Update: George Takei has come out with some strong opinions on this change and he's surprisingly not happy about it. Per THR he's all for an openly gay character in Star Trek, but feels that Sulu should be kept straight as Gene Roddenberry originally intended him.
I see where he's coming from and if anybody deserves to weigh in with an opinion it's the man who originated the character. I personally don't mind the ret-con and still feel like it fits perfectly within the Star Trek franchise's unwritten mission statement, but not all will feel that way, even people who you might think would be all for the inclusion.
Original story below:
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. Star Trek is at its best when it portrays a bright future. There is still war, but not here at home. In Star Trek's future difference in race is celebrated, we've evolved beyond money and, now, sexual preference isn't going to be a big deal.
In an obvious nod to the decades-long LGBTQ activism by the original Hikaru Sulu, George Takei, the creative minds behind Star Trek Beyond have decided to make John Cho's Sulu gay. Not only is he going to be openly gay (revealed in this article from the Herald Sun), it sounds like they're approaching it perfectly: by not making a big deal out of it. Sulu will have a male partner and together they will be raising a daughter.
This is totally fitting for both the Star Trek universe and for the legacy of the franchise. It was scandelous when Kirk kissed Uhura, a television first. This is the kind of social push that Trek revels in and regardless of how Beyond turns out this is a great choice.
-Eric Vespe
”Quint”
quint@aintitcool.com
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