Utopia in an unjust world: Queerness in Star Trek

Abstract

For more than half a century, the Star Trek television series has tackled sensitive issues on television (Heath and Carlisle, 2020). The Star Trek universe, set in a far-future space-soap-opera style, has from the beginning celebrated the diversity of human existence and portrayed a positive image of the future of humanity (Kozinets, 2001; Mittermeier and Spychala, 2020). The article examines the different manifestations of queerness in the series over time and the experiences of queer, trans, and genderqueer viewers of them. Ethnographic, qualitative research methods were used in the research. Data collection consisted of interviews with Icelandic queer, trans and non-binary Star Trek fans, participatory observations among them, and media analysis of writings about Star Trek and fans of the series in Icelandic media. Data from the interviews will be the main focus of the article. The results demonstrate how Star Trek fans experience the atmosphere created at the conventions and other Star Trek group gatherings as a sign of respect for diversity and a safe space for queer people. The results also display how the series give the interviewees hope for a more equal future through discussion of social issues and positive portrayals of various groups such as queer, trans and genderqueer people who are represented in the series in different ways at different times.