"Star Trek's" Sulu, George Takei Comes Out
“It’s been what, 30 years since he’s been someone that America gave a s--- about? Other than the Star Trek fanboys, of course. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s great for him that he’s come out of the closet, it’s just too late for it to make any kind of difference. For that, I’ll be honest, I’m a little ticked off.” (source)
I read today that George Takei came out of the closet. I remember growing up that I had this huge crush on Walter Koenig (played Chekov) when I was a kid. I wanted to be just like him. There was one scene where Sulu was crazy (I forget the plot), and I remember him running around without his shirt with this huge sword. I was thinking, “OH MY GOD!” If I had any doubts what so ever about being gay, that confirmed it.
I’m personally disappointed that George Takei waited so long to come out. My feelings are in line with the quote above. But, I do understand it. The truly unfortunate thing about him waiting so long is the fact that he could have sent a powerful message to kids like me; the message that it was “ok” to be who you are. It says less about the integrity of Mr. Takei, and more about the cruel and judgmental world we live in. Had he come out twenty years ago, do you really think Mr. Sulu would have continued with Star Trek?
There are many many people in the United States today who are in the closet, out of fear. They fear judgment, rejection, gay bashing, and murder. We are not a free country. Many of us live in tyranny.
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Just wanted to say, as a straight male, that I understand Mr. Takei not coming out until he did.
Mr. Takei, as a child, spent time in an interment camp because he was Japanese and for no reason other than that.
Could you imagine what it would be like to go through that and then consider coming out?
He had already experienced what it was like for being an oppressed minority once (and for no good reason), would he want to risk it again?
The atmosphere in the 60s and 70s WAS different. The tolerence was not there. Anyone remember Rock Hudson? He would not have had much of a career had it been known he was gay. Mr Takei may not been able to get the work that he did (and he did work).
Can we give him our sympathy, understanding and acceptance, please?
Thanks
Thomas
If all people would come out of the closet and stand together,we could have had more power to stand taller,and maybe we could push those bigots in washington to change laws faster,but people have to hide for reasons that i understand,but the time has come to open the closet and say take me as i am and get over it,we are not going to fade away,rosa parks did what we need to do,have courage to stand up for ourselves,and stop letting people push us around.
I am disappointed that he felt the need to hide his sexuality, but I do understand. I have been out at work in both my last two jobs (spanning 25 years) and I was even an advocate, trying to get sexual orientation included in the non-discrimination policy (large corporation – it did NOT work, current small company, success!). While I am sure it’s common in pro sports, where you have to appeal to neanderthals who are threatened by their own attractions, it’s truly a shame that in the supposedly ‘liberal’ environment of Hollywood, the same is true. If you took all of the gays out of Hollywood, we’d have a third world entertainment industry.
I once wrote a nasty letter to corporate HQ of Sound Wherehouse when they instituted a “no long hair, no beards, no piercings” policy, because some very knowlegable employees were ‘let go’ because they didn’t fit the new corporate standard. I was a customer, not an employee, but I was angry. I wrote that if they truly believed it was offensive, they not SELL any music by people with “long hair, beards or piercings”. I got a reply from the president defending the position, saying “lots of companies do this, Disney does it”. I guess the logic being that it's OK to be an intolerant bigot as long as you're not alone. They went bankrupt. They asked for it. I wish the same fate on all those bigots out there.