Star Wars and Star Trek are two extremely popular American science fiction franchises set in space. Yet the two could not have been more different. Star Wars is known for its epic space battles, Jedi knights, and the force, while Star Trek focuses on exploring new worlds, the art of diplomacy, and scientific discovery with a humanitarian agenda. Both franchises have a massive fan base and have influenced popular culture significantly.
Yet it seems Star Trek is miles apart from its contender when it comes to diversity, inclusivity, and equality. And the Star Wars actor, Amandla Stenberg’s latest diversity comment about the universe certainly feels like a massive slap in the face for any and every Star Trek fan.
Amandla Stenberg On Star Wars And Diversity
The Star Wars universe is ever-expanding and evolving and its upcoming show The Acolyte starring Amandla Stenberg is only a testament to this fact. Yet Stenberg’s comments about diversity in the science fiction genre and ushering in a new era in the franchise have proven a bit controversial when one compares it to Star Trek.
While on the Dagobah Dispatch podcast, Stenberg stated,
“I think that when it comes to the world of fantasy and sci-fi in general, it hasn’t felt like a safe space always for people of color. And it’s been a world that I’ve always deeply loved and been invested in. So to be in any way, shape, or form a part of the wave that is ushering in inclusion and safety for black nerds, it’s like my dream come true.”
Stenberg might be right when it comes to making inclusive changes in the universe for the franchise since even the lead of one of the biggest movies of the franchise, John Boyega himself revealed the horrifying aftermath of being cast in the franchise. The actor’s casting had apparently made fans threaten to boycott the movie (via GQ).
Yet when it comes to the science fiction space being unsafe for POC is a direct contradiction to the world of Star Trek, which has been known for diversity and inclusivity since day one (see Musings of a Middle-Aged Geek).
Star Trek Has Been A More Inclusive Space Than Star Wars
Star Trek, the original series, premiered for the first time in 1966 while Star Wars came out years later in 1977. While the first Black actor to enter the universe was Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 (see X), the Star Trek universe has been the forerunner in diversity ever since it first premiered over half a century ago (see Washington Post).
Not only did it have Nichelle Nichols in a main role with authority, but it was the very first time that a black actress was cast in such a role on TV, which turned out to be extremely pivotal for the POC audience (see Washington Post). But it hasn’t been only Black actors who got prominent roles in the franchise since its inception, even people of different ethnicities were present in the universe when Gene Roddenberry created it in the 1960s.
And it was in 1968 that the universe aired the first interracial kiss on American television in an episode of Star Trek titled Plato’s Stepchildren (via Smithsonian Magazine). These are only the tip of the iceberg, for there have been several incidents when the franchise has been ahead of its time when it comes to diversity and inclusivity.
Although there have been controversies regarding the casting, treatment, and depiction (via Space.com) and it might have fallen short of its original ideals (via Esquire) there is no denying that Star Trek’s countless contributions to making the world more inclusive have been revolutionary in the science fiction genre in comparison to Star Wars.
The Star Trek franchise can be streamed on Paramount+ while Star Wars can be streamed on Disney+.
