News Rapp: Honored To Play A Gay Man On Trek

[Jedman67]

I'm not in favor of sex scenes on TV in general, and i think having an out of context hetero or gay-sex scene for a ratings bump would be distasteful. That said, adding gay or transgendered characters for the sole purpose of token diversity does no one any favors. Do it right, make it interesting and useful. Sure, Sulu's scene in Yorktown didn't add much, but it was subtle and done tastefully.

 

[Jedman67]

FTR, Travis Mayweather was ENT's 'token black guy'. A more likeable version of Harry Kim with less substance. I'd rather see another Sisko, a complex individual capable of much more than he thought, whose heritage helped define who he was (minus all that Prophets nonsense).

 

[cooleddie74]

You know, what does "shoving it down out throats" even mean.

I can't speak for the euphemism in the context of Star Trek but in American politics it means homophobic conservative politicians attacking policy proposals from their opponents while still managing to sound like they subconsciously want oral sex from men.

 

[BillJ]

That said, adding gay or transgendered characters for the sole purpose of token diversity does no one any favors. Do it right, make it interesting and useful.

I don't think someone being gay has to have anymore of a story purpose than someone being straight. Just part of the person, not the defining element.

 

[Awesome Possum]

I'm not in favor of sex scenes on TV in general, and i think having an out of context hetero or gay-sex scene for a ratings bump would be distasteful. That said, adding gay or transgendered characters for the sole purpose of token diversity does no one any favors. Do it right, make it interesting and useful. Sure, Sulu's scene in Yorktown didn't add much, but it was subtle and done tastefully.

So subtle it was easy to miss.

I want a trans character on the show. Not a prop to show off how far we've come, but a character who is contributing to the show while still being trans. Just like how all the characters contribute while still being cis.

Seeing someone like yourself matters. Most people take that for granted because all they see is people like them, so much so that when they see someone different they get upset. If Star Trek is meant to be an exploration of humanity, then sticking to only straight and cisgendered people is ignoring a portion of humanity. By having gay and trans characters, the show would be richer and able to tell more stories. It would also show young gay and trans kids that they have a future and a world that accepts them and is better because of it is worth living for and worth fighting for.

 

[T'Bonz]

So subtle it was easy to miss.

Especially given the build-up beforehand, I was surprised at how subtle it was. Actually, it was probably too subtle.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Especially given the build-up beforehand, I was surprised at how subtle it was. Actually, it was probably too subtle.

If it hadn't been mentioned in the press and wasn't a contraversy here. I honestly doubt anyone would have known for sure. You'd have people saying it was his husband and some saying it was his brother or friend.

 

[Jedman67]

Fair points

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

Especially given the build-up beforehand, I was surprised at how subtle it was. Actually, it was probably too subtle.

I dunno. I thought it was pretty clear.

If you had no knowledge of Sulu's sexual preference, a woman and a child came out to greet Sulu the way he was greeted, it would be a fair assumption that the woman was Sulu's significant other/wife. So instead, a man comes out to greet him like that and it would be a fair assumption Sulu has a man for a significant other.

Bam! Gay character instantly established.

 

[T'Bonz]

If it hadn't been mentioned in the press and wasn't a controversy here. I honestly doubt anyone would have known for sure. You'd have people saying it was his husband and some saying it was his brother or friend.

Yeah, there would have been confusion for sure and plenty of opinion on the scene.

I don't think that will be the way it happens in Discovery.

We will see soon enough.

 

[Idran]

If you had no knowledge of Sulu's sexual preference, a woman and a child came out to greet Sulu the way he was greeted, it would be a fair assumption that the woman was Sulu's significant other/wife. So instead, a man comes out to greet him like that and it would be a fair assumption Sulu has a man for a significant other.

Bam! Gay character instantly established.

You'd be surprised. I can't recall the poster's name offhand, but we had someone in Trek Lit shortly after release that was incredibly insistent that based on the movie alone, they were equally likely to have been brothers as a couple. Not in the course of arguing that it was too subtle, but saying that he actually took them to be brothers in-universe.

 

[Jackson_Roykirk]

You'd be surprised. I can't recall the poster's name offhand, but we had someone in Trek Lit shortly after release that was incredibly insistent that based on the movie alone, they were equally likely to have been brothers as a couple. Not in the course of arguing that it was too subtle, but saying that he actually took them to be brothers in-universe.

I suppose.

But still, a random man and woman onscreen don't necessarily need to be discussing sexual acts they performed on each other to establish on-screen that they are a couple. There are ways to establish that a character is gay without resorting to making sure we know that they have had homosexual sexual relations....

[seinfeld_voice]
...not that there's anything wrong with that.
[/seinfeld_voice].

My point is that it's done all the time with hetreosexual characters on screen, so why not with gay characters?

