Hikaru Sulu is gay in Star Trek Beyond. Actor John Cho revealed Sulu will have a same-sex partner, plus a daughter (presumably reintroducing Demora Sulu to the new Star Trek canon).
“I liked the approach, which was not to make a big thing out it, which is where I hope we are going as a species, to not politicise one’s personal orientations,” Cho told Australia’s Herald Sun. To celebrate a mainstream movie not making a big deal of it, everyone is making a big deal of it (with good reason... how the hell did Star Trek beat the ten trillion Marvel movies to this?).
The decision to reveal Sulu’s homosexuality in Star Trek Beyond is intended as a tribute to the original Sulu, George Takei, who played the character throughout Star Trek: The Original Series and six Star Trek movies (earning extra credit for skipping Star Trek: Generations).
Takei spent his entire Star Trek career keeping his orientation secret, coming out publicly in 2005. He has since become a prominent advocate for LGBT rights and cultivated a devoted social media fanbase as a result. Star Trek has long been known for its progressive politics, featuring a diverse cast, the first interracial kiss on television, men in skirts and one previous homosexual relationship (in Deep Space Nine).
The release of Star Trek Beyond corresponds with the 50th anniversary of Star Trek. And while a gay character is long overdue in mainstream summer tentpoles, it’s nice to see that Star Trek is still blazing trails.
