Future of Sex
tagline
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Remote Sex
  • Virtual Sex & Entertainment
  • Robots
  • Human Augmentation
  • Sex Tech
  • Dating & Relationships
  • Bizarre Bazaar 18+
  • Future of Sex Community
  • Securing Sextech: The Importance of Keeping Your Private Life—Private

  • Where the Boys Aren’t: Sextech, Star Power, and the Sound of Male Silence

  • The Real Deal: Deepfake Sex Sites Going, Going—Gone?

  • More To Love: North American, European, And Australian Polyamory Support Groups

  • A Day to Come: Imaging What Your Sexlife Might Be Like in the Not-To-Distant Future

  • Arms Enough for Love: The Erotic Possibilities Extra Limbs, More Thumbs May Hand Us

  • Hot Times Ahead: Tomorrow’s Male Contraceptives May Be More About Temperature, Less About Drugs

  • This Bot’s in Love With You—Sincerely or Merely a Revenue Strategy?

Future of Sex is supported by our readers. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Home > Sex Tech > Star Trek and the Future of Sex: Birth Control and Alien Pregnancy

AugmentationSex Tech
Home›Augmentation›Star Trek and the Future of Sex: Birth Control and Alien Pregnancy

Star Trek and the Future of Sex: Birth Control and Alien Pregnancy

By M. Christian
August 5, 2016
4419
3

Birth control in Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future.

Actor William Shatner playing his role of Captain Kirk on Star Trek.

In part one of our look at how Star Trek has explored the sexual issues of the present—and projected with optimism how humanity may, someday, evolve to where it can embrace them with intelligence and sensitivity—we looked at how the franchise has addressed sexual orientation. First by the current controversy about Sulu’s coming out in Star Trek Beyond and then in episodes from Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Next, up, we’ll be seeing now Trek has handled an extremely sensitive topic—today and when the series first began in 1966: birth control.

“And the great misery which you now face”

Back when the original Star Trek was in production (1966 to 1969), it was the midst of the sexual revolution, a key part of which involved the (combined oral contraceptive) pill as well as concerns about overpopulation.

Even the networks were watching very carefully what Roddenberry was up to with his show. However, he still managed to produce a powerful statement on the importance of intelligently and thoughtfully looking at the issue.

In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “The Mark of Gideon,” written by George F. Slavin and Stanley Adams and directed by Jud Taylor, Captain Kirk (William Shatner) beams down to the planet Gideon, a candidate for admission into the Federation, and mysteriously finds himself back on the Enterprise—and completely alone.

Eventually, Kirk discovers that he is actually on a mockup of his ship—and that the leaders of Gideon are hiding a terrible secret: their world, by both a quirk of biology as well as some irresponsible decisions, is nightmarishly overpopulated. So desperate are they to try and control their numbers that they have kidnapped Kirk to use a dormant virus he carries to infect a young woman, Odona (Sharon Acker), and then use it as a plague against their people.

The message of the episode is as clear as it is chilling: rather than take a sensible approach to birth control, Gideon is willing to murder a percentage of its people.

As Hodin (David Hurst), their leader, explains to Kirk: “But, you see, the people of Gideon have always believed that life is sacred, that the love of life is the greatest gift. That is the one unshakable truth of Gideon, and this overwhelming love of life has developed our regenerative capacity and our great longevity.”

To which Kirk points out: “And the great misery which you now face.”

In the end, Kirk escapes and Doctor McCoy (DeForest Kelley) inoculates Odona, saving her life. But Kirk is caught in a dilemma: he must return her to her overpopulated hell of a planet—but if he does then she will carry out the Gideon plan for mass death.

In the end, Kirk has to accept the fact that he has very little choice—and the episode leaves with a cautionary bite: that caring for life also means being intelligent about controlling it.

“One of the first things a diplomat learns is not to stick his fingers where they don’t belong.”

The issue of being responsible in regards to sexuality appears some years later in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise—though, chronologically, the show takes place before the years of Star Trek: The Original Series.

