“We see diversity under attack, and therefore Star Trek is under attack…”
Star Trek actor Robert Picardo is one of the most iconic personalities to ever take part in the beloved science fiction franchise. With over 30 years of experience portraying the fan-favorite Emergency Medical Hologram (EMH) Doctor, he understands that various iterations of Trek have all endured with their own specific criticisms over the years.
However, the undue aversion to Starfleet Academy feels quite different, as many so-called fans have out-and-out denounced the streaming series on online for its inclusion of diverse new characters like the franchise’s first gay Klingon and its first female Jem’Hadar. “We see diversity under attack, and therefore Star Trek is under attack because that’s what Star Trek’s always been about,” Picardo explained during a new interview (per TrekMovie.com).
“So, hopefully, whenever they create the next Star Trek movie and Star Trek show, they’ll remember what it was that made Star Trek special, and that present weather conditions in politics will change, and Star Trek once again will emerge with all of its values intact. That’s what I believe and I hope for. But right now, you know, the feeling has been a little grim recently.”
Picardo, who first portrayed the EMH Doctor when Voyager premiered in 1995 and has since reprised the role in both Prodigy and Starfleet Academy, also said during the same sit-down:
“Every Star Trek show was criticized in its first two or three season and then took often till season 3 to get on track. And even though I think the quality of our show was great, we were kind of killed in the cradle, and I believe part of it is the present political moment in our culture that diversity, that all of Star Trek’s core values are now out of fashion temporarily.”
I wholeheartedly agree with Picardo about the franchise being "under attack" because it truly feels like Star Trek, specifically Starfleet Academy, is under siege. I closely monitor the Redshirts Always Die social media pages, and I’m truly ashamed at some of those online users who continuously leave inappropriate comments often aimed at the streaming series for featuring a gay Klingon and a female Jem’Hadar.
I’m stunned at how small minded some people who claim to be Star Trek fans are and how they disgracefully behave online. True Trekkers and Trekkies embrace creator Gene Roddenberry’s vision of a future where EVERYONE is welcome.
Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, though. I remember many “fans” complaining about a Star Trek with a bald captain when The Next Generation debuted in 1987. And I’ll never forgot how some people actually complained about Deep Space Nine featuring a Black commander and Voyager featuring a female captain.
Those people were wrong, and those who attack Starfleet Academy’s Klingon cadet Jay-Den Kraag (Karim Diane) and the USS Athena’s Jem’Hadar first officer, Lura Thok (Gina Yashere), for being gay and a woman respectively are as well. Not everyone is going to enjoy SFA, and that’s fine. However, if you’re openly attacking the show for featuring diverse characters, you are NOT a Star Trek fan.
A real Star Trek fan would NEVER criticize a character because they’re gay or a woman — Klingon, Jem’Hadar, or otherwise. It’s as simple as that. Those who feel otherwise are NOT fans, let alone Trekkers or Trekkies.
For more Star Trek content and to share your comments with us about Starfleet Academy being under attack by so-called fans, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!
Add us as a preferred source on Google