'Mirror, Mirror'
One thing Star Trek has always done is hold up a mirror to our society and present it in a way that opens viewers' eyes. In the case of Klingon cadet Jay-Den Kraag, he’s been shown as ostracized from his family, not over his sexuality, but because he doesn’t want to be a warrior. It’s not hard to see the obvious symbolism of being cast out of your family because of who you are.
It’s classic Trek, taking a situation of social unfairness and presenting it through an alien storyline while still making the allegory work. It also shows how tough Jay-Den is to overcome all that to grow as a person. Brad Takei wrote in another e-mail about George's struggles and why the Star Trek icon was so moved by Diane’s work.
“What your Klingon character is doing carries real weight. There's something profoundly moving about seeing a Klingon character who defies stereotypes — a young cadet discovering himself while honoring his heritage. The fact that your character is about to step fully into his authentic self in ways that previous Star Trek had to whisper about is exactly what Gene Roddenberry would have dreamed possible."
Brad Takei continued by writing:
"When George spoke with Gene in the 1960s about LGBTQ+ representation, the obstacles felt insurmountable. The risks weren't abstract — they were existential. To watch you inhabit a queer Klingon in Starfleet Academy in 2026 is to see that future finally arrive! There are young people watching who need to see someone like you as a main character in the franchise we all love. That's revolutionary in its own special way.”
It’s sadly not unexpected that Jay-Den’s sexuality has become a lightning rod for such controversy. Much as we want to ignore it, there is a toxic underbelly to Star Trek fandom, and it’s been coming out more lately, which ignores just how well the character works as he learns from his friends and finding a new family of his own.
It once more brings up the idiotic mantra of modern Trek bashers on “the franchise has gone woke” when it was always awake. From Brad’s second e-mail, it was clear that George and Roddenberry would have loved to have Sulu be more sexually fluid, but that was never going to fly for 1960s television. Today, it’s no problem, and that speaks volumes to how society has progressed.
To act as if in the 32nd century gay people don’t exist among various species is ridiculous. The notion that Klingons are somehow exempt is even more ludicrous. A gay Klingon does not wreck Star Trek but lives up to all the ideas of representation, solidarity and acceptance that the franchise was built on.
That’s something George Takei can relate to, and he’s clearly happy to see Star Trek finally having the freedom to explore them fully. This should be a sign to the various detractors that perhaps hating this character and his representation goes against what Star Trek is meant to be.
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