The major concept of Enterprise was seeing the early days of Starfleet: when humanity was still trying to figure out how to understand, and interact with, alien species. Many episodes showed the crew of the prototype Enterprise stubbing their toes dealing with unique cultures and even more unique biologies.

In the episode “Unexpected”—written by Rick Berman and Brannon Braga, directed by Mike Vejar—one certain member of the Enterprise crew, Commander “Trip” Tucker (Connor Trinneer) stubs his entire body in a unique way during a visit to an alien vessel. While there, he becomes friendly with a member of the crew, Ah’len (Julianne Christie), and indulges in what he assumes to be a simple pastime involving a “bowl of pebbles.”

Back onboard the Enterprise, however, Trip begins to experience some odd medical quirks, leading the ship’s physician Phlox (John Billingsley) to perform an examination. His conclusion? Trip is pregnant.

There is, naturally, humor directed at the situation—a particularly funny comment coming from the Vulcan officer, T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) to Trip: “One of the first things a diplomat learns is not to stick his fingers where they don’t belong.”

But what’s interesting about the episode is that even though there is some soul-searching about the ramifications of the idea of Trip becoming a “mother,” he and the crew of the Enterprise work hard to find a sensitive and thoughtful solution—and find a way to pass the developing embryo to Ah’len .

This non-shameful attitude toward inadvertent pregnancy, as well as how the crew approaches the situation, is thoughtful and telling. There are no recriminations, no blame. Instead, there’s an acknowledgement that Trip, and humanity in general, just has to be extra careful about where they put any part of their bodies when making contact with other species.

Our next episode

Coming up in part three, “Star Trek and the Future of Sex: Stigma and the AIDS Epidemic,” is the examination of Trek’s handling of the responsibilities and risks of sex—sexually transmitted infections (STI)—in another episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Read part one: “Star Trek and the Future of Sex: Gay Characters and LGBT Love”
Read part three: “Star Trek and the Future of Sex: Stigma and the AIDS Epidemic”

Image source: Chris Pope

M. Christian

M.Christian (they/them) loves nothing better than exploring the intersections of sex and technology—and speculating on the future of both. A highly regarded erotica writer they have six novels,12 collections, 100+ short stories, and 25 anthologies as an editor to their name. Their non-fiction regularly appears in many sites, but they're most proud of being a regular contributor to Future of Sex.

Of their erotic fiction, Tristan Taormino said that “M.Christian is a literary stylist of the highest caliber: smart, funny, frightening, sexy—there's nothing [they] can't write about… and brilliantly.”

Reflecting their unique ability to sympathetically and convincingly write for a range of genders and sexual orientations, their stories have appeared in multiple editions of Best American Erotica, Best Gay Erotica, Best Lesbian Erotica, The Mammoth Books of Erotica, and others. Their collection of gay erotic fiction, Dirty Words, was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award.

While a majority of their stories have been collected into books like Dirty Words, their fondness for combining sex and science fiction is clearly evident in collections that include Rude Mechanicals, Technorotica, Better Than The Real Thing, Skin Effect Effect, Bachelor Machine, and Hard Drive: The Best Sci-Fi Erotica of M.Christian.

As a novelist, M.Christian’s versatility is on full display with Running Dry, The Very Bloody Marys, Brushes, Painted Doll; and the somewhat controversial queer BDSM/horror/thrillers Finger's Breadth, and Me2.

M.Christian has worked on the industry’s production side as an Associate Publisher for Renaissance E Books and as a Publisher for Digital Parchment Services. The latter dedicated to celebrating the works of science-fiction legends such as William Rotsler, Jerome Bixby, Jody Scott, Arthur Byron Cover, Ernest Hogan, and James Van Hise.

Covering topics like BDSM safety, sexual education, senior sexuality concerns, queer and gender issues, plus reviewing a variety of sex tech products, M.Christian’s non-fiction has appeared on sites like Kinkly, Tickle.Life, Sexpert, Queer Majority, Sex for Every Body, and—of course—their ongoing work for Future of Sex.

