“I have only met one “trekker” in my life– let me tell you this story.

So I was working at one of those big-box book/movie/music stores at the time, and this was just after the 2009 movie came out. I was 19, and had gotten to a point where I was sick of defending my status as a Star Trek fan to (let’s be honest) male trekkies, but I usually risked talking about it anyway because Star Trek is who I am as a person.

ANYWAY, for some reason, I didn’t expect it from this guy, maybe because he approached me very affably. He was probably 60-65, wearing a nice suit, checking out at my cash register and he was buying of the TOS movies on blu-ray and I said something along the lines of– “Oh, I’ve never seen any of these on blu-ray! I bet they look so good!” or something.

And he leveled me with this Look ™ as he handed me his credit card and was like “Oh, are you a trekkie?” and I should have known it was a trap, you guys, I should’ve known, but I said yes anyway because I love bonding with people over shared interests so much– which is apparently my downfall.

And his eyes narrowed and he looked like genuinely furious and I had no idea what I did???? But he said in a very biting tone of voice, “You know, before this new movie came out, we all called ourselves trekkers. But you probably wouldn’t know that.” And I didn’t know if it was my age or my gender or both, but he looked me up and down while I finished ringing him up and went on with some bullshit about how I obviously never watched the original which baffled me because I’d just told him I’d seen the TOS movies?? But I remember that first bit SO clearly.

Eventually I handed him his purchases and he stalked off, telling me that if I wanted to know anything about the culture I should watch the old show (WHicH i HAd OBViouSLY DONE aT the TimE) and I was left like “what?” He was so mad he didn’t even let me hop in there and defend myself, though really even if I hadn’t watched ANY Star Trek but the 2009 movie he still had no right to be a jerk.

So, like, I’ve been waiting seven years for someone to explain this encounter to me?

Because both my dad and stepdad, who were about this man’s age, had only ever referred to themselves as trekkies. Every ST fan I knew referred to themselves as trekkies. I have never before nor since met another person who called themselves a trekker. Are they all like this?? Are there any others??? It’s a mystery.

If y’all are out there, trekkers, I’d like you to explain your gatekeeping, pretentious friend over here, and maybe send a PSA to your members to be nice to teenage girls who enjoy things.” [x]