Brannon Braga, the writer and producer of the iconic Star Trek, says he regrets not including gay characters in the TV series and films.
Braga in an interview with website After Elton, said it was “a shame” that gay characters had not been included in the late 80s and early 90s.
Braga said, “It was a shame for a lot of us that … I’m talking about the Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and there was a constant back and forth about how do we portray the spectrum of sexuality.
“There were people who felt very strongly that we should be showing casually, you know, just two guys together in the background in Ten Forward. At the time the decision was made not to do that and I think those same people would make a different decision now because I think, you know, that was 1989, well yeah about 89, 90, and 91.
“I have no doubt that those same creative players wouldn’t feel so hesitant to have, you know, have been squeamish about a decision like that.”
Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek’s creator, did include a range of ethnic minority characters into the show and the famous kiss between Uhura and Kirk, broadcast in 1968, is often credited as the first interracial kiss on television.
However, Roddenberry never got around to including a gay character. In 1991, he told The Advocate that the fifth season of The Next Generation would at least include gay background characters. He died the following year.
