[Andrew86]

Is there going to be a gay character in Star Trek XI? For me, the biggest problem in every star trek incarnation so far has been the complete lack of gay characters. The producers have gone out of their way to make it clear that every main character we have had so for has been heterosexual.

For the franchise that started off so well, with the first interracial kiss, a black woman on the bridge, and so many stories focussed on human rights and equality, it's a real disappointment that it hasn't moved with the times and introduced a gay character.

I'm not saying there should be a major gay focus. No issue needs to (or even should) be made of homosexuality - a character should just so happen to have a same sex partner or love interest.

As times have changed over the last decades, the absence of gay characters has become more and more conspicuous. To leave them out again would be even more conspicuous today, and I think it would have many people asking questions.

Star Trek has always been a franchise that dealt with today's issues in a future context. And it needs to continue along that vein and reclaim the position it once had.

And let's face it, with the recent success of movies with gay content, the producers have nothing to lose and plenty to gain.

[Saquist]

They could lose me.
I am not a supporter of the Gay life style nor advertising it. It's not necessary at all.
I really don't think it's conspicous to leave them out but it really is to add them.

I don't mind the activity off screen but the influence isn't necessary. If people turn out gay then so be it...but advertising sex in any way is wrong screen...we really don't need to go down this avenue.

There are alot of people Like myself that watch trek because it has more conservative values...making homosexuality a common occurence in Trek would lead me to leave it behind with a strong sense of moral direction. You see the world maybe changing it's moral temperture but mine will stay the same and I'll teach the same values to my children as were for myself. I'll always be non violent in those views but watching it and indulging it as entertainment. That's as much no, no for Christians as murder, sex before marriage, adultry...

Essentially morrality will change because people want to have as little limitations as possible. That's a selfish motive I just don't prescribe to.

[Elizadolots]

Andrew, I'll just say it now....I'm your biggest fan. I'll be here supporting you and this thread.

Of course, you do know that at this board, it's going to be a bit iffy, right?

I'll say that the movie producers will probably not be so bold as to make any of the established characters gay (despite reams of fan fic that makes perfect sense suggesting otherwise). However, it would behoove them to at least acknowledge a gay couple....It could be as simple as Kirk having to inform the surviving spouse of his husband's death during an away mission...it wouldn't take any extreme efforts on the part of the writers.

I think it's long past time that Star Trek The Franchise addresses this issue. Based on my friends, gays represent a large part of the Star Trek fan base so failing to address it would cowardly and rather offensive.

[Glacial]

How about this:

In the future, nobody will care! I mean, only a handful of major characters have gotten their sexuality defined in ANY way, let alone had a romance on-screen. Considering that, to create a gay character purely to have a gay character would be terrible writing. How would it affect the story, unless you're making the story about how a gay character's gay?

I think the gay issue should be a complete non-issue in the future, like Picard's lack of hair. Like Roddenberry said about baldness in the 24th century: "Noone will care."

[Saquist]

Originally Posted by Glacial

How about this:

In the future, nobody will care! I mean, only a handful of major characters have gotten their sexuality defined in ANY way, let alone had a romance on-screen. Considering that, to create a gay character purely to have a gay character would be terrible writing. How would it affect the story, unless you're making the story about how a gay character's gay?

I think the gay issue should be a complete non-issue in the future, like Picard's lack of hair. Like Roddenberry said about baldness in the 24th century: "Noone will care."

Well I know it's supposed to be an extrapolation of the future
but in reality...you're trying to make Trek palitable to everyone.
You could litteral risk the entire franchise by doing this...

but I could be wrong. Some will watch trek regardless.

[Glacial]

Originally Posted by Saquist

Well I know it's supposed to be an extrapolation of the future
but in reality...you're trying to make Trek palitable to everyone.
You could litteral risk the entire franchise by doing this...

but I could be wrong. Some will watch trek regardless.

I'd consider the movie a whole lot MORE palatable if they left peoples' sexual orientations the hell out of it, and just told us all a good story. And from a story perspective, tossing in a gay character just to have a gay character would be death imo.

[Saquist]

Originally Posted by angryibanezguy

Agreed, making sexuality an issue would point out a difference that need not be mentioned, its like.....water...you know someone drinks it... who cares what flavor they put in it ya know?.. its still water, and it still has no place on the bridge of the enterprise, hetoro, gay, whatever.

Originally Posted by Glacial

I'd consider the movie a whole lot MORE palatable if they left peoples' sexual orientations the hell out of it, and just told us all a good story. And from a story perspective, tossing in a gay character just to have a gay character would be death imo.

I know it really does feel like an intrusion. I certainly don't want to be seen by my friends watching seens like that. But so you skip an episode and it gets lower rating? Does it really matter? We know that episodes won't have any real action in it. I'm with you but Sex sales..no matter if it's gay or normal sex.

Lets put it this way. I refuse to watch Broke Back Mountain. If this movie feels the need to add that kind of sexual contact I will never see it, free or otherwise.

[Andrew86]

Originally Posted by Saquist

Well I know it's supposed to be an extrapolation of the future
but in reality...you're trying to make Trek palitable to everyone.
You could litteral risk the entire franchise by doing this...

but I could be wrong. Some will watch trek regardless.

I have found most Trek fans enlightened enough to have no problem with gay people or gay relationships. It's the whole "infinite diversity", respect for others and equality that is so important to Star Trek, and this tends to be represented in most Trek fans in my experience.

[Saquist]

Originally Posted by Andrew86

I have found most Trek fans enlightened enough to have no problem with gay people or gay relationships. It's the whole "infinite diversity", respect for others and equality that is so important to Star Trek, and this tends to be represented in most Trek fans in my experience.

This isn't really about enlightened.
It's about morality. People have different moraly...

As I'm typing I'm watching...Will and Grace on TV....it's funny. I like the situational comedy. Would i let the kids watch it? NO
Why...
because eventually there going to cross over from addressing the life style to enacting the life style.

The soon we realize that there are different moral perspecitve the better off we'll be. I don't have a problem with Gay/Lesibian...it's not my life...Right?

But we're talking TV and entertainment...SEX is a large part of it and eventually the end result is gay loves scenes.

opposite sex love scenes are awkard enough
how much more so for same sex to those who view it as wrong?

Why alienate so many people.

[sir num nums]

Originally Posted by Glacial

How about this:

In the future, nobody will care! I mean, only a handful of major characters have gotten their sexuality defined in ANY way, let alone had a romance on-screen. Considering that, to create a gay character purely to have a gay character would be terrible writing. How would it affect the story, unless you're making the story about how a gay character's gay?

I think the gay issue should be a complete non-issue in the future, like Picard's lack of hair. Like Roddenberry said about baldness in the 24th century: "Noone will care."

That makes sense I guess.

I would hope that by the 23rd Century that not only is race, creed, and sex no longer an issue, that being gay or straight is not either. Everyone is treated as equals.

And TOS did a great job of combing different races and gender to all work together. No one was ever singled out for their race or gender, they here just treated as everyone else.

So, why single out a person that is gay just to show that they are gay?
That would be like saying "look, he is mexican. what now?".