If there’s anything M.Christian enjoys more than writing, it’s teaching. A featured presenter, sometimes with their friend Ralph Greco Jr, at national sex and BDSM events, they have lectured on kink play (with an emphasis on safety), polyamory, boosting sexual creativity, and erotica writing--for beginners or those wanting to go pro.

M.Christian is a cohost on two popular sex-education podcasts: Love’s Outer Limits with Dr. Amy Marsh and Licking Non-Vanilla with Ralph Greco, Jr.
Previous Article

Sexbot Perspectives: Robot Sex Workers Will Help ...

Next Article

Biochemist Creates Water-Loving Condom That Mimics Human ...

Related articles More from author

  • Sex Tech

    Want a Justin Bieber Bullet Vibe? MakerLove Offers Several Free Sex Toy Designs for 3D Printing

    November 20, 2019
    By Miss Doll
  • Sex Tech

    Turn Your Orgasm into a Work of Art at CES

    January 10, 2018
    By Jenna Owsianik
  • lightning
    Remote SexSex Tech

    The Promise and Risks of E-stim Sex Toys and the Future of ElectroSex

    May 27, 2019
    By M. Christian
  • iPhone GPSex
    AugmentationRemote Sex

    GPSex Uses Sex Toys and AR to Make Strolls to Your Lover Hotter Than Ever

    December 17, 2019
    By M. Christian
  • Image of Neuralink, headed by Elon Musk
    Augmentation

    Elon Musk’s ‘Brain Chip’ Will Make You Hot By Tapping Sexual Pleasure Centers

    September 1, 2020
    By Ben Barnes
  • Sex Tech

    Pay for ‘Emotional Labor,’ Sex Work, and VR among Topics Discussed at Virtual Sex Tech Conference

    June 4, 2020
    By Melanie Brown

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • PrimaVR offers erotic holograms you can touch and play with in your own home.
    VR PornVirtual Sex & EntertainmentImmersive Entertainment

    More Than a Feeling: How Haptic Holograms Can Improve Your Sex Life

  • Dating & RelationshipsVirtual Sex & Entertainment

    New Generation of Single Chinese Women Are Paying for “Virtual Boyfriends”

  • RobotsSex Tech

    Nothing Between Their Legs: New Realbotix Artificial Companions Aren’t Sexbots

Virtual Lust is a 3D interactive sex game.
3DXChat
Discover the best virtual sex parties and 3D sex worlds.
  • TOP REVIEWS

  • Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    Review of the Best Massively Multiplayer Online Sex Games

    0
  • Harmony ai sex doll from RealDoll

    State of the Sexbot Market: The World’s Best Sex Robot and AI Sex Doll Companies ...

  • Realistic Sex Games

    Review of the Best Sex Games and Most Realistic Sex Simulators [UPDATED]

    0
  • Screenshot of a sexbot from adult entertainment game

    The Best Adult Games on Steam [UPDATED]

  • Screenshot of FeelConnect app future of interactivity intimacy available on Apple and Google Store

    The Best Sex Game Apps for Couples [UPDATED]

Fantasy sex game Dream Sex World lets you explore your wildest desires.
Multiplayer sex world Red Light Center continues to impress with its massive userbase and incredible sex graphics.
A blonde and light-skinned love doll face sppears next to the text Go now realdollxthe future is real.

Like Us on Facebook

Newsletter Subscription

Sign up for our monthly newsletter sharing the very best of the future of sex from our publication and others across the web.

DreamSexWorld offers a stunning XXX 3D world filled with incredibly interactive erotic experiences.

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget

RLC_ad_v2

Tweets by @FutureofSex
Future of Sex Report

Follow us

  • Home
  • About
  • ADVERTISE
  • Contribute
  • Story Ideas
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2011 - 2022 Future Exploration Network
This website or its third-party tools use cookies to improve user experience and track affiliate sales. To learn more about why we need to use cookies, please refer to the Privacy Policy.

By clicking the agree button or continuing to browse through the website, you agree to the use of cookies. Accept Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
SAVE & ACCEPT