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@thenasrin
Author, neurodivergent, queer, unable to not half-ass everything instead of whole-assing one thing. Trans friendly, you might even say trans encouraging! She/her because it’s close enough and nothing else I’ve found is better.
This morning I made a Star Trek fake in-universe pamphlet about interspecies intimate relationships because, given the sheer amount of people from different species and societies fucking in this franchise, I think this definitely exists in some form in-universe.
The full document for printing is the following (print double sided, changing side along the short edge):
In my head, this started at the Academy as a PSA for cadets but it soon started to be distributed on starships and space stations as well.
[full plain text under cut]
Interspecies Intimacy Guide
A few things to take into consideration when thinking about intimate relationships with members of other species and cultures
Introduction
Interspecies relationships of any kind are very enriching experiences, but for them to go smoothly all parties need to be respectful and communicate properly.
This is especially true for intimate relationships, with come with their own set of challenges and can be very different from culture to culture.
For this reason, it is important to take a moment to examine some of these concerns. Obviously, the solutions and preferences will vary vastly from individual to individual, there is no “one size fits all” answer to any of these questions, but that is why it is important to consider them carefully.
This pamphlet focuses mainly on sexual intimacy, but many of these principles can also be applied to other forms of physical contact, from cuddling to combat training, and even to forms of mental intimacy for species that use telepathy.
Research
Before engaging in intimate activities with someone from a species you are unfamiliar with, doing some research is a good idea. Try to cover these two topics:
Anatomy: knowing some basic anatomy can avoid surprises and help you be prepared.
Social rules surrounding intimacy: you should never assume someone’s ideas or desires just because they are part of a certain culture, but knowing the basic customs of their society can make communication easier.
If there is no information regarding these topics for a certain species on Federation databases and you have had intimate relations with a member of said species, consider contacting the Biology and/or Anthropology departments to contribute anything you might have learnt. This information will be collected anonymously.
Communication and consent
Communication is always essential, but even more so in interspecies relationships. Be as clear and specific as possible, as the things that you assume as obvious might be completely unheard of for your partner(s), and ask for clarification if needed.
Different cultures have different ways of expressing consent. To avoid confusion, you should seek (and give, when you want to) explicit and enthusiastic verbal consent when engaging in intimate activity.
You might want to use a safeword with your partner(s). If you are using the universal translator to communicate, make sure your safeword is a word without ambiguities in translation between your languages, as automatic translation can sometimes miss specific nuances and translate a word as a synonym instead of the specific one you have agreed upon, especially if the word is said out of context. Scientific terminology can usually avoid this problem.
Health concerns
Even if you think the species you are engaging in intimate activity with is not compatible with yours for reproduction, contraceptives are always a good idea: better safe than sorry. If applicable, preservatives are generally a good practice with humanoids, as long as you make sure the material is suitable for all participants.
Communicate openly with your partner(s) about contraceptive methods and avoiding disease transmission before engaging in any intimate practice. Also, make sure none of your bodies or bodily fluids contain any substances that could potentially be toxic or harmful to the other participant(s).
If anything feels wrong during or after the activity, go to a doctor as soon as possible. Do not feel embarrassed: whatever has happened, the doctor has probably seen something weirder before.
Back cover
If you have any further questions or concerns, ask a doctor, if possible the physician you regularly visit or an expert on the topic or species you have questions about.
This document is part of the Starfleet Academy sexual education initiative. For more information, please contact the initiative leader in the Biology department.
having a younger sibling is so embarrassing iwouldnt stoop this low for anyone but her im like quadruple texting "JUST TELL ME IF YOU WANT TO GO TO THE AQUARIUM ON DECEMBER 29TH SO I CAN GET TICKETS" and she leaves me on read 10000 times.
#this is the star trek i wanna see#like when somebody asked gene roddenberry why piccard was bald#because wouldn’t they have found a cure for male pattern baldness by then?#and he was like ‘no by the 24th century no one will care’#i wanna see that attitude with disability and neurodiversity#it’s not that we’ll have a magic cure for everything#there’ll always be something new#but disabilities and neurodiversity will be celebrated and seen as part of the norm#it will be accomodated#so blind people can serve in star fleet#and so can people in wheelchairs and autistic people and people with prosthetics and people with chronic illnesses (via @hunterinabrowncoat)
This episode ends with Geordi saving the planet by using something derived from the technology found in his visor (an adaptive device that lets him sense things around him). So a disabled man literally saved the lives of an entire culture that wouldn’t have considered his life worth living, using technology they would have never deemed necessary without the presence of his unique needs.
My favorite thing about this episode is that, while the rest of the characters are taking a more Star Trek philosophical approach to this situation, calmly debating the good and bad points of this colony built upon eugenics, Geordi is just seething. Troi is having a romance with their flippin’ president, but Geordi never hesitates on his morals. He’s always aware that this world’s supposed perfection is built upon the despicable philosophy of killing people like him. He barely even bothers to hide his anger as he has to work alongside their scientists. He’s snappish and short-tempered and bitter, clearly only working with these people because lives are at stake. When he discovers the solution is based on his VISOR, he is viciously triumphant, his joy at saving the people boosted by a bitter sense of righteousness that these people were only saved because someone like him was allowed to survive.
And even though this anger and bitterness are very un-Star-Trek-like approaches to diplomacy–it works. The scientist who works alongside him is the first person who decides to jump ship and leave the colony behind. She sees the stagnation of their bland “’‘‘‘‘utopia’‘‘‘‘‘ and realizes that diversity and adaptation create a much better society. And while the other Enterprise crew members have some wishy-washy lament over how this will destroy this planet’s ‘‘‘culture’‘‘, Geordi never waffles. He has far too personal a stake in this to lose sight of the fact that peoples’ lives are more important than any high-falutin’ philosophical justifications. The episode might waffle over the Prime Directive points of this society’s decline, but Geordi’s perspective is the one showing clearly why it needs to die.
this fourth of july I am coming out as a hater about fireworks. no more fireworks. fireworks are neither necessary nor good. they kill and harm birds and wildlife, they pollute the air, they are loud and unpleasant, they terrify my dog, and they trigger people's PTSD. I hate fireworks. can we please not do fireworks anymore
yousharknotpass
titsay
gamechangershow
