I am a nerd and proud of it. I love Star Trek. Some people might call me a nerd— that’s OK with me. I wear the nerd badge with honor.
Let me tell you a little bit about my story. I grew up with a single mom. She is amazing. We both went through a rough time. Let’s just say my mom had a boyfriend that wasn’t very nice to either of us. So when I was young— and even sometimes to this day—Star Trek is my refuge.
Now, to those of you who are not familiar with Star Trek: it’s a show about exploring space and all the strange new worlds. If you want to learn more, I suggest you start with Star Trek: The Next Generation. That is personally my favorite, but check it out for yourself.
Star Trek really made an impact on me as a kid because I felt like I had no one to go to for refuge. On Star Trek, no matter what obstacles they faced, they worked together as a team. And each obstacle brought them closer together because they knew they could trust one another—and they became family. That’s why I love Star Trek.
Don’t worry—our lives have gotten much better. Now I have friends and family I can rely on, and my mom and I are in a much safer and more loving environment.
I tell you this not for pity or to make you feel bad for me. I tell you this because we—as fans of whatever it may be, whether it be Star Trek, Star Wars, you name it—we should not make fun of anyone for liking what they like.
We may have different opinions, and we may not like the same things as someone else, and that’s OK. If we were all the same, it would be pretty boring. Don’t you think?
Star Trek is one of the reasons I love writing. Today’s fandom is so toxic. I don’t understand why. It’s OK—we don’t all have to like the same thing. As somebody once said, “Variety is the spice of life.”
And to anybody who is being mistreated for any reason: you are worth it, you are valuable, and you are a treasure. Nobody deserves to be mistreated for any reason at all.
To those abusers who like to hurt others for power or to make themselves feel better, I say this: I hope you change and see the error of your ways. If not, I hope whatever power you believe in doesn’t show you any mercy.
May we show love to everybody, even those with different views than us. And may nerds live on forever.
As Spock used to say: Live long and prosper, everybody. 🖖