Star Trek's First LGBTQ+ Romance Almost Happened In TNG Season 2

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Summary

Star Trek : The Next Generationdid tackle topic of gender and gender inTNGseason 7 , sequence 17 , " The Outcast,“but the episode ended in tragedy and did n’t go as far as it could have . Still , it constitute a step in the right direction , andnearly everyStar Trekseries has been more divers and inclusive than the last . It was n’t untilStar Trek : Discoveryand Dr. Hugh Culber ( Wilson Cruz ) and Commander Paul Stamets ( Anthony Rapp ) that a committed queen couple seem among the main fictional character . If it had been up toStar Trekcreator Gene Roddenberry , however , the enfranchisement ’s first poof couple may have appear much earlier .

While the Star Trek franchise has only sum up explicitly LGBTQ+ character reference in the last 4 - 5 years , it has had tie to queer paper from the commencement .

Gene Roddenberry Wanted To Include An LGBTQ+ Couple In TNG Season 2

Star Trek : The Next Generationgot off to a rocky start with a somewhat disorderly writers ' room lead in an discrepant first season . By the end of season 1,TNGhad begun to find its terms , but theWGA Writers Strike of 1988derailed product yet again . As the writer ’s room continued to shift and the producers looked for scripts , program consultant David Gerrold pitched a hand called " Blood and Fire . “Not only did the story feature a merry twosome among the Enterprise gang members , but it also commented on the AIDS crisis .

David Gerrold compose the iconicTOSepisode , " The Trouble With Tribbles , " which rest one of the most well - known and belovedStar Trekepisodes of all time .

According toStar Trek : The Next Generation : The Continuing Mission , Gene Roddenberry and David Gerrold were attending aStar Trekconvention when a group ofLGBTQ+Trekfans asked if homophile identities would ever be represented onTNG . Despite some push - back from others on the production staff , Roddenberry take a firm stand and Gerrold pitched his " line of descent and flaming " story . At first , Gerrold was recite that the book would be produced , but Paramount Studios apparently feared the topic might be too mature for untested hearing members . Despite going through revision , the episode was never made and Gerrold departed the show soon after .

Star Trek: DS9’s Dax Had An LGBTQ+ Relationship

Star Trek : Deep Space Ninewould go a step further thanTNGby couch one of their independent characters in a abbreviated queer kinship . InDS9season 4 , episode 6 , " Rejoined , " joined Trill Jadzia Dax ( Terry Farrell ) encounters the wife of one of her previous hosts . As a Trill , Jadzia ishost to the Dax symbiote , who has had many manlike and female hosts before Jadzia . When Lenara Kahn ( Susanna Thompson ) visits Deep Space 9 , she and Jadzia rekindle their Romance language , leading toStar Trek’sfirst same - sexual urge kiss . However , Trill high society forestall host from continuing love affair from their retiring life , so Jadzia and Lenara ’s relationship cease before it truly start .

" retort " does not concentre on the fact that Jadzia and Lenara are cleaning lady , painting them as just two people who still have notion for one another . While this was a liberal footprint forward at the time , DS9showrunner Ira Steven Behr wishes they had gone further . In theStar Trek : Deep Space Ninedocumentary , What We exit Behind , Behr discusses " Rejoined , " saying:“One episode in seven years , we could have done well . Trust me . We should have done better . “In hindsight , maybe there were times whenStar Trekcould have push more edge , but the franchise has always been , and continue to be , a festivity of"infinite diversity in innumerous combinations . "

Star Trek : The Next Generation&Star Trek : Deep Space Nineare available to stream on Paramount+ .