George Takei, who played Mr. Sulu in all the Star Trek shows and films, has announced that he is gay.
The current social and political climate also motivated Takei's disclosure, he said.
"The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay," he said. "The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have been unthinkable when I was young."
The 68-year-old actor said he and his partner, Brad Altman, have been together for 18 years.
Takei, a Japanese-American who lived in a U.S. internment camp from age 4 to 8, said he grew up feeling ashamed of his ethnicity and sexuality. He likened prejudice against gays to racial segregation.
"It's against basic decency and what American values stand for," he said.
Good for him. And damn! he looks good for 68 years old!
Posted by binky at October 28, 2005 09:23 AM | TrackBack | Posted to CultureWow - talk about a celebrity and Star Trek personage I wouldn't have expected to be gay. I'm very surprised. But yeah, good for him.
Posted by: Armand at October 28, 2005 12:32 PM | PERMALINKMy reaction is kind of like when Michael Stipe came out: he was in the closet?
Posted by: dan nexon at October 28, 2005 01:25 PM | PERMALINKMaybe I need to start making a list. I didn't know Michael Stipe was out either (not that THAT is at all surprising).
Posted by: Armand at October 28, 2005 01:52 PM | PERMALINKMaybe it's just me, but I thought that with the photo CNN chose, they must have been sitting around the table going, "hmmm...now what's the gayest looking pose we can find."
Posted by: binky at October 28, 2005 02:00 PM | PERMALINKStipe's coming out is news to me, too. That photo is too effing funny.
Posted by: moon at October 28, 2005 02:44 PM | PERMALINKthing is, REM was never a huge band to me, and they haven't been significantly on my radar (or, if you prefer, gaydar) since Automatic for the People (although i did once, and may still, own Monster). i catch some fraction of celebrity gossip pertaining to the people i actually like, but as for the rest it's water to a duck.
Posted by: moon at October 28, 2005 04:19 PM | PERMALINKI'm still confused, because I thought that it was common knowledge that Takei is gay.
Posted by: dan nexon at October 28, 2005 08:03 PM | PERMALINKMaybe the issue is that it was "common knowledge" (like, say, appears to be the case with a couple of the Republican members of the US House) versus him openly discussing the matter in a media outlet.
It could well have been common knowledge - but as someone who knows extremely little about Mr. Takei or the other Star Trek actors, I didn't know.
Posted by: Armand at October 29, 2005 10:48 AM | PERMALINK"him openly discussing the matter in a media outlet"
And this is what I was drawing attention to, especially the way he framed his statement about all forms of discrimination being un-American. Posted by: binky at October 29, 2005 10:54 AM | PERMALINK