this post was submitted on 01 Nov 2023
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Risa
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It did bother me a little that Adira was adopted by Stamets and Culber, only because it sort of felt like "let's keep all the LGBT+ characters together" in a way, but I love that there's a nonbinary primary character on Star Trek.
To be fair, that trope is called 'adopted family' and is incredibly popular within the gay community itself, which makes sense when you think about it. It usually comes from a place that one LGBT+ person has been abandoned by everyone in their life so other LGBT+ step in to help because they know what it's been like their whole lives. Overall it's actually a very large part of the LGBT+ community and the primary driving force as to why people say "YOU'RE GROOMING OUR KIDS!" Someone will disown an LGBT+ youth, that youth reaches out to people similar for them for help, those people help, and then the parents get enraged.
While it is a bit of a "Let's keep them together", I genuinely think it was done by the LGBT+ folks themselves and just keeping to representing the community in general. That and Adira does have more in common with Stamets than anyone else on board.
That makes sense. Thanks for that perspective.
But of course. The Adira thing was actually made fun of (a little bit) by myself and a couple friends. We were all making jokes that Stamets and Culber would adopt Adira and Grey just because of how popular it is in the community. It happened to me. I've got a couple older gay guys who effectively adopted me when I came into the community. Happened to my trans friend. Happens a lot. So when Stamets is talking to Aurelio and outright says he has a child... We all were fucking floored. So I can totally see where you're coming from in not liking it. It's almost too on the nose just because of how fast it happened. It does happen quick in reality but woah.
I wonder if Anthony Rapp or Wilson Cruz had any input about it? Because I'm sure they can give a similar perspective to you... although for all I know, half the writers on Discovery are LGBT+ and don't need the input. I am cishet, but my daughter identifies as omnisexual so I really want her to have characters she can relate to when so many decades have gone by without those characters. That's why I appreciate Star Trek always being as progressive as TV will allow and why I appreciate that TV will finally allow those characters.
I'm not sure on if Rapp or Cruz had any input. I'm half inclined to ask Anthony myself next time I randomly talk to him. The staff on Discovery though, yeah. There's a lot of representation behind the scenes. Like a lot. I don't know the numbers but a good chunk of people behind all the new Treks are LGBT+ in some sort of variety. Another reason I love Discovery? One of the writers in Season 1 and 2 (and an exec producer) was Michelle Paradise. That name may or may not be familiar because she, starting with Season 3, became a co-runner of Discovery. She's also a lesbian!
Representation up the wazoo with this show. It was one of the biggest draws for me. Let me just say that growing up without that representation on screen and without people to relate to? It felt strange. Here's a future where everyone is loved and accepted but I'm just invisible. Still not there. Still lonely. When Stamets came on screen with Culber during the toothbrush scene... I actually cried. I knew that both the actors were gay but didn't know that they were playing gay characters. Seeing representation for the first time in Star Trek and knowing that not only are we still there in the future but we matter and can be important? It was an enormous deal.
Trust me when I say that you looking out for your daughter on that front is going to mean the world to her on levels you won't ever be able to fully appreciate. You are an awesome person and an amazing dad.
Thanks, I appreciate it!