Star Trek

I recently watched this episode and didn't find it all that enthralling.
However it had got me thinking a little bit and thought I would share my thoughts for discussion.

For those of you that don't remember, it's the episode where there's an androgynous race of asexuals and one of them decides to be female and falls in love with Riker.

Then the government finds out she's decided to be female and put her on trial before giving her psychotectic treatment to make her asexual again. While Riker argues she shouldn't be treated as sub-human.

Riker and Worf stage a resuce, but she decides she's happy and blah blah and Riker cries. The end.
Also Geordi has a beard.


Basically I wasn't sure about the overall theme. Clearly it's supposed to parallel Gay/Lesbian rights and the psychotectic treatment is supposed to parallel the idea in the late eighties that Homosexuality could be cured.
But is it supposed to be saying "Governments and people who judge homosexuals are not right" or "Homosexuals will be happier if psychotectic treatment makes them "normal"."

I'm pretty sure it's the former and the latter sub-text was really just an excuse so that Riker wouldn't be able to rescue Soren.

An okay episode writing-wise but they copped out big time on the production by having a female play the role of Soren. Frakes stated he wanted a male so it could be a much more powerful viewing experience.

Quote (spacemonster @ Jan. 18 2010, 4:25 pm)

An okay episode writing-wise but they copped out big time on the production by having a female play the role of Soren. Frakes stated he wanted a male so it could be a much more powerful viewing experience.

The same thing happened with the Enterprise episode, "Cogenitor" which involved a third, gender neutral sex.  The character was played by a woman and it was a love interest for Trip.  I think, for its time, "The Outcast" was pretty bold.  That topic just wasn't discussed or shown on television yet ('91 - '92).