Star Trek and Gay Characters

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OscarGuy
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by OscarGuy »

I don't think you understand how alternate universes work. Typically, it's just the same characters where an event has caused a new timeline to develop at some point in it. A character doesn't suddenly develop as gay when he wasn't previously.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by criddic3 »

OscarGuy wrote: Why couldn't they have made this new bad ass female heroine gay?
I feel this would have been another kind of cop out. Lesbian characters are not seen in the same way as gay male characters. They are deemed "safer," because the male demographic has no issue with lesbians. I'm not saying that there should be no lesbians, but that it is a bit too easy. I think there should be more gay characters, male and female, but I for one would like to see a guy kiss another guy in a major franchise film. I also don't think it's so bad to make an already established character gay. This is a new timeline, an alternative universe so to speak. So, why can't Sulu be gay?
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OscarGuy
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by OscarGuy »

Funny. Paramount specifically used the news that Sulu would be gay in a press release trying to goose up interest in the film. This certainly smacks of the type of tokenism I argued this was from the beginning.

Let's hope Bryan Fuller says screw you and goes for it on his upcoming television series.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by danfrank »

So, news is out that a scene with Sulu kissing another man was left on the cutting room floor. Another example supporting the apparent current rule: it's fine for there to be gay male characters in mainstream films as long as they are completely desexualized.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by OscarGuy »

There is a Hollywood Reporter article about the issue where they spoke with George Takei, the person who is most familiar with the character. Who was approached by John Cho, Justin Lin AND Simon Pegg about the issue and although he express his disdain for the idea and suggested the introduction of a new character to fill this void, they have clearly ignored his wishes. They wanted it to be a tribute to him, but even he does not feel it is an appropriate tribute.

Why couldn't they have made this new bad ass female heroine gay? They had an opportunity to do something different and push out in a new direction, but they've decided just retconning a character is appropriate enough. Having a character just to say that they are gay and going all press happy about promoting that concept suggests that they aren't doing it to be progressive, but to score points. I don't have any desire to give latitude in such a situation.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by The Original BJ »

OscarGuy wrote:As for the making of Sulu gay to please the gay public, I'm decidedly not in favor of that. To me, it's tokenism. They aren't going to develop the character. They aren't going to give him any storylines worthy of such a character. They're simply going to say "he's gay" and drop it. That's not very progressive, IMO.
Shouldn't we at least wait until the film comes out before passing judgment on how the filmmakers treated this aspect of the character?
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by OscarGuy »

I actually considered Ian McKellen, but I wanted to get a young gay character in there. With McKellen, they could very conveniently have his husband dead for several years, which is a dodge. If it's a young character, they have no option but to treat them as a sexual creature. I did list Miriam Margolyes and the same would apply to her, so I guess there was no reason not to list McKellen.

As for the making of Sulu gay to please the gay public, I'm decidedly not in favor of that. To me, it's tokenism. They aren't going to develop the character. They aren't going to give him any storylines worthy of such a character. They're simply going to say "he's gay" and drop it. That's not very progressive, IMO.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by Greg »

One openly-gay actor you failed to mention who I think, would he be willing to do it, would do a very good job is Ian McKellen.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by The Original BJ »

Your article was amazingly timely, OscarGuy -- press outlets are reporting that Sulu will be openly gay in Star Trek Beyond, opening in just a few weeks.
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Re: Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by Sabin »

Good read. Something Star Trek has always excelled at is portraying racial dynamics with an optimism. I think the time for a GLBT character is long past due.

I wouldn't call myself a Trekkie, but I watched The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine quite a bit growing up. While I enjoyed The Next Generation more, Deep Space Nine is a more interesting set of characters, especially Jadzia Dax. I think you could devote an entire article just to her.
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Star Trek and Gay Characters

Post by OscarGuy »

I know many of you don't read my site, but I thought I'd share this article I wrote with everyone. It's an important issue that I feel needs to be seen.

http://www.cinemasight.com/why-the-new- ... character/
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
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