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The Goddamn Trekkie or Trekker debate.

Woah I've been gone for a long time. Let's settle this trekkie/trekker debate. Now then both titles seem rather meaningless because the wide diversity of Star Trek fans can't seem to agree what the defination of either are.

Some people claim the difference from trekkie and trekker is trekkers are OGST(Original (Gangsta) Star Trek in other words TOS fans) and trekkies are fans of TNG. Apparently Trekkers watched the show when it was originally aired(or prior to the release of TNG or the motion pictures) and are thereby superior to all star trek fans. Trekkies are people who jumped on the band wagon after TNG was aired and of course there are Niners who are fans of DS9 and I have no freakin clue what they call Voyager or Enterprise fans(if there are in fact any Enterprise fans out there).

Now with that definition out of the way we have the next one that also deals with quite a bit of elitism. Some fans claim that trekkers are casual fans who can even been seen at conventions but just like the goofy squares at Ren festivals they don't dress up in appropriate attire. Trekkies are the hardcore dorks who show up in starfleet uniforms and vulcan ears and forehead ridges and leather and computer components like they went shopping at a circut city that also sells fetish wear. In this definition trekkie is used as an insult.

And then there are people like me and apparently Gene Roddenburry who dismiss the trekker title and call all star trek fans trekkies. I.E. at a star trek convention long ago Roddenburry let the word trekkie slip and a member of the auidence yelled back "it's trekkers" to which roddenburry replied "it's Trekkies I should know I invented it."

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Vyktor Alzirr on April 27, 2009 at 11:03am

I'd go with Gene's definition. Besides, trekkie sounds nice. Trekker makes me think of a hiker of sorts, rather than a Star Trek fan.

Permalink Reply by Mriana on April 27, 2009 at 7:33pm

I personally like Trekker, but that's me.

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey on April 28, 2009 at 2:35am

I guess it's a matter of personal comfort. To be honest I'd never heard the term trekker before I created this group.

Permalink Reply by Gecko, Seth...brother of Richie! on May 13, 2009 at 7:15pm

Im with you and Roddenberry. My wife and I wear the term trekkie with pride. And no we dont wear uniforms but love those who do.

Permalink Reply by Tribbles on May 23, 2009 at 4:37pm

I completely agree with you on this one.

Permalink Reply by Rick Marsteller on May 27, 2009 at 4:51pm

A fair assessment. "Trekkies" is the original term so that's what I've always gone with, but I've also always thought the whole debate was just nit-picking. I mean, how much does it actually matter?

Permalink Reply by Tricia Otto on October 30, 2009 at 10:42am

I am so a Trekkie but thats my opinion. I mean no disrespect to any Trekkers but Roddenburry had the general gist of it.

Permalink Reply by Errol Monaghan on December 2, 2009 at 11:39am

I always use the term "Trekkie"

Permalink Reply by Loren Miller on February 12, 2010 at 9:58am

The differentiation I learned was: "I'm a Trekker - I have a life!"

This was on the basis of those Star Trek fans who obsess about details, know Yeoman Rand's cabin number, etc, etc, ad nauseum. My own data is as follows:

Became a Trekker 8 September, 1966 (if you don't know the significance of that date, why are you here?)
Have the complete TOS on Blu-Ray, as well as a couple on DVD and LaserDisc.
Watched all of TNG and most of DS9 and Voyager and maybe the first year and change of Enterprise.
Noted that each of the subsequent series took a while to "come up to speed:" find their identity and make sense of themselves and their characters.
Think that STII: TWOK is the best movie they've done, with ST: First Contact a close second
Am not certain I have words for STV:TFF
Am somewhat amazed at J. J. Abrams chutzpah with his near-complete redefinition of the idiom with his 2009 movie

I'm a Trekker. "Trekkie" to me sounds juvenile and off-putting and regardless of Roddenberry's attitude, I'll maintain my own label, thankuverymuch.

Permalink Reply by Teddy Marcum on February 16, 2010 at 3:33pm

I like Trekkie. I agree with Vyktor, Trekker sounds to much like some kind of a hiker.

Permalink Reply by Hannah D. on April 12, 2010 at 11:52pm

I did the whole dress-up and RPG Star Trek: Next Generation thing. I have always thought of myself as a Trekkie, but I have no problem with Trekker or anything else that people may choose to label themselves with for the love of Star Trek.

Trekker always tickles my funny bone because it reminds me of the Dr. Demento song, "Star Trekkin'." I know it's terribly irreverent, but it was just such a catchy tune. I used to sing that song over and over again when I was a teenager and drive everyone in the house crazy.

Permalink Reply by Nam Duong on August 25, 2010 at 2:47pm