Yep, they're making Sulu gay.

[ArcticFox]

According to this article, they'll establish that Sulu is gay in the new Trek movie.

Perhaps paradoxically, George Takei is against it. Apparently he felt it would have been better to introduce a new character if they wanted to have someone be gay. I imagine he feels that way for the same reason I do: It's already been established that Sulu liked girls.

We all assumed it was only a matter of time before Trek started having openly gay characters... It's all the rage in Hollywood these days. The problem is to do a retcon on a previously straight character feels like a contrived political move rather than a natural reflection of contemporary culture. It's like they're saying "LOOK HOW PROGRESSIVE WE ARE! WE'RE MAKING THIS WELL KNOWN CHARACTER GAY! SEE? WE HAVE LGBT CRED!"

We'll see how it goes, I guess.

[Sstavix]

Perhaps paradoxically, George Takei is against it. Apparently he felt it would have been better to introduce a new character if they wanted to have someone be gay. I imagine he feels that way for the same reason I do: It's already been established that Sulu liked girls.

This is what really irritates me, too. I read an article where they called up Takei and told him that they were making Sulu gay in tribute to Takei. George Takei told them "no, don't do that." Yes, George Takei is gay, but he's been adamant for years that Sulu is straight. To make him gay, in his opinion, would actually dishonor Gene Roddenberry's memory.

It'll be interesting to see if this move ends up killing the movie. I have a feeling it'll end up alienating more Trek fans rather than increase their audience size.

[ArcticFox]

I'm hoping it won't be more than a throwaway line or something. I doubt there will be more movies in this continuity anyway.

[Deepfreeze32]

We all assumed it was only a matter of time before Trek started having openly gay characters... It's all the rage in Hollywood these days. The problem is to do a retcon on a previously straight character feels like a contrived political move rather than a natural reflection of contemporary culture. It's like they're saying "LOOK HOW PROGRESSIVE WE ARE! WE'RE MAKING THIS WELL KNOWN CHARACTER GAY! SEE? WE HAVE LGBT CRED!"

That's how I feel about it as well. I would rather have a new character than an existing one, but at this point, the reboots already alienated me (Into Darkness being just as shameless and tired a retread of Wrath of Khan as The Force Awakens was of the original trilogy). Here's to hoping the new show handles this in a more subtle way.

I'm with Takei on this one, rehashing an existing, established character to something completely different contradicts the vision Gene Roddenberry had for the character. I'm not saying Gene's vision was always right (Just look at TMP and his apparent disapproval of DS9...), but he had good characters. The situations he threw them in were often contrived, but there is a reason his characters from TOS and TNG are cultural icons.

[Deepfreeze32]

What do ya know, ClickHole (The Onion's Upworthy/Buzzfeed/clickbait satire site) goes and effectively proves my point with a hilarious bit on this very topic!

It's almost like the best way to write LGBT/Minority characters is to write them as characters whose defining attributes are more than their minority-status.

If you ever saw Stargate Universe, I think Camile Wray is a great example of an LGBT character done right. She's a lesbian, in a relationship with a woman back on earth. The show makes no attempts to hide or confuse that, but it doesn't really beat you over the head with it either. Because her character is far more interesting than that. She's an IOA (The international Stargate program advisers, basically) representative, and often clashes with Colonel Young over leadership and procedure. She's a bit like Roslin from Battlestar Galactica fused with a bit of Richard Woolsey (Also of the IOA), Robert Picardo's Stargate series character. Her sexuality only comes up when you would expect it to (And her on-screen relationship was nowhere near as...shall we, say "displayed" as some of the unfortunately-more-raunchy scenes in SGU season 1). It's not used as the focus of some positive moral allegory (like we saw in early TNG and TOS), nor is it treated as this incredibly unusual thing (Like contemporary shows). Other than a few comments here and there, she's treated just the same as a straight person is.

Which is how it should be done. Take note, Star Trek (new TV show) writers.

[ArcticFox]

They did well. Just as I hoped.

And yes, the movie overall was pretty AWESOME

[Bruce_Campbell]

I agree with George Takei. I have zero problems with gay characters in anything, but this was a little on the nose. "HEY GUISE, YOU KNOW HOW THE ACTOR WHO PLAYED SULU IS GAY? WELL, LET'S MAKE SULU GAY IN THE MOVIE! IT'LL BE AN EASY WAY TO THROW THEM GAYS A BONE!" It feels like pandering, and I agree that it would be better to just introduce a new gay character.

You know what franchise I think handled gay characters well? The Last of Us. One character in particular (I won't say who because the less you know going in to that game the better) is one of my favorite characters anywhere ever. They don't beat you over the head with his sexuality, it's never even explicitly mentioned, but it is strongly implied once or twice. It's a very small part of who the character is, and you would never know either way if not for one or two hints. The fact that he's gay is almost an easter egg. A friend of mine played through the game and didn't even catch it. I don't think there's anything wrong with someone talking about their sexuality if it serves their character somehow, but having talked to gay people I know, I think they would be better served with more characters like this one: people with lots of other character traits who just so happen to be gay.

[Deepfreeze32]

They did well. Just as I hoped.

And yes, the movie overall was pretty AWESOME

Just saw it myself. They handled Sulu well.

That was probably the best Star Trek reboot film yet. I loved almost everything about the movie. Favorites in the spoiler tags.

Spoiler:

Especially the references to Enterprise (MACOs, the Xindi, the Romulan War, etc), and the twist of Krall being the captain of the Franklin. That was pretty brilliant.

I also loved the scene near the end where Spock open's Old Spock's effects, and finds that photograph of the original crew. Just so good.

The bit at the party with Chekov talking about how Scotch was /actually/ developed in Russia. That was the most Chekov line in the entire reboot continuity, and I love it.

And using the theme song as the closing credits music. Excellent choice.

[ccgr]

A shame they didn't honor George's wishes.

I'll check it out when it becomes available to rent.