I grew up watching Star Trek. Not by choice exactly but my parents and siblings were all totally into it so it seems like it was always on the television. Damn you syndication! My favorite character was Lt. Sulu (George Takei) with Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) as runner up. Apparently, I was all about the lieutenants. And the tribbles... but that was, like, one episode.
Not that I was a Trekkie. But those Lieutenants got me through since I didn't otherwise care.
George Takei officially came out in 2005, though he hadn't really been technically "in" per se, and since then he's become such a witty and adamant champion of human rights that he's made me so proud in retrospect for my good childhood taste to have dubbed him "favorite".
What's more, if you stop to think about it, his championing of human rights and his own history as the first Asian hero on US series television is in beautifully synchronicity with Star Trek's progressive diversity way back in the 1960s with its depiction of a peaceful multi-ethnic future.
You've probably seen this already -- Rachel Maddow featured it last night in her "best new thing in the world today" segment -- but here he is offering up a witty solution to Tennessee's homophobic legislation.
That is soooo Takei.
Fighting hatred not with more hatred but with humor and heart? What a class act. You can buy "It's okay to be Takei" merchandise if you're so inclined.