To celebrate Women’s History Month, the Beat’s elite Trek Squad begins a weekly celebration of Star Trek Women! Join us as we spotlight Women of Trek from the Star Trek: The Original Series up to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, as well as some real-world Women who contributed or were influenced by Trek in some fashion, behind the scenes or in life.
Each week will focus on a specific theme in highlighting these Women of Star Trek. First up the brainy Women who help inject the worlds of Trek with the knowledge and insight that bleeds into the real world and inspire minds to become scientists.
Jadzia Dax
Jadzia is everything. From the very start, she’s on top of her game and knows it, but never wields that against anyone. She’s thrown against impossible spatial phenomena, a judgmental potential mother-in-law, and everything in between, and doesn’t back down. Beyond being fun to watch and imagine hanging out with, Jadzia also served as representation for some groups that otherwise didn’t really see themselves on television. For many, Jadzia Dax is the first Trek trans icon, even appearing on the cover of Transgender Tapestry volume 76, and she shared a same-sex kiss in the season 4 episode “Rejoined.” — KL
D’Vana Tendi
She is the Mistress of the Winter Constellations, an Orion pirate turned Star Fleet science officer, Tendi is a kind-hearted and jovial spirit who meets life with enough fervent energy and wide-eyed wonder to power a neutron star. Tendi doesn’t like to talk about her past, instead choosing to fight everyday to help break the stereotypes given to Orions. She finds adventure in the smallest of things, and loves sharing her excitement with her friends, especially her best friend Rutherford of which the duo make an incredibly manic but fun pair to watch.
I especially love Tendi because she cares so much about the people around her and is always putting them first even at the detriment of herself, and even when she is putting herself first she often doesn’t realize it until it’s too late. That’s something I find extremely relatable, she only wants what’s best for her friends, and when she’s hurting it feels like you’re hurting alongside her. D’Vana Tendi is the best of so many of us in so many ways, exemplifying what Star Fleet represents and the future the franchise promises. Outsiders who are welcomed into the fold and celebrated just as much as everyone else, and allowed to be themselves – warts and all.
Lower Decks wouldn’t be nearly as brilliant a show as it is without her presence and I am waiting with bated breath to see where her story takes us. — DC
Rok-Tahk
Most likely the youngest person on our list, she is the light of Star Trek: Prodigy with her passion for science. Rok is the embodiment of “don’t judge a book by its cover,” as she is immediately typecast as the muscle because of her size, but soon enough her crewmates discover the true nature of this highly intelligent Brikar. Rok is a warm and friendly being who has that important scientific quality, curiosity.
Along with her need to explore and understand everything, Rok has an impressive ability to learn new things, when their ship the USS Protostar was caught in a temporal anomaly that caused different sections of the ship to move at different times, she used her time to learn as many types of sciences to work the problem, she is the very definition of prodigy. I need her to meet Tendi so they can have magical science adventures, nerding out in space while things are exploding around them. — GC3
Miranda Jones
Competent and arrogant, Miranda Jones is allowed to be a flawed but skilled person long before Dr. McCoy lets people in on the secret that she’s blind. At each turn the determined, skilled Dr. Jones is judged on her capabilities rather than being questioned due to her disability. She’s a great example of disability representation done right, especially when her accommodation device – a sensor net – gets an impressed reaction. She’s fully qualified for her goals and gets to live the life she’s chosen. — KL
T’Lyn
It would be illogical to exclude T’Lyn from this list. The Vulcan lower decker was first introduced in season 2’s “wej Duj.” In that episode, T’Lyn’s independent research and impressive technical innovations were responsible for saving the VCF Sh’vhal. Unfortunately, these innovations were met with punitive spiritualism, followed by an unwilling transfer to a Federation ship.
However, while T’Lyn may not have come to the USS Cerritos willingly, over the course of Lower Decks season 4, she becomes a fully integrated member of the crew. In fact, she’s even willing to concede to becoming Tendi’s “science bestie.” As with many Vulcans, T’Lyn maintains a flat affect when faced with chaotic goings-on. Nevertheless, the Cerritos crew embraces her for her differences. Captain Sokel, take note. — AJK
Dr. Mae C. Jemison
The first Black woman in space is also the first person to have been on a Star Trek show to have traveled in space. Dr. Mae C. Jemison, a trained engineer and physician, served as a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992, orbiting Earth for 8 days. Besides being a trailblazing role model for Black Women, she is also a strong advocate for children in S.T.E.M., always promoting their inclusion in the sciences.
Dr. Jemison, a fan of Star Trek cites Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura as her inspiration for becoming an astronaut, learning that she was a fan, cast regular LeVar Burton the director of the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Second Chances” invited her to cameo as Lt. Palmer. — GC3
Join us next week as we continue our Women’s History Month celebration of the Women of Star Trek, spotlighting the Fixers of this franchise.
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