“If man is to survive, he will have learned to take a delight in the essential differences between men and between cultures. He will learn that differences in ideas and attitudes are a delight, part of life's exciting variety, not something to fear.”
— Gene Roddenberry
When, last time in Subspace Chatter, I condemned the intolerant and ridiculous hate aimed at Star Trek in recent years I expected that I might get some strong — and perhaps even potentially caustic — comments.
Instead, apparently, all I did was kick over a rock that allowed the very worst of Star Trek fandom to come crawling out from underneath.
I believed — naively as it turns out — that fans who disagreed with me would do so based solely on the substance of my critique.
What actually happened were not only attacks on me, personally, but the most vile of bigotry from members of a community I have beloved — and claimed as my own — for decades.
That, in response to my article, I was subjected to transphobia was awful enough — made worse by the fact that this hate came from others who call themselves Star Trek fans.
I’ve been a Star Trek fan for decades.
I was a fan long before I converted to Tibetan Buddhism.
And a fan even longer before I came out as a woman of transgender experience and began my transition.
From the first time I watched Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Lt. Boma (Don Marshall) wrestle with serious and important issues in the original series episode, “The Galileo Seven,” I was hooked.
The message and philosophy that Gene Roddenberry suffused into Star Trek became the go-to for this impressionable kid looking to build a worldview.
And like so many others, I found in fandom like-minded souls who for some reason didn’t fit in and were drawn by the appreciation for difference and diversity which were Roddenberry hallmarks.
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I’ve long known that there are some fans out there who identify as conservative. Still, I always thought that there were certain principles — especially that aforementioned appreciation for difference and diversity — that we shared as folks who all loved Roddenberry’s creation and philosophy.
So I was profoundly shaken when others who call themselves Star Trek fans openly mocked and misgendered me:
This isn’t even the worst such comment I got.
That dubious distinction goes to:
Not only did this person look to hurt me by denying my gender but went online to find a personal photo of myself in a very creepy and stalkerish attempt to … what? Shame me in some way?
Not gonna work. I have nothing but pride to be an out transgender woman.
That so many disagreed with various points I make in the newsletter? That's not a problem. That sort of dialogue is why I created Subspace Chatter in the first place.
That folks from the same community that I’ve held dear for so long chose to resort not only to personal attack, but outright bigotry and hate, that’s breaks my heart a little.
I used to put all other Star Trek fans in a special category: whatever else, I thought we shared a special bond and that they were automatically really good and empathetic people.
No more.
That this ugliness happened right on the eve of Pride Month in June for LGBTQ+ folks cuts even deeper.
But I also find it instructive, in some sense.
I used to consider Star Trek fandom the safest of safe spaces.
That I can’t even do that anymore just stands as a reminder of how far we have to go, to truly embrace Roddenberry’s vision.
Hailing Frequencies Open…
Here's the latest that we've been keeping up with…
Star Trek: Discovery Makes Lower Decks' Renaissance Faire Planet Live-Action Canon
Discovery's Most Unlikely Star Doesn't Understand Star Trek Canon At All
Chris Pine’s Best Moment As Star Trek’s Captain Kirk Isn’t the One You Think
MOMENT FOR TREK
I.D.IC. — The Star Trek Philosophy
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