This Is Cool
George Takei, who played Ensign through Captain Sulu in Star Trek, has come out. I am a complete Star Trek nerd. The original TV series looks cheesy these days, but it was way ahead of its time in tackling controversial issues, race being a big one. Apparently, the show’s setting in space of the future made the censors more lenient. The later series continued this pattern; Next Generation had an episode back in the 90’s that blatantly attacked bigotry based on sexual identity.
Takei said the current political climate made it necessary for him to speak out:
“The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay,” he said. “The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have been unthinkable when I was young.”
The 68-year-old actor said he and his partner, Brad Altman, have been together for 18 years.
Takei, a Japanese-American who lived in a U.S. internment camp from age 4 to 8, said he grew up feeling ashamed of his ethnicity and sexuality. He likened prejudice against gays to racial segregation.
“It’s against basic decency and what American values stand for,” he said.
Good for you, George. I wish you and your partner many more happy years together.