Star Trek & The Women's Libber

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Title:	Star Trek & The Women's Libber
Creator:	Debra Bucher
Date(s):	August 1973
Medium:	print
Fandom:	Star Trek: TOS
Topic:
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Star Trek & The Women's Libber is a 1973 essay by Debra Bucher.

It was printed in A Piece of the Action #6.

Some Topics Discussed

• lack of agency for Star Trek female characters, specifically Janice Rand and Uhura
• other shows, and commercials, of the time were far worse
• Star Trek: The Animated Series was rumored to have some female empowerment in the upcoming episode, The Lorelei Signal

From the Essay

... to be truthful, there are a few things that any intelligent woman could take odds with on Star Trek.

Star Trek was basically ahead of its time when it came to social change. It was probably the first intelligent show to have a Black person in a respectable and continuing role. Most of the credit for making the show a social comment along with being fine entertainment must go to Gene Roddenberry, for he created the idea and worked out his idea to a conclusion. In the late sixties, however, women's rights were not considered as they are today [in 1973]. Most of the same old stereotypes shone blatantly through.

To illustrate this point let me give an example of what I mean. There were times when Uhura was denied her rank and right to be in command be cause certain authorities (even public opinion) didn't think that a woman should be in a position of leadership. At these times anyone but Uhura was put in charge. I remember once when Ensign Chekhov (not a bad sort actually but he is a subordinate to Uhura) was given [command] over Uhura for no apparent or explained reason. These incidents are not extremely numerous but for an advanced society in the future it would seem strange that total equality had not yet occurred. So it was not only a contemporary slight against women but it was also an inaccurate prediction of the future.

Even though Lt. Uhura may have had to bear these humiliations occasionally she probably had it the best of the female population of the crew. The other women of the crew (this excludes guest stars who were usually given dynamic characters with some intelligence to play) most often had a low rank and occupied their time by keeping the Captain or other male crewmembers happy and at tended. Either that or minor jobs like having requisition forms signed. (Have you over noticed that? Every episode at least one pretty girl goes up to the Captain to have something signed also it gives him the opportunity to eye a good looking woman.) Yeoman Janice Rand had to be attractive because she was always kept around as the possible love interest for James Kirk. Don't you find it strange that she never really did anything but bring the Capt. supper now and then, look in on the Botany Lab every so often, and beamed down to the surface of a planet with no obvious duties and for no apparent reason? Here is a person who had the possibilities of being a deep and fascinating character and those qualities were ignored.

Of course, I suppose I shouldn't be at odds with Star Trek as much as I should with the majority of programs of that time. Star Trek was most likely a very liberal show on that subject for contemporary standards but there were faults and as a fine show it can only benefit from criticism.

But to straighten out things a bit, I feel that down through T.V.'s history Star Trek is by far not the worst offender of women. I have seen many more offensive shows even today. In fact, I have seen more ridiculous commercials in this aspect. So I am by no means saying that Star Trek is the worst nemesis of women on T.V. now or in the past, only that it was not to tally equal or fair in respect to women's rights.

Addendum

In the same issue of "A Piece of the Action," the author added this addendum. It refers to a conversation she had at the con, Vul-Con about the upcoming episode of the yet un-aired, Star Trek: The Animated Series and a rumored scene:

Since I did that women's right's story en page 3, I felt I may and well follow through with this one. It concerns a story told to us at Vul-Con about one of the animated episodes. This episode (I believe called the "Lorelei Planet." [sic]) deals with the fact that on this particular planet the women treat the men as pets and rule completely. The women also dazzle the men of the Enterprise so that they are unable to command or perform their duties. Se who has to take over? You bet, our own Lt. Uhura. Anyway, during the first read through of the script there is a scene that calls for Nurse Chapel to ask Uhura, "What are you going to do," or something to that effect. To which the Lt. replies, "I am going to take command." Well, Nichelle Nichols took it upon herself to read the line thusly, "I am going to take command... AT LAST!!! For this she received appropriate applause from the women on the set.

Fan Comments

Some one wrote to Mark and said they liked my article "Star Trek and the Woman's Libber". I believe it was Alan Andres. (I don't no whether or not I should state his name but I'm sure he won't sue me, . . . Will you?) He did bring up an interesting point that I would like to discuss. He said that many of the Guest Stars who were crew members were dim-wits too. He's right! (I believe I stated that many of the Guest Stars were given interesting roles with depth behind them). But let me explain myself, when I was speaking of guest stars for some reason I only thought of those who were non-crew members. The following are the women who I felt were given adult scripts and turned in a good performance to match. (Forgive me if I forget their names) 1) the Romulan Commander who fooled around with Spock. 2) Natira (she wasn't too bad) 3) Edith Keeler (to a certain degree) 4) Lenore Karidian 5) Leila Kalomi from THIS SIDE OF PARADISE, actually she didn't have to do much because she also was fooling around with Spock. 6) T'pring and T'pau, the former may have been a rotten scoundrel but she didn't let any chauvenist [sic] push her around. Well you get the general idea. There are of course more but I haven't the patience or the space to continue this rubbage [sic].