News Trans character announced

[JulieYBM]

Measure of a Man can basically be read as a trans allegory. Data's manhood and right to be involved in his own health care is being debated against by an obsessed pseudo-scientist with flawed theories about Data. It's the same infantalizing bullshit we put up with.

 

[XCV330]

Too often I see "We don't need to show... " or "We don't need to have... " and I keep thinking back "The Measure of a Man". "I do not need them. I want them."

you see

Brian Brophy DOES return

 

[eschaton]

I
The kind of representation we're talking about in Star Trek is mainly people who are currently marginalized wanting to see stories where they are accepted by society as perfectly normal, which is Star Trek, at least in theory, should be perfect for. As a white cishet man, I'm not the one whose opinion should matter on this, but I wouldn't find a story about a homophobic or transphobic Starfleet officer appropriate for the setting either.

Again though, the issue is unlike race or gender, someone doesn't necessarily "look trans" just because they are trans. You could have a transwoman who looked totally like a cis man, totally like a cis woman, or anything in between. You really need to have references within the dialogue or the fact that a character is intended to be trans will fly over the head of many viewers entirely. Basically, inclusion is not enough - there has to be some within-script reference to identity.

Come to think of it, the same thing is true for gay characters in Trek. No one "looks gay" so you need to actually address same-sex relationships in some manner to be inclusive of gay people. Trans is arguably even a bit harder than that however, because of the "show not tell" aspect of storytelling. It's easy to make inferences about sexuality based upon the conduct of characters we see onscreen, but when it comes to the self-professed gender identity of individuals, we often have to be told directly.

 

[Jayson1]

I'd like a non-joined Trill main character at some point in a Star Trek show. Only a small fraction of them are joined.

Well it's possible this new character could sort of be that. Maybe he is the first host so even though he is joined he doesn't have other peoples memories. But maybe what he has instead is a deeper connection to the symbiont.

Jason

 

[SJGardner]

Again though, the issue is unlike race or gender, someone doesn't necessarily "look trans" just because they are trans. You could have a transwoman who looked totally like a cis man, totally like a cis woman, or anything in between. You really need to have references within the dialogue or the fact that a character is intended to be trans will fly over the head of many viewers entirely. Basically, inclusion is not enough - there has to be some within-script reference to identity.

Come to think of it, the same thing is true for gay characters in Trek. No one "looks gay" so you need to actually address same-sex relationships in some manner to be inclusive of gay people. Trans is arguably even a bit harder than that however, because of the "show not tell" aspect of storytelling. It's easy to make inferences about sexuality based upon the conduct of characters we see onscreen, but when it comes to the self-professed gender identity of individuals, we often have to be told directly.

Of course. I believe representation and inclusion of a minority character, especially an LGBTQ character, definitely includes them being directly acknowledged within the narrative as such, that's why I didn't explicitly mention it.

 

[Noname Given]

Even Saru kind of got that treatment last season. He had his little
"Saru arc" and then did nothing in the back half of the season. Tilly almost the same thing.

Well, with 14 episodes, what do you expect? Neither one is the main character.

 

[Oddish]

Not sure why being trans would be much of an issue by the 24th century. You could probably choose between safe, easy surgery to make you the gender you identify as, or modern mental treatments to help you identify as the gender you are physically.

 

[BillJ]

Not sure why being trans would be much of an issue by the 24th century. You could probably choose between safe, easy surgery to make you the gender you identify as, or modern mental treatments to help you identify as the gender you are physically.

Might not be an issue in the 24th century, but it is 21st century audiences watching the show.

 

[JulieYBM]

Not sure why being trans would be much of an issue by the 24th century. You could probably choose between safe, easy surgery to make you the gender you identify as, or modern mental treatments to help you identify as the gender you are physically.

The latter is yikes as fuck and also implies that gender has anything to do with body types and genitalia. It does not.

 

[dupersuper]

for some reason that remains one of my favorite season 1 scenes. its just very natural. it grounded the whole crew to reality in a way that is seldom done. These were real people, not uniforms. Ok.. they have pajama uniforms but if I had one I'd wear it too.

