# Trekkie vs. Trekker? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 20, 2013, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008 "2013-07-20T04:04:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/81 "2013-07-24T23:51:36Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > People who were leading productive lives and didn’t live in their mom’s basement did not want to be associated with that kind of thing, so we started calling ourselves Trekkers. The Trekkies immediatly took offense and began firing their toy phasers at us. We ignored them, we were too busy having sex. Unless this paragraph is triple-lacquered in irony, there really is no :rolleyes: big enough. Trekkie was a fine and acceptable term. The insistence on Trekker is defensive and preposterous, especially given the fact that many years after its introduction, it still has not found a dominant foothold in the general public’s vernacular. They will always be Trekkies, regardless of how deep and wide their denial of this truth persists. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/82 "2013-07-25T02:24:35Z")
I blame Bikies, who at one point decided they preferred the term Bikers. It occurs to me that _Bikies_ may be a very local term. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/83 "2013-07-25T03:36:38Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Yeah, this kind of insider jargon used in general public where one cannot expect everyone to have insider knowledge is one of the things that gives Trekkies a bad reputation. 😉 It’s like flashing gang signs, only for nerds/geeks/fen. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/84 "2013-07-25T03:43:58Z")
Trekkie was used in a dismissive, derisive, belittling way for so long that many fans came to hate the term. Hence Trekker. I’ll answer to either, but would prefer Trekker, if I had my druthers. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/85 "2013-07-25T06:26:24Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > It’s like flashing gang signs, only for nerds/geeks/fen. 😛 Don’t get me _started_ on people who flash gang signs… ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/86 "2013-07-25T14:07:35Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I blame Bikies, who at one point decided they preferred the term Bikers. > > It occurs to me that _Bikies_ may be a very local term. I soon expect to see fans of anthropomorphic animals dubbing themselves “furriers” and grownups who appreciate My Little Pony calling themselves “broners.” ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/87 "2013-07-25T20:57:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > her? The “class bashing” part is right though. I appear to have you confused with someone else. I may also have me confused for someone else. > [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Trekkie was used in a dismissive, derisive, belittling way for so long that many fans came to hate the term. Goes with the territory. “Gay” is a word used in a dismissive, derisive, and belittling way because the people who use it that way see “gays” as worthy of dismissal, derision, and belittling. Can’t change mindsets stepping around the word. Thus the comments above about the people opting for Trekker being afraid society will judge them for it. “I don’t want to be associated with _them_.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/88 "2013-07-25T21:16:40Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I appear to have you confused with someone else. I may also have me confused for someone else. No biggie. I was beside myself the other day. That was really confusing. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/89 "2013-07-26T00:18:10Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Trekkie was used in a dismissive, derisive, belittling way for so long that many fans came to hate the term. Hence Trekker. I’ll answer to either, but would prefer Trekker, if I had my druthers. The problem with ‘trekker’ is that it had an obvious meaning - someone who goes on treks - before anyone came up with ‘trekkie.’ Star Trek fans, as such, don’t go on treks. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/90 "2013-07-26T00:33:20Z")
Ah… humor. A difficult concept. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/91 "2013-07-26T01:00:05Z")
I’m not really the convention type, but I went to one in the early 90’s with a friend who was seriously into it. I asked her the difference and she said: A Trekkie will come to the convention wearing a set of Spock ears. A Trekker has had them surgically attached. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/92 "2013-07-26T01:03:06Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > I’m not really the convention type, but I went to one in the early 90’s with a friend who was seriously into it. I asked her the difference and she said: > > A Trekkie will come to the convention wearing a set of Spock ears. A Trekker has had them surgically attached. Not a surprising statement since Trekkies are usually wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/93 "2013-07-26T19:42:12Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > A Trekkie will come to the convention wearing a set of Spock ears. A Trekker has had them surgically attached. Just shows that people in both camps have tried to distance themselves from the obsessive fans, saying “No, they’re the obsessive ones, we’re the normal people who just like Star Trek”. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/94 "2013-07-26T19:56:26Z")
We should call the truly obsessed “Treksters” They would all drive their shuttle craft modifed Prius from their lo-do flats with full sized bridge displays, sipping green romulan tea and smearing themselves with patchouli warp core oil. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/95 "2013-07-26T20:25:27Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > They would all drive their shuttle craft modifed Prius from their lo-do flats with full sized bridge displays, sipping green romulan tea and smearing themselves with patchouli warp core oil. Green Romulan _ale,_ not tea. Warp cores don’t use or need oil. Jeez. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/96 "2013-07-26T20:31:59Z")
Think Hipsters and you might get the joke. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/97 "2013-07-26T20:34:51Z")
and _ **GET OFF MY BRIDGE!** _ now that would be a cool thing to say, wouldn’t it ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/98 "2013-07-27T00:33:53Z")
A prius modded to resemble a shuttlecraft might be pretty neat. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/99 "2013-07-27T00:59:41Z")
> [@Kenm](#): > > Green Romulan _ale,_ not tea. Romulan ale is BLUE, not green. Jeez. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2013, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008/100 "2013-07-27T01:02:53Z")
Proves I’m a trekker. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trekkie-vs-trekker/664008.md?page=6)