We can’t get to #StarTrek ’s future without including the transgender and non-binary people who are helping to create that vision today. I’m looking forward to meeting both the characters and actors who portray them and hope the writers treat them both with care and respect https://twitter.com/startrekcbs/status/1301219701440143360

If you’re confused as to why this news is groundbreaking when episodes like #TheOutcast seemed to cover trans identities first, I highly recommend checking out @WomenAtWarp’s episodes and articles on the subject (featuring trans guests and their insight): https://www.womenatwarp.com/tag/trans-identity/

Many #LGBTQIA+ people have found themselves in #StarTrek characters and stories despite a lack of explicit representation *because we had to.* Those relationships with characters aren’t invalidated by the presence of the new DSC characters, but embellished by paving the way for

explicitly out characters today. This type of representation - NOW, on television in the *real* world TODAY - is invaluable in getting us closer to the future #StarTrek envisions. For many, these might be the only trans and non-binary characters to which a person is exposed. Why

Not follow in Roddenberry’s tradition of representing a diverse and equal group of people to the world through Trek? He explicitly wanted characters of every color, every gender, with varied life experience and skills present on the ship, and especially on the bridge. Why would

it be assumed that he wouldn’t want the REST of the spectrum of gender represented as well? He’d have hecking LOVED having ALL of us represented, but he didn’t have the ability to do that explicitly in TOS for reasons like homophobia. We didn’t GET to exist in #StarTrek until the

90’s and when we did, it was a one-off character who typically died, was forced into conversion therapy, or had some other sad plot. Jadzia remains a beloved character for the #LGBTQ community because of how fluid (AND ACCEPTED) her character was, but again, she was never

*explicitly* more than a seemingly cis woman capable of loving a former spouse despite their gender roles being swapped (rooted in a foundation of heterosexuality) who eventually married a man. None of these characters were played by #LGBTQIA+ actors or written to be queer. Queer

coded, definitely (see Garak, who despite Andy Robinson’s admittedly queer interpretation of the character, wasn’t allowed to play the character that way and isn’t a queer man himself - though a damned good ally.

LET OUR TRANS & NON-BINARY #StarTrekFamily HAVE THIS MOMENT!

One of the BEST aspects of #StarTrek is how it teaches us to CELEBRATE this type of diversity, to understand and overcome the fear of our differences. This type of representation hurts no one but helps multitudes, including straight people! Give the world the opportunity to grow.