Star Trek

Definitely Pike's Casting*, Kirk's casting and "omg there were times I forgot I wasn't watching Lenard" Spock's casting were definitely genius; you've got to give him that.

* I seriously thing you could just take out all the scenes without Pike in them and just piece all his scenes together in order, without even any explanation, and it would win an Academy Award for best short film; just because of his acting.

Agreed on both ponts.

I don't know what the hell's going on here...

Chris, 

I can see that it's hard for you to express yourself quickly enough by typing; I suggest that you type what you feel, then sit back and proofread what you've typed. Add your puncuation later, and proofread it again. I miss some things when I post; if I spot them later, I edit my post. You can, too, if you wish. There don't seem to be limits on how many times you edit your work. So don't be afraid to go back and revisit your ideas, and try to clear them up a little. We'd appreciate it - some of us can't read as quickly as you can think!

So down to basics, doing my homework: 

Zoe Saldana's quote on IMDB about her race: 

"When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, "¿Qué te consideras, dominicana o americana?" (What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?) I don't understand it, and it's the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, "Yo soy una mujer negra." ("I am a black woman.") [They go,] "Oh, no, tú eres trigueñita." ("Oh no, you are 'dark skinned'") I'm like, "No! Let's get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra." ("I am a black woman.")"

I say, if Zoe wants to consider herself Black, then I will accept her as just that. 

She also mentioned that she is excited about making Uhura into a "stronger, kick-ass lady" in the future Star Trek movies.

Zoe met Nichelle as part of her character development; considers Woopie and Angelina Jolie her heroes. 

Chris, I think that you're confusing the youthful outlook of African-American women today with the struggles during the late 60's. The women of today are not as aware of their rights as those women were, but at the same time, all women are struggling. 

I'm a woman who grew up in the 70's, watched "Maude", "Three's Company" and other gruesome shows that attempted to try to explain the growing Women's Movement...but the problem was and still is, women everywhere are wondering if we have what we want. 

Did we do the right thing? I work, and then I come home to a house that I still have to clean. My husband vacuums for me, occasionally puts out the garbage, or makes the bed, but in the long run, I do most of the hard work around the house. Did we really do the right thing by wanting to go to work, and then having to keep the wifely duties? Is that really better? 

If I speak my mind, I get called a C**t. Or a B***ch. Or even a Dy*e. Do women really deserve that? Do I? For speaking my mind the way any man has the right to do? Why are women still looked upon as freaks if they have their own opinion? 

I find Zoe to be a fine, lovely girl, a good actress, and a gal who's not afraid of herself or her role in life, and that gives me hope. I'm have faith that her character will turn out to be a role-model for girls, and that she will outgrow the blowjob jokes to become a truly powerful female character. You'll see. 

I apologize if I offended you I didn't realize how attacking my last few phrases sounded.  I did not mean to offend you and just meant to participate in the conversation.  Once again I am sorry.

I was barely a teenager when TOS came out.  After a long career in aerospace and at NASA I can tell you that Uhura's role on TOS absolutely was groundbreaking and inspiring.  You have to remember that the show was off the air before the biggest and strongest wave of feminism crested.  When TOS first came on TV Want Ads in the newspaper listed 'female jobs' and 'male jobs'.

What the hell is this thread all about anyway?

Christopher.D.Norton.writer.activist

Definetly and activist!  I don't see what is anti-humanity about it. Anti-trek maybe, but you seem to see racist aspects in everything-- typical activist.

Very bizarre commentary, my first exposure to this boards. 

did you guys watch the same movie as me?  Uhura intercepted the Klingon message and was the only one who could speak Romulan.  She saved the universe.  Explain to me how she didn't play a meaningful role?

Bit weird, but 'kay. How do you know that there are no bisexual women in Star Trek? Is it just because you never see them being bisexual? You don't see it, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Anyway, why would they go about flaunting their sexuality just for the audience's sake??

oh dear I don't think you quite comprehended my response, (from ages ago) but fine. 15,000 is a pretty large post-count for a "rookie".

You did have Dax and Kahn from that (rather terrible) episode Rejoined, although the main problem with their relationship was that they had no chemistry and were both rather bland characters in it.

Fact is you see so little of people's relationships on Trek. Heterosexual relationships are the majority. I mean, they always will be -- even though statistically it's been suggested that only about 10% of people are entirely straight or entirely gay. But for that matter, there aren't that many bisexual men -- why not complain about that as well? Interesting... innit?

The point is that, since we see so few romantic pairings on Star Trek, compared with the number of characters, there is no way to say one way or the other that, for example, none of the characters on Enterprise are gay or bi. It's like the whole conundrum of "toilets on the Enterprise". Just because you don't see them, that doesn't mean there aren't any there. If you didn't see what Spock had for breakfast (probably Plomeek soup), that doesn't mean he didn't have it.

It's not a matter of hiding anything -- but either a character trait or action is relevant to the story, or it isn't. Simple.

Whether a character is gay or straight or bi or whatever else doesn't really make any difference to me -- but the thing is, if people really were so enlightened -- it shouldn't make any difference. And maybe when audiences get to the point where they don't have to say "Oooh two girls kissing" (NEWSFLASH FOR MEN: Lesbians are not lesbians for your sake!) then Star Trek will be ready for openly gay characters.

However -- extremely important -- when it does happen, rather than "a gay character", I would much rather see "a character who happens to be human, someone's brother, son, a very good officer, and gay". (or bi) and yes, there is a difference. Because none of us have one single defining trait, and honestly in a society that apparently embraces diversity, like the Federation, people wouldn't feel the need to identify as gay, hetero., or bi. Particularly since recent research would suggest that sexuality is more of a continuum than separate categories anyway.

I would think that "self-identification" in the future would probably be much more fluid than it is today; which means that you would be less likely to see people "coming out" in the traditional sense.

Besides which, how would you ever know that I am not a bisexual woman? See? The reason that you don't know whether that's true or not is that it has never been relevant to the conversation.

What the hell is wrong with you?

What a completely inappropriate post.

I see that this site continues to attract whack-jobs of all kinds.

lol. Some people get so easily trolled around here.

Is this the kind of thing you're talking about nolimits. lol

Goodness that looks like those training undies that toddlers sometimes wear!