I’ve been a “Star Trek” fan for as long as I can remember. You might say I’m a Trekkie, like my father before me.
For sci-fi purists, I know that line is a play on “Star Wars.” My dad made sure I was a Jedi, too, but after searching my feelings as a kid I knew resistance to either franchise was futile.
Still, “Star Trek” came first, for both of us. My dad grew up watching the original series in the 60s, a groundbreaking look at what the future could hold for us all, and history shows he was always eager to share the U.S.S. Enterprise with his son.
There’s a baby photo of me sprawled out on his “Star Trek” beanbag with an episode of the show playing in the background as proof, perfectly timed to feature Spock on our 600-pound TV. That wasn’t an easy feat in the mid-80s.
If my dad had Kirk, Spock, Uhura, Sulu and the rest of the original crew, all of whom I came to admire, I fell in love with their successors in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Appropriate, since I was his.
I was watching the series nightly by the 90s, absolutely enamored with the crew of the Enterprise-D. It’s where I first fell in love with Sir Patrick Stewart, who so flawlessly brought Captain Jean-Luc Picard into my life. He died Oct. 28 and I’m still thinking about it.
From a young age, perhaps when it’s most important, I saw in his character the best of us. He was an explorer dedicated to equity, to equality, and to being the best kind of human being he could be. It was inspiring.
Stewart didn’t write his lines, of course, but few actors could have delivered them with such conviction. Words to live by like:
“If we’re going to be damned, let’s be damned for what we really are.”
- “There are times, sir, when men of good conscience cannot blindly follow orders.”
- “I have never subscribed to the theory that political power flows from the barrel of a gun.”
- “It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness; that is life.”
- “The first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably… The first time any man’s freedom is trodden on, we’re all damaged.”
- “Even in the darkest circumstances, there is always a light — sometimes only a glimmer. Trust that light. Find a way back, no matter what it takes.”
He was that light for so many fans, and not just on screen. The internet — and his book “Making It So,” which I strongly recommend reading — are full of his own words, powerful statements that always made a difference.
That’s because he used his platform for good, advocating to end domestic violence against women and children, for rescuing animals in need and for LGBTQ+ rights domestic and abroad. His very public relationship with actor Ian McKellen is the gold standard of active allyship.
Which brings me to “X-Men,” in which they starred as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. I’ve been reading comics even longer than I’ve been watching “Star Trek” and still remember writing about his casting as a student journalist in 2000. It will never be topped.
Stewart starred as the franchise’s patriarch for nearly three decades, perfectly embodying the professor from 2000-2026. His final role will be in this December’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” a film that now has even more meaning for me.
There’s so much I admired about Stewart during his life, but he found a way to inspire me even in death. Within minutes of the news breaking, this fanboy had five texts from friends, two messages from Watermark Out News staffers and an in-person visit from my husband, who also works from home.
It served as a reminder that we should all strive to be someone who even a complete stranger can mourn. You don’t have to be an internationally celebrated actor for that, either. Just a good person.
Thank you for sharing your work with the world, Patrick Stewart. Forever my Captain. Forever my Professor. Forever missed.
In this issue we examine the next generation in another sense. We check in with student-led LGBTQ+ groups from colleges in Central Florida and Tampa Bay as they prepare for their futures.
In news, we share developments from LGBTQ+ venues like Bradley’s on 7th, SAVOY and Anthem. We also preview the release of jazz vocalist Raffy Bleu’s new album.
Watermark Out News is proud to be your LGBTQ+ news source. Stay safe, stay engaged and enjoy this latest issue.
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