From time to time, I have watched Voyager with a J/7 twist, and not only does it make a lot of sense, but it makes the voyage so much more enjoyable and hilarious. I've also watched TOS from both perspectives when it comes to lady captains, and I think both views favoring and disfavoring the notion are legit.
Since I was a kid and first saw Turnabout Intruder, it was crystal clear to me from tone, expression and mannerisms in addition to the words said that the Kirk-era world of starship captains literally did not admit women. That was until sometime before Saratoga’s captain in 1986. As nutty as she was, I always doubted Janice studied “every single detail of the ship’s operation” for years merely to punish and torture Kirk. I don’t think it’s a leap to think she also really wanted to become a captain, and punishing and torturing Kirk was the best and most gratifying way to accomplish her whack-job objective.
If you take Janice’s statement quoted upthread literally and contextually, couple it with Cdre. Stone’s remark about not “not one man in a million” could command a starship and all the other exclusively male references to captains, and Kirk’s statement as man in woman’s body at the trial referring to Janice’s lack of “temperament”, and Janice considering command of a starship to be her “just due”, etc., it’s not unreasonable to conclude that 60s-era captains were all male, and Majel’s Number One had hit the glass ceiling.
You can also try real hard to pretend they had all sorts of lady captains back then, but whenever I’ve tried to watch TOS that way, it feels saccharine. I’ve seen the show too many times to know it ain’t so.
And, yeah, I missed checking for all the rank insignias of the extras when I’ve watched STID, but I’m going to bring my opera glasses next time instead of the 3D ones. There’s a good chance those ladies were blown to pieces in the attack, so not even sure they should be counted.
I’m with everyone in this thread who believes the Trek should be about diversity, a concept which is hopefully reflected with greater clarity in the next motion picture. A lady captain would be nice. A sane Capt. Janice Lester would be even niceeeer. I highly suspect she just needs a little lovin.
From the Delta Quadrant with Love,
Seska
