Starlog #18: “To be human is to be complex. You can’t avoid a little ugliness — from within — and from without.” — Kirk

Margaret asks, “What has been your experience with intersectionality? Has Star Trek influenced how you think about that?” Intersectionality affects everyone. Before you construct your response, make a private list of the multiple identities you inhabit — race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. Which elements most affect your public life?

Star Trek hasn’t influenced my own experience or my reaction to intersectionality. I’ve always been someone who is open minded and believes that a person can be who they want to be, no matter their gender or orientation or who they love. I am a Caucasian, straight woman living in a neutral Europe country and I am an Atheist (who does believe that people can have their believes, it’s just not for me). But the intersectionality that does affect me is gender.

I strongly believe in raising our children in a none-gender way. I liked dolls and horsies when I was a kid, I identify as a woman, but I also loved playing with trains, little cars, dinosaurs and loved watching Sci-Fi and horror. I was really into F1, Sci-Fi shows, fast cars, technology, gaming and I ended up in a career that is mainly man-dominated and have experienced, still to this day, how complex intersectionality is.

I used to sell technology, gaming and people would not want to be helped by me because they literally told me that a woman doesn’t know anything about technology or gaming. Now, I work in the oil industry that has always and still is dominated by men. Even now when people see me they ask to order documents or paper or random admin stuff and I have to remind them that it isn’t because I have boobs I cannot be a field person or am just there in an admin position. Or people telling me women belong in the kitchen and at home taking care of the kids and it would result in them not listening to me in meetings or having to take sexual remarks that men usually don’t have to.

So seeing that as a young kid it made me future-sick instead of home-sick. Wishing for a better world, wishing everyone was as open minded and a time where this is not even an issue. It’s not even a thought that crosses someone’s mind. That was a dream I wanted and saw in Star Trek.

If not, people loving Star Trek are people who also believe in these values and are this open-minded so whenever I hear someone mentioning they love Star Trek it’s that immediate connection of like-minded-ness because we possibly have the same values. And up to this day everyone I’ve met who loves Star Trek was open minded on the topics that we have been discussing throughout the course.

We aren’t saints, everyone can be a little prejudice in certain situations that we don’t know or looking at people we’re scared off because of our past or treatment but we should strive to connect at least, to understand.

Stay safe, keep smiling!