 

[Starship]

My point is that it's done all the time with hetreosexual characters on screen, so why not with gay characters?

It don´t have any problem. If he is gay, and his character is also gay, not a problem at all. What can make him interesting is a good history and good acting, things that will make persons to like of his presence in the show. Simple like this.

I have friends (and a cousin too) that are gay, and they are good and cool persons. Everybody knows they are gay, and they don´t need to put a flame in your or in any other face, just to tell they are gay. They are gay and they are normal. Inteligent, gentle and educated persons. You don´t have any reason to leave them apart or do not have a friendship with them. They are welcome.

The problem is with gays (and not gays that act similar to this way) that have the desire to appears a lot, the desire to be "the last sweet coconut in the world". These ones are irritating!! They come to you and say "hey, I´m gay, do you know?" "Do you like to know why I´m gay?" "You can be gay too, don´t you know?, it´s cool!" "You know that everybody is gay in the end, don´t you know?" "Gays are the best persons in the world, cause, bla, bla, bla..." "Let me talk to your kids how cool is to be a gay. Maybe they are gay too!!". It´s cause of them that a lot of persons tends do not tolerate gays. Well, gays like these can go to the hell!!

 

[Long Syntax]

^This is a put on... right?

 

[Awesome Possum]

The problem is with gays (and not gays that act similar to this way) that have the desire to appears a lot, the desire to be "the last sweet coconut in the world". These ones are irritating!! They come to you and say "hey, I´m gay, do you know?" "Do you like to know why I´m gay?" "You can be gay too, don´t you know?, it´s cool!" "You know that everybody is gay in the end, don´t you know?" "Gays are the best persons in the world, cause, bla, bla, bla..." "Let me talk to your kids how cool is to be a gay. Maybe they are gay too!!". It´s cause of them that a lot of persons tends do not tolerate gays. Well, gays like these can go to the hell!!

I don't think anyone like that exists outside of a homophobic joke.

 

[Markonian]

^ I never knew somebody who behaved like that. Even flamboyant gays don't spout "Hi, I'm <name>, and I'm gay just so you know."
Actually, nobody of any subsection I know is like that, be it Christians or Vegans, etc.

 

[Kemaiku]

Wow...

 

[BRT]

It don´t have any problem. If he is gay, and his character is also gay, not a problem at all. What can make him interesting is a good history and good acting, things that will make persons to like of his presence in the show. Simple like this.

I have friends (and a cousin too) that are gay, and they are good and cool persons. Everybody knows they are gay, and they don´t need to put a flame in your or in any other face, just to tell they are gay. They are gay and they are normal. Inteligent, gentle and educated persons. You don´t have any reason to leave them apart or do not have a friendship with them. They are welcome.

The problem is with gays (and not gays that act similar to this way) that have the desire to appears a lot, the desire to be "the last sweet coconut in the world". These ones are irritating!! They come to you and say "hey, I´m gay, do you know?" "Do you like to know why I´m gay?" "You can be gay too, don´t you know?, it´s cool!" "You know that everybody is gay in the end, don´t you know?" "Gays are the best persons in the world, cause, bla, bla, bla..." "Let me talk to your kids how cool is to be a gay. Maybe they are gay too!!". It´s cause of them that a lot of persons tends do not tolerate gays. Well, gays like these can go to the hell!!

I'm gay and have a lot of gay friends -- I have NEVER been witness to behavior like that. lol!

 

[Jedman67]

The problem with gays, and this is the biggest problem with them, is that....wait for it....

never mind, i got nothing.

 

[{ Emilia }]

It don´t have any problem. If he is gay, and his character is also gay, not a problem at all. What can make him interesting is a good history and good acting, things that will make persons to like of his presence in the show. Simple like this.

I have friends (and a cousin too) that are gay, and they are good and cool persons. Everybody knows they are gay, and they don´t need to put a flame in your or in any other face, just to tell they are gay. They are gay and they are normal. Inteligent, gentle and educated persons. You don´t have any reason to leave them apart or do not have a friendship with them. They are welcome.

The problem is with gays (and not gays that act similar to this way) that have the desire to appears a lot, the desire to be "the last sweet coconut in the world". These ones are irritating!! They come to you and say "hey, I´m gay, do you know?" "Do you like to know why I´m gay?" "You can be gay too, don´t you know?, it´s cool!" "You know that everybody is gay in the end, don´t you know?" "Gays are the best persons in the world, cause, bla, bla, bla..." "Let me talk to your kids how cool is to be a gay. Maybe they are gay too!!". It´s cause of them that a lot of persons tends do not tolerate gays. Well, gays like these can go to the hell!!

As the moderator here I would like to remind you that homophobic content is not tolerated on this forum. The bizarre characterization of a "stereotypical gay person" of a certain kind (that doesn't really exist) is awfully close to that. I encourage you to reconsider how you approach the subject.