Just to keep you up to date.
Unless I’m grievously mistaken, he’s the first regular Trek cast member (any series) to come out. Anyhow, I predict a lot of conference bookings in the very near future.
Wow. That came, like, totally out of left field.
I read that on the AOL news earlier tonight. I still have no idea what to say. Nothing in life has ever made me consider “how would I feel if, say, George Takei came out?” Good for him, though. I’d like to think it’s a sign of progress that two celebs have come out in the last 2-3 days.
Who’s the other one?
I foresee this being in many Trek Trivia quizzes in years to come.
WNBA star Sheryl Swoopes.
I just read this and was about to make a thread. Good for him!
I’m glad they both felt free and safe enough not to have to hide who they were. Maybe there’s hope for us as a species yet? 
Good for him.
But sad it took 18 years to publicly acknowelge his relationship.
George and Brad…sittin’ in a tree…K-I-S-S-I-N-G. 
It adds new meaning to “Young Wet Bitches”, doesn’t it?
“I said ‘Lay a straight course for Vulcan,’ Mr. Sulu!”
He wasn’t hiding it, at least not from his friends, neighbours etc. That said, this one sort of came out of left field.
There’s been plenty of speculation the last few years about this in Trek fandom, so it’s not terribly surprising to me. After all, he wasn’t “closeted”. He just wasn’t shouting it from the rooftops.
I was searching IMDB for an appropriate quote from Sulu for this occassion. This one from ST IV popped out at me:
“San Francisco! I was born there!”
It’s not terribly appropriate to the situation, but I always did like his and Uhura’s repartée from “The Naked Time:”
Sulu: I’ll save you, fair maiden!
Uhura: Sorry, neither.
Yeah, I should have mentioned that.
So Ozzie Guillen’s still straight?
Either way, that was a fantastic interview linked in the OP. I love Takei’s eloquence. If those kinds of statements could get more time in the media I think it would go a ways in advancing gay rights. At least I’d like to think so.
Hijack: Interesting aside on Swoopes: she is quoted as saying that she doesn’t think that she was born lesbian. Since one poster earlier thought Takei’s wide public announcement helps gay rights, and that it and Swoopes’ announcement are indicative of changing times, I wonder how that quote (which is already being pounced on by those who say that homosexuality is a choice) affects things?
Here’s my reaction.
1: Well, at least I know who George Takei is. (I’ve got the latest copy of ESPN Magazine and still don’t know or care who Sheryl Swoopes is.)
2: Why do I care?
3: More importantly, why should I care?
Ah HAH! He pinged my gaydar for a while now, and I think he was the only unmarried ST star. Although I’d never heard of Brad before.