Comments on: Light Years Backward: Women in Star Trek

By: Loz

Loz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:53:58 +0000

Janeway rules everyone else in Star Trek. End of. So this discussion really is an unnecessary one.

Women and men, let’s all just get a long, o-fucking-k?

By: Watch Veronica Mars

Watch Veronica Mars — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:58:01 +0000

I like to watch Veronica Mars episodes as well Lost. I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work. Look forward to reading more from you in the future.

By: Rebekah

Rebekah — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 15:57:51 +0000

Ellen, you have certainly touched a nerve! Good for you
I just want to thank you for encouraging us all not only to watch movies closely, but to think and challenge ideas brought about.

By: David S.

David S. — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 19:23:35 +0000

“I didn’t want to destroy her. Her life could have been as rich as any woman’s if only…” Kirk never finishes the sentence. He trails off and then Kirk, Scotty, and Spock all turn around and walk into the turbolift. Was he going to comment on Starfleet’s system being wrong? Or suggest Janice should have been content to go as far as she could on her tether? We never know.

I read the James Blish adaptations of The Original Series, which may or may not have been direct adaptations of the original scripts, and he has Spock finish Kirk’s statement by saying “If only she took pride in BEING a woman.” I interpreted that she was angrier over being female than not having an opportunity to be a Starship Captain. Kirk’s testimony (in Janice Lester’s body) confirmed that. Maybe the author of this essay was angrier at Abrams & co. for not going beyond TOS than the idea that Spock didn’t want to compromise himself and Uhura by serving on the same ship!

By: Ariel

Ariel — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:29:13 +0000

I watched the movie and, being a guy, I liked it. My trekkie female friend liked it too. I think that the changes you would have made probably would have turned the movie into a niche market expressive film type deal. Maybe I’m just a chauvinist? I don’t know. Personally, I like the fact that the future human race depicted in the movie isn’t perfect. That’s how we are today and probably will be for a long time. I think that’s sort of what Abrams and crew were going for, making the characters identifiable and as relevant to today as possible. The Starfleet guys at the bar reminded me of jocks and the scene with the green girl was something akin to a college themed movie like Animal House. Did it fit with the original Star Trek series? Maybe not, I haven’t seen enough to know but maybe it wasn’t supposed to. All I can suggest is to watch these types of movies for fun, not as something to validate your social views… or you can keep at it I guess, whichever. Choices are for everyone, including analytical trekkie film watching ladies such as yourself. Trust me though, the dark side’s more fun.

By: Langdon Auger

Langdon Auger — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:42:25 +0000

Scotty was the one who saved the ship from the black hole by dumping the warp core, so he did get his glory.

By: James

James — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:15:40 +0000

One of the things that I think you’ve overlooked here is that the movie, in many ways, was also to get the main embodiment of the original series. Meaning, that the orignal series was very much “the Kirk-Spock-Bones” show. For the movie to spend less time on the other characters shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone.

Although Uhura didn’t display “brilliance in action”, it was her that convinced the Captain to make critical changes to their tactics based on the aforementioned brillance.

And sure, Chekov and Sulu did get some glory - but Scotty didn’t. He too was supposed to develop a groundbreaking calculation, but it was shown to him by old Spock. So, your argument about not enough Uhura in the movie could be equally applied to Scotty.

Hrrm…maybe the movie is sexist and anti-Scottish?

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:06:17 +0000

Vi, interesting how you had your swimsuits even though you had an “unplanned” trip to the beach. And notice how you said that you had to ask your friends not to look. Even though one of your guy friends joked he would look, I would be willing to bet that given the opportunity, a real opportunity, then he would sneak a peek on whatever he could.

FYI, men are visual creatures. Science backs that up. Women can be as well. You give a women a well toned, muscled, and oiled up man, guarantee that she sneaks a peak.

For the movie though, you keep blaming Kirk for looking. He will look because he is a guy. Guys look. It’s what they do. To not do it would go against his primal nature as a man.

Also, he was looking mainly to see who it was that came into the room. the fact that it was during when Uhura was undressing was more of a result of the fact that she came into the room and immediately started taking off clothes. Kirk would have looked to see who it was no matter the state of undress. It’s called being lucky in the timing, but he was also trying to asses the situation to see what exactly he was up against. Should he had stayed under the bed until Uhura got dressed? How would he have known if he didn’t look? So basically your saying that the man should imprison himself by staying under the bed all in the name of respecting women. Doesn’t wrongful or unfair imprisonment go against the very nature of the constitution of the United States, where Starfleet Academy clearly resides.

Also, why didn’t Uhura get dressed at all? She was quite content to stay in a state of undress. Isn’t she disrespecting herself by staying in that state? And couldn’t you say that she was peeping at Kirk because he didn’t bother to put on shirt before appearing from under the bed? Does peeping only have to include looking at the opposite genders sexual organs, or can it extend to looking at the opposite gender in various states of undress?

And as for the green chick, why didn’t she do more to warn Uhura that she might want to put some more clothes on? She might not have made Kirk peep, but she wasn’t doing anything to help the situation.

By: Langdon Auger

Langdon Auger — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 08:23:55 +0000

I believe the author has a point and should have touched on more examples. The Spock-Uhura relationship can be interpreted in different ways so I find this a weak example of sexism.
How about the lack of women in the command structure? The only woman I recall in authority (with a speaking role) was the googly eyed doctor that delivered baby Kirk.
Each of the principle male characters (with the exception of Bones) had their own shining moment where they were the hero.
The fate of Spock’s mother was just a cheap plot device and a continuity error. (didn’t they already have a transporter lock on her, just like Kirk and Sulu 3 minutes ago ?)
This is the first time a recall the word “whore” used in any of the movies. (Spock’s little bullying classmates in reference to his mom.)
I was mostly disappointed in the movie because I was expecting more than just a typical sci-fi movie. It didn’t boldly go anywhere.

By: bar

bar — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:48:45 +0000

On your period, huh?