George Takei

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Ohhh my.
We will make this a better world, a more equal society for all people. Especially young straight couples — because they are going to be making the gay babies of tomorrow.
—Takei being Takei[1]

George Takei is a god among men. Previously known for playing Mr. Sulu alongside William Shatner[2] in Star Trek, he is now at the forefront of the LGBT rights movement in the United States as head of the HRC's "Coming Out" campaign. His Facebook page is one of the saving graces of the concept of social networking and has cemented his status as the official cool uncle of the internet.

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[edit] Personal life

It's not really coming out, which suggests opening a door and stepping through. It's more like a long, long walk through what began as a narrow corridor that starts to widen.

Takei publicly came out as gay in 2005, although his homosexuality had long been known or suspected by his Star Trek co-stars and fanbase. At the time of coming out, he had been in a relationship with his partner, Brad Altman, for 18 years. He legally married Altman in November 2008 during the brief period that same-sex marriage was legal in California. Thankfully, his marriage has not been affected by Proposition 8: The California Supreme Court denied the state the right to take away those few thousand people's legal status as "married" despite strong opposition from Republicans and the bevy of legal problems created with two separate statuses for gay couples.

Takei is a Buddhist, and is fluent in Japanese, English, and Spanish.

As a young boy, Takei was among the thousands of citizens rounded up into Japanese internment camps during World War II, experiencing 6 years of imprisonment in two camps. He is currently working on the musical Allegiance, a story of a family dealing with their imprisonment. He is also a founder of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

[edit] Stint as a politician

Takei was the alternate delegate from California at the 1972 Democratic National Convention. He ran for the city council of Los Angeles a year later, ultimately losing.[3] Humanity has wept as a result.[citation NOT needed]

[edit] Internet hero

Takei has a way of making his statements become online catchphrases.

[edit] "I will have sex with you"

In 2007 retired NBA player Tim Hardaway announced that he was homophobic on a Miami radio show. In response, Takei appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live with a mock PSA known for the quote: "Let it be known. One day, when you least expect it...I will have sex with you."[4] Hardaway has since made a complete turnaround.[5]

[edit] "You are a douchebag"

In 2010, he verbally destroyed a wingnut Arkansas school board member (who encouraged homosexuals to commit suicide) with: "You are a douchebag...No person, let alone an elected school official, whatever their personal or religious beliefs, should ever wish death upon another human being."[6][7]

[edit] "It's OK to be Takei"

When Tennessee decided in 2011 to pass a law that would ban teachers from using the word "gay" to talk about issues like gay rights or gay marriage, Takei jumped into the fray with a YouTube video, offering his name to the cause, and starting the phrase "It's okay to be Takei."[8]

[edit] "Oh my"

Takei's signature, this expression is used most often as a reaction to something overtly sexual.[9]

Other quotes from Takei (e.g. in video games[10]) have also entered the meme lexicon.

[edit] Takei vs. Twilight

Takei became even more popular to geeks and nerds the world around when he attempted to broker peace between some Star Trek and Star Wars groupies — after Carrie Fisher and William Shatner exchanged a couple of blows in interviews — by bringing them together against a common foe: Twilight.[11] Even when all jokes are set aside, Takei has stated several times that he finds the Twilight series horrendous, specifically because it tells teen girls that it's good to be nothing but a hollow shell waiting around for a sparkly boyfriend. Like many others, he's also taken Stephenie Meyer (and one might argue, her fans for liking it) to task many times, just because she writes so poorly.

[edit] External links

[edit] Footnotes

  1. George Takei receives Vito Russo Award
  2. Well, just in front and to the left a bit.
  3. His bio
  4. "Your smooth, chocolatey head, glazed in man sweat..."
  5. Tim Hardaway Becomes First To Sign Florida Gay Marriage Petition, The Huffington Post
  6. That's right, a total douchebag. ("19" remix.)
  7. Shortened version
  8. You're so Takei. (The fact that his own name is part of this catchphrase may suggest just a teeny bit of self-promotion. But then again, does he need more promotion at this point?)
  9. The original?
  10. You are made of stupid
  11. Trekkies and Wookies unite!
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