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To Boldly Go: Essays on Gender and Identity in the Star Trek Universe
In 2016, Star Trek--arguably the most popular science fiction franchise of all time--turned 50. During that time the original series and its various offshoots have created some of the genre's most iconic characters and reiterated a vision of an egalitarian future where humans no longer discriminate against race, gender or sexuality. This collection of new essays provides a timely study of how well Star Trek has lived up to its own ideals of inclusivity and equality, and how well prepared it is to boldly go with everyone into the next half century.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 2, 2017
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January 4, 2018
This is exactly the kind of content I've been looking for in my life. Academic essays about a television show that I love, and the people take it seriously, and take me seriously for being interested in these ideas? I was pleased.
All fifteen essays gave me something to think about in a way I hadn't before, and I definitely plan to return to this book once I've managed to watch some (or all) of Deep Space Nine or Voyager. (It's a very weird feeling, knowing that I could probably summarize and discuss some of what I've learned about Julian Bashir from this book, but I couldn't pick him out of a lineup.) The topics ranged from masculinity to disability to race to gothic literature to transgender representation (spoiler alert: not great) within Star Trek's iterations.
These were my five favorites:
On how to Overcome Nonfunctional Attachment Bonds in Outer Space (Farghaly) :: Having not watched Farscape (or Voyager, for that matter), probably a lot of this essay was lost on me. But it was still fascinating. Finding or building a family, as well as finding and building one's womanhood, require a lot of help from Space Friends, which is just nice to think about. Also, I am excited to learn more about Seven of Nine and Aeryn Sun in the future, because, why not?
Photons and Phantoms: Kathryn Janeway as Gothic Heroine (Dobson) :: THIS ONE WAS MY FAVORITE. And totally not because I am very excited about Gothic fiction right now, and also not because I have watched Crimson Peak four times in the last seven weeks. Star Trek + Jane Eyre + The Turn of the Screw (+Rebecca, which I have not read) = COOL BEANS, is all that I am saying. Also, reading about Captain Janeway is extremely motivating when working out, FYI.
Female Leadership, Sacrifice and Technological Mastery on Star Trek: Voyager (Palmer) :: I had definitely not thought about how the physical connection/assimilation of women with technology as topic to think about, but now this essay has taught me some things. Basically, though, Voyager's women have mad tech skills, and girls should build stuff, amen.
(Side Note: everyone seems to have an opinion on Jeri Ryan's boobs. Umkay.)
Where No Girl Has Gone Before? Teenage Girls in Star Trek's Strong Female Future (Wilkinson) :: This essay actually made me kind of mad—not because I disagreed overly. It actually points out that no Star Trek iteration has explored what it means for a girl to be a teenager, moving from girlhood to womanhood. (Also, it turns out Wesley Crusher could have been Leslie Crusher, except certain folks (read as: Gene Roddenberry, the knave) didn't think a girl teenager would have as many story opportunities. I only watched Star Trek sporadically through my teens, but I know I would have latched onto an interesting girl traveling through adolescence. And now I'm not a teenager anymore, so when they fix this error, I won't get to appreciate it in the same way. (The rest of the essay was good too, but still. Gah.)
To Boldly Go Where No Undead Have Gone Before: Comparisons Between Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek and Bram Stoker's Dracula (Bacon) :: It is too bad I didn't read this book like two months ago, because if I could have written about Star Trek and Dracula for my final paper in Lit Theory, you can bet your bottom that I would've. While I was skeptical when I began the essay, it ended up being so true. And QUINCEY. I can think of Quincey in a whole different light now. Whaaaat.
My only complaint with the book is that there were a couple of copy errors in a few of the essays. They were not major or overly confusing, so they weren't that big of a deal. But, still. Attempting to be "fair" or "nuanced" or whatever.
Anyway. Good book, will read again. *finger guns*
All fifteen essays gave me something to think about in a way I hadn't before, and I definitely plan to return to this book once I've managed to watch some (or all) of Deep Space Nine or Voyager. (It's a very weird feeling, knowing that I could probably summarize and discuss some of what I've learned about Julian Bashir from this book, but I couldn't pick him out of a lineup.) The topics ranged from masculinity to disability to race to gothic literature to transgender representation (spoiler alert: not great) within Star Trek's iterations.
These were my five favorites:
On how to Overcome Nonfunctional Attachment Bonds in Outer Space (Farghaly) :: Having not watched Farscape (or Voyager, for that matter), probably a lot of this essay was lost on me. But it was still fascinating. Finding or building a family, as well as finding and building one's womanhood, require a lot of help from Space Friends, which is just nice to think about. Also, I am excited to learn more about Seven of Nine and Aeryn Sun in the future, because, why not?
Photons and Phantoms: Kathryn Janeway as Gothic Heroine (Dobson) :: THIS ONE WAS MY FAVORITE. And totally not because I am very excited about Gothic fiction right now, and also not because I have watched Crimson Peak four times in the last seven weeks. Star Trek + Jane Eyre + The Turn of the Screw (+Rebecca, which I have not read) = COOL BEANS, is all that I am saying. Also, reading about Captain Janeway is extremely motivating when working out, FYI.
Female Leadership, Sacrifice and Technological Mastery on Star Trek: Voyager (Palmer) :: I had definitely not thought about how the physical connection/assimilation of women with technology as topic to think about, but now this essay has taught me some things. Basically, though, Voyager's women have mad tech skills, and girls should build stuff, amen.
(Side Note: everyone seems to have an opinion on Jeri Ryan's boobs. Umkay.)
Where No Girl Has Gone Before? Teenage Girls in Star Trek's Strong Female Future (Wilkinson) :: This essay actually made me kind of mad—not because I disagreed overly. It actually points out that no Star Trek iteration has explored what it means for a girl to be a teenager, moving from girlhood to womanhood. (Also, it turns out Wesley Crusher could have been Leslie Crusher, except certain folks (read as: Gene Roddenberry, the knave) didn't think a girl teenager would have as many story opportunities. I only watched Star Trek sporadically through my teens, but I know I would have latched onto an interesting girl traveling through adolescence. And now I'm not a teenager anymore, so when they fix this error, I won't get to appreciate it in the same way. (The rest of the essay was good too, but still. Gah.)
To Boldly Go Where No Undead Have Gone Before: Comparisons Between Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek and Bram Stoker's Dracula (Bacon) :: It is too bad I didn't read this book like two months ago, because if I could have written about Star Trek and Dracula for my final paper in Lit Theory, you can bet your bottom that I would've. While I was skeptical when I began the essay, it ended up being so true. And QUINCEY. I can think of Quincey in a whole different light now. Whaaaat.
My only complaint with the book is that there were a couple of copy errors in a few of the essays. They were not major or overly confusing, so they weren't that big of a deal. But, still. Attempting to be "fair" or "nuanced" or whatever.
Anyway. Good book, will read again. *finger guns*
Displaying 1 of 1 review