Do they brush more for the fresh breath? 100 years earlier Doctor Phlox mentions the coat their teeth in something to prevent cavities.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Do they brush more for the fresh breath? 100 years earlier Doctor Phlox mentions the coat their teeth in something to prevent cavities.

You still have to get the gunk off.

 

[Guy Gardener]

The latter is yikes as fuck and also implies that gender has anything to do with body types and genitalia. It does not.

Did you see Years and Years?

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Just when you've nailed everything down, the world gets a little more complicated.

 

[CorporalClegg]

Just when you've nailed everything down, the world gets a little more complicated.

That's Schizoid, Guy.

 

[Guy Gardener]

That's Schizoid, Guy.

It's from Russel T Davies, who did the first handful of seasons of Doctor Who.

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[Oddish]

I don't get the concept of gender, truth be told. Not sure I want to, either. Sex is much simpler.

 

[Awesome Possum]

Again though, the issue is unlike race or gender, someone doesn't necessarily "look trans" just because they are trans. You could have a transwoman who looked totally like a cis man, totally like a cis woman, or anything in between. You really need to have references within the dialogue or the fact that a character is intended to be trans will fly over the head of many viewers entirely. Basically, inclusion is not enough - there has to be some within-script reference to identity.

Come to think of it, the same thing is true for gay characters in Trek. No one "looks gay" so you need to actually address same-sex relationships in some manner to be inclusive of gay people. Trans is arguably even a bit harder than that however, because of the "show not tell" aspect of storytelling. It's easy to make inferences about sexuality based upon the conduct of characters we see onscreen, but when it comes to the self-professed gender identity of individuals, we often have to be told directly.

Just show them taking HRT or have a photo of them as a kid or something. It's pretty simple, they don't have to explain what a trans person is.

 

[Guy Gardener]

A dog got at our rubbish.

The neighbours politely knocked on our door and asked us to pick the 200 disposable hypodermic needles strewn across the verge.

"The old guy in the spare room is diabetic" I attempt to ameliorate before they call the flying squad and lock me away with all the other junkies.

I don't get the concept of gender, truth be told. Not sure I want to, either. Sex is much simpler.

If you have to order from a menu at a sex club, it's helpful.

 

[cultcross]

I think that it's ultimately damaging to the connection you have to an audience of twenty first century humans to go too far into the weeds of "what would the 23rd/24th century really look like?"
Star Trek doesn't even properly address the impact of its own technologies (eg the replicator, which led to the never ending post scarcity debate, or the transporter which as written can make you immortal with an army of clones).

If you start obsessing over the fictional future being "realistic", you'll quickly lose the real world relevance that connects you to your audience as well as the ability to tackle current issues from an accessible lens that is the biggest strength of the science fiction genre.

On this topic specifically, it's also a convenient way to erase people the 2020 audience deem "broken" in some way. Yes, a society as advanced as Starfleet would probably have the scientific ability to reprogram particular sexual or gender identities. They could probably eliminate races too, for that matter, or the male sex. But why would they and why would we want to see that?

"Let us redefine progress to mean that just because we can do a thing, it does not necessarily mean we must do that thing"

 

[Guy Gardener]

You sound like Jean Luc's dad forbidding a replicator in the kitchen.

If the mum didn't leave, she definitely killed him... Unless dad was the cook? And then who gives a monkeys.

 

[Crazyewok]

Bashir's childhood condition was basically described as low-functioning autism - the Federation didn't allow his parents to 'correct' that, and rightly so. Autism is not an illness, nor is it a birth defect

Speak for yourself.

As someone with just mild ASD I would jump at the chance to get rid of this curse. And most people with ASD I know would too as it is not the "fun" quirk that Hollywood makes out.

And I am one of the lucky ones as my intellectual development was never affected. At least Academic wise. Emotionally thats another matter...

Many end up like Bashir or worse. Unable to communicate or even take care of themselves, some not developing beyond babies.

For the federation to have a cure but ban it? disgusting and I would of got it illegally,