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JT Tepnapa (Corey Aster), one of the series' actors and co-producers, had this to add about the mixed fan reaction. “Many gay people that watch the show are just thankful for being included. They look at my character, and the other gay characters as reflections of themselves.”

As with Caves' experience, it isn't always positive. “Of course, I have never received personal hate mail. But, I read them on the forums from time to time. It's basically the same argument over and over. Gays don't exist in Trek. Sometimes the attacks get personal. But I do my best to ignore them. I believe that we do more good showing just another side of Trek. A ‘gay-themed' episode is definitely a polarizing event. People love to talk about it. Some of the fiercest posts come from having an episode like this. I think it's quite exciting.”

Tepnapa's personal production company, Blue Seraph, has produced many gay-centric movies, such as Sunflowers, Drag Queen Heist, and Begging for Change. However, he believes Star Trek is very special to the gay community and, as a thespian, to himself.

About his character having the first gay kiss under the logo of Star Trek, Tepnapa says, “As an actor, I wanted to be a part of history making. I am very proud of the work I do with Hidden Frontier. I feel like I represent something that has always been missing from the Trek series. Star Trek has many gay fans, and I believe [Hidden Frontier] has allowed them to come out of the sci-fi geek closet.”

Because the show is produced without official sanction by Paramount, it does border on copyright infringement, even if there is no money being earned by the series itself.

“There was always a concern that [Hidden Frontier] would be singled out for a cease and desist because of its gay content” Caves admits. “Paramount can enforce its copyright for pretty much any reason, or no reason, and especially if they feel its franchise isn't being respected. I'd like to think they've seen that we've been careful and tactful with the subject matter and that has helped keep us safe.”

As to why Star Trek has yet to deal with gay issues, Caves and Tepnapa think they know the answer.

“Honestly, I think it comes down to demographics” Caves says. “Star Trek is a business. Its target demographic is heterosexual males [ages] 18-40. Homosexuality is least accepted by people in those demographics. It doesn't help their business to do a story with gay characters, and at worst, it might even hurt. I think once you accept the fact that media is a business, it's a lot easier to see why they would be hesitant to do a gay kiss, or a gay character outside of allegory as we saw in DS9 and a couple of other episodes.”

“I'd hate to think it's just plain homophobia,” Tepnapa adds. “Would people continue to watch Trek if it had real gay characters? I think they would. The GLBT community has a real buying power, and it's an untapped market. I find more and more gay fans everyday.”

Rob Caves believes that the shows aired had a plethora of chances to include gay characters and storylines, but seems to have squandered each away. He even offers some of his own ideas about how the topic could have been handled.

“There are a lot of characters that could have been gay. From Yar and Wesley in [The Next Generation], to Bashir, Garak, Jake or Nog in [Deep Space Nine]. Even Kim, Chakotay, or Seven on [Voyager]. Jake Sisko had so little to do in DS9, making him gay would have given the character more interest. Coming out in season 5 or 6 might have worked for him. Making Kim gay on Voyager might have given that show the shot in the arm it needed after the first season or two. But again, demographics probably precluded all but a lesbian character. I'm not sure a network's idea of a lesbian would have rung true for the GLBT community, so I think it's just as well it didn't happen.”

The producers of Hidden Frontier believe that it is important for the inclusion of gay characters in the official incarnations of the Star Trek legacy. The importance doesn't lie in there just being a gay person on the starship Enterprise, but because the show will treat them as ordinary people as it has done with other minorities.

“There is a very real reaction to seeing gay people portrayed as ordinary members of a starship crew. It does have the power to change hearts and minds about accepting gays as people, and not viewing them as second class citizens.”

“We live in a world where homophobia is very real,” Tepnapa concurs. “In Star Trek we are portraying an ideal universe, where humans have accepted homosexuals. I think we are merely shedding a light on subject that has been left in the dark by the Trek franchise at large.”

That is why Star Trek: Hidden Frontier is boldly venturing into that not-so forbidden gay frontier.

Get more info at HiddenFrontier.org

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