuvok. Me being white and male doesn't mean I can only watch a show if the people portrayed are exactly like me (and as proof... I watched 700+ episodes of Star Trek with an all straight cast!) so I don't see why you can't tolerate it.

Finally, I'm always amazed as to how people who watch a a TV series that's all about peace, tolerance and open-mindedness can be so conservative and intolerant. I find it really, really puzzling.

 

I was wondering how long it would be before one of these posts turned up.

*popcorn*

 

Star Trek really is behind the times in regards to homosexuality. Practically every other TV or movie series has had a gay character by now and Star Trek is noted for its diversity and equality among races and sexes. And yet in nearly 50 years the only times we see homosexuals are lesbians in the Mirror Universe. Which actually is kind of offensive considering the Mirror Universe is supposed to represent the Trek universe turned "evil and wrong."

And I really don't get the above "gay agenda" comments. Doctor Who had a gay producer and introduced a bisexual character (played by a gay actor) who went on to have his own spin-off, and not once did I get the impression any kind of "agenda" was being advanced.

Although, an interesting observation that came to me while writing this, two of the major sci-fi franchises which have not featured homosexuals (at least not in their canonical on-screen accounts) are Star Trek and Star Wars, two franchises now being helmed by JJ Abrams. Not that I'm suggesting anything.

 

Both of which have been going for 40-50 years, so unless as a child he was secretly controlling them...

 

It would have been better if you had stopped your post before this point. This crosses the line into trolling, and you have earned an infraction. Any relevant comments may be made to PM.

 

Sorry, but that's hard to believe.

In a galaxy in which Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development prevails, it is a likelihood that homosexuality has evolved on many planets.

 

As nearly as I can tell, the "gay agenda" consists of (gasp!) admitting that gay people exist and are just like everybody else. Merely including a gay character in a TV show (or book) is therefore proof of some insidious "agenda."

Some people seem to think that they have the God-given right to live in a world in which gay people are invisible.

They're wrong.

 

The only possibly valid point I can see in what milojthatch is saying here is that there might be a real concern that the showrunners demonstrating that characters are gay will be hamfisted and use it to add sex in general to Trek to a degree that has not been there before. And I can see where even some reasonable people might think that makes it constitute "filth". We never needed to see Kirk and Drusilla from "Bread and Circuses" actually writhing around naked and thrusting on a bed together to get the point that they had sex, but the modern showrunners have not shown that they trust the audience to understand something unless it is shown explicitly. Plus, they're going to want to do that anyway because it's a cheap easy way to drive some video sales - whether it is good Trek, or not.