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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 John Grow on August 26, 2010 at 8:50pm

When I went to my first Star Trek convention in 1976, we were Trekkies. We still are. That for me is that. You may be a Trekker if you wish, but if you are then to me you miss the point. And further, you do not Grok Spock. :-)

(One of my memories of that convention was the buttons that said "I Grok Spock." The merchandise room was a lot more honest than now. Not so many toys--which was disappointing to a seven year old kid but looking back, what was there was fan-made mostly, and that was cool.)

Peace and long life.

Permalink Reply by Grace Fitzpatrick on August 27, 2010 at 6:32am

I went on a blind date with a Trek fanatic once. He picked me up between reruns and dropped me off before the next one started. Needless to say, that was a one date experience. As for the Trekkie vs Trekker thing, I never heard of Trekkers before this. The original series will always be my favorite though, although I have watched the other shows especially TNG.

Permalink Reply by Christine on September 3, 2010 at 7:40pm

I call myself a trekkie but don't mind the term trekker. BTW I'm at DragonCon right now and proudly wearing the uniform from TOS.

Permalink Reply by Sarah Walton on September 24, 2010 at 6:02pm

The whole Trekkie vs. Trekker thing is just dumb, and really against the spirit that the original series at least was trying to promote. Nerds have this annoying habit of making a big damn deal out of the stupidest little thing (and hanging around a lot of different kind of nerds, I've seen in everywhere)--no one cares when you started watching the show, or how accurate your costume is, or your fan script. The show is cool, the central premise is inspiring and that's enough. :)