Yes, of course it does???
Putting minorities in media and showing them as respectable equals is not tokenism, and is doubly important to do when real life doesn’t reflect that. Rodenberry did not have the power to fucking solve racial oppression, he incorporated all nationalities to showcase the importance and futurism of not being a racist fuck.
OP reposted this from reddit
https://l.opnxng.com/r/startrekmemes/comments/1fcd1fa/representation_matters/
I think that’s why I always enjoy The Ultimate Computer when it pops up in TOS rewatches. Dr. Daystrom is treated as just another person, brilliant and flawed alike.
I think Trek did, and still does, have a sexism problem though. Even “should have known better” TNG writers did. Guess which two main cast members had sword training but were demoted to breaking pots over guards’ heads in Qpid?
