'Sigh'...A feminist review of Star Trek XI

[Dusty Ayres]

Re: 'Sigh'...A feminist review of Star Trek XII

My mother was part of the TOS's target audience for Uhura, and let me say this. It was the FIRST TIME EVER (outside of Juliet which I think premiered after) that a black woman was seen on television NOT being a maid, NOT caring for other people's children, NOT struggling w/o an education.

These dang feminists JUST DONT GET IT. With TOS Uhura even being considered to be competent (even as a space phone operator), was amazing to so many people who were very used to being ignored. Also, this part is huge:

TOS Uhura was FACTUALLY ATTRACTIVE. First time ever for women of color in a main stream audience! This hit home for so many people. She was also the lone female breaking up the sausage fest, she had to be educated enough to be in space, she was not delicate / weak/ or stupid, and yes she was there was a looker too.

Girls big and small all shapes and sizes got to see that yes, you can be pretty, smart, competent, independent, and in space all at once. So what she was a minor character, that doesn't mean that she WASN'T on the bridge.

I don't even want to get into what Nicholle went through behind the scenes.

But this was so important to so many people, like Dr. Mae Jemison. I dare someone to name the episode she got to appear in cause Star Trek's Uhura was her inspiration. BTW if you read her bio, it should sound familiar. Talk about the ultimate Trekkie, lol recite made up languages all you want but most don't actually get out into space.

My complaint is that in this film, the character wasn't pushed farther. She's still "just" on the bridge being a phone operator in space. That's not a call to change the whole thing and make her the captain instead, but why not leave her in charge? Even a throw away line like, "Uhura, you have the con," would be a great step. Something, anything.

In the 60s having her even on the show was monumental, that she was capable, smart, and happened to be attractive (to some) was great. But women's lib has left her far behind at this point. Even now women can be soldiers, getting closer to the front lines everyday (if they want). Women are CEOs and have many positions of great power and influence. But poor Uhura is still just an answering machine with feet. Check out Sigourney Weaver's rant in Galaxy Quest. "I know my job is stupid. I just repeat everything the computers say, but it's my job. So I'm going to do it well."

Chalk another one up to the dumbing down of Trek. TOS pushed boundaries and touched on social issues, while Trek '09 just rehashes and avoids boundaries.

"The bitching would be off the scale if B&B had executed this film." ​

Yet, here you (not me) and everybody else are, in 2009, doing the same shit.

This is why I still have the same sig, and will still have it, and am proud to still have it:

 

[Dusty Ayres]

Re: 'Sigh'...A feminist review of Star Trek XII

What the author of the article in the OP basically wants is nothing but Mary Sue characters, females who are the best at everything

Uhura needs to be the perfect woman because she's the only significant female character in the film, such that any qualities she possesses are seen to reflect upon women in general. The male characters don't have this problem, they can be as eccentric and flawed as they like because there are other male characters around them to provide a broader view of masculinity. Flaws in gay and lesbian characters create so much controversy because there're so few such characters around that each is seen, somewhat ironically, as much a representative of their sexuality as they are individual characters with personalities of their own.

This is one of the reasons why I would've liked to have seen Chekov replaced with a female character. That and Russian chicks are hot.

Chekov is, was, and always will be, A GUY. Deal with it.

 

[M'Sharak]

Waking up a thread inactive for several days to make a potshot triple-post, Dusty? I think this one's through.