[butchniqabi]

do not get me wrong i love star trek but there are two fundamental flaws with it as a whole for me:

1. star trek, while trying to handle problems around racism, sexism, xenophobia, etc, has undeniable problems with how it depicts people within the universe and the federation. it preaches racial equality while making the klingon and ferengi walking racial stereotypes. it calls for the end of violent imperialism while the federation is ultimately a force of imperial power.
2. fans of star trek are perfectly content to watch a mostly white cast in makeup talk about equality and racism, but will turn up their noses at any attempt to reflect the (supposedly) racially diverse nature of the future. aliens that can knock someone out by pinching them? totally fine. a black woman being captain? now thats just unrealistic.

as much as star trek is used as a lesson for people today about bigotry through their story lines i think it can also serve as a lesson for us through their treatment of characters and certain species, that (un)intentional biases can make a series that is meant to be welcoming a hostile place for those it negatively depicts

[ladyvean]

Food for thought.