Why I Sci-Fi!

Planets move in and out of view in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" opening credits. Image Source "Space: the final frontier." My door isn't shut all of the way, and I sneak to the door frame. The coast is as clear as the voice summoning me from the TV. With a fuzzy stuffed-animal gripped tightly in hand, I continue. "These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations..." Tip-toeing to the bend in the hallway, I peer around the corner. My parents are both on the couch, the TV glowing from in front of them.  If I stand, I can see the whole screen. "To boldly go where no one has gone before." As the ship soars into view among sparkling stars and gleaming planets, my heart races. The title flashes onto the screen: Star Trek: The Next Generation.  It's  world of space travel and adventure. I long to live in the world in this show-- ea...

It seems like everyone nowadays has a "fandom" that they follow. People are crazy about Dr. Who or the Hunger Games or Steven Universe. If I had to pick my first and most favorite "fandom," it would have to be Star Trek. For those unfamiliar with the series, Star Trek is a popular U.S. television series set in the future. It’s one of the longest running and most successful television franchises-- and for good reason. Below is a list of 5 ideas that Star Trek made clear for a younger me. This is Nichelle Nichols as communications officer Uhura in the original series. She kicked some serious butt. Image Source 1: Women can be leaders, too. Much of the science fiction I read as a young girl was still lacking female characters. Male ship captains, male scientists, male leaders, etc. Star Trek was different. Women were powerful doctors, empathic counselors, effective communication officers, mechanical geniuses, ruthless and self-sacrificing captains. A girl’...