Star Trek premiered during the civil rights era and often pushed the envelope by showing a future where people of different ethnicities and members of different species joined together to explore space. At a time when roles for people of…
Author: Lillyan Ratcliffe
What does it mean to have gender stereotypes in Trek’s utopia?
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
Star Trek has a history of challenging racial and ethnic stereotypes, yet gender stereotypes seem to persistently appear in the franchise into the modern era. From the male command bias in many of the early series to how many women…
“The Outcast” is Happening Now
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
Content warning: Transphobia and anti-trans violence “The Outcast” is one of the most debated The Next Generation episodes. An alien society where everyone has no gender takes the title character, Soren, who identifies as a woman, and using some form…
“The Lorelei Signal”: A Hidden Trek Gem
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
If my legacy is “that weird lady who defends The Animated Series,” so be it. Just like its predecessor, TAS was made on a miniscule budget and it showed. Yet for all the weird color choices—the Barbie movie probably stole…
What Q’s Interactions with Picard and Janeway say about Gender and Sexuality
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
Q is known for interfering with various Starfleet captains, but interpretations of how Q interacts with Captains Picard and Janeway shows a double standard at play. His treatment of Picard is sometimes treated as more playful and humorous while his…
How Quark Prompts us to Reexamine Human History
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
Deep Space Nine often gave Quark, the Ferengi bartender, lines that regularly challenged Benjamin Sisko and audiences to reexamine their own standards. One of his most well known lines comes from the episode “The Jem’Hadar” – But you’re overlooking something.…
Where Enterprise Fell Short in Representations of Sexuality
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
When Enterprise debuted in 2001 it was meant to take the franchise in a “more modern” direction, yet it was oddly regressive in terms of sexuality. Not only were characters put into sexualized positions or outfits for fan service, but…
Marla McGivers, Khan, and Power Dynamics
Lillyan Ratcliffe •
“Space Seed” introduced Khan Noonien Singh, who has become one of the premiere villains of the franchise, showing up in films from two separate timelines, becoming a meme even non-Trek fans know, with a descendant introduced in Strange New Worlds.…