to file under “the more things change in fandom, the more they stay the same”
Above is a snippet of what I believe is an editorial from a vintage Star Trek fanzine, likely from the early to mid seventies. I know, it’s awfully poor of me to not have more specific sourcing details or even additional context, but then, I wasn’t thinking of proper archival technique at the time - I was just trying to take photos I could send to a friend who was not there to flail over the treasure trove of zines another friend’s aunt had given her. Please forgive me. The next time I get a chance to visit the woman who now owns these zines (she lives nearly two states away), I will try to get better documentation.
full text as shown (which is, sadly, merely a fragment of the whole):
“…have been barred from the lot and from the offices of those who produce it. Furthermore, those who publish ST books now have a policy of specifically avoiding even soft-core [Kirk/Spock] material; those who write those kinds of stories will find it increasingly difficult to sell them.
“Of course, if it pleases an individual to believe that Kirk and Spock are lovers, it is unlikely that anything I or anyone else may say would change their mind, and it would be wront [sic] to try. A person is entitled to his/her own beliefs. However – the active dissemination of the K/S interpretation of [Star Trek] is something that Paramount would very probably view as damaging to their property – and the studio will act to protect their property. One last note: Because of the content of several recent ltters [sic] (some of it related to K/S) I have asked to have my fan mail monitored and examined by appropriate legal agencies. K/S fans are welcome to continue writing to me, of course, but unfortunately, because of the actions of a few irresponsible individuals, all correspondence on this issue will have to be included and turned over. You are welcome to share this information with any K/S fans you know.
“Sincerely,
“David Gerrold“P.S. In answer to your question about IDIC [see: the definition of IDIC on fanlore], I find it difficult to believe that IDIC includes Sado-masochism and sexual humiliation. If so, I must have missed something…
[this section seems to switch perspectives; I must assume that this is the editor or original author’s commentary now.] “Once again, Gerrold has chosen one part of the whole to focus the spotlight on. I am by no means an advocate of the more S&M-type K/S stories. Neither am I a person…”
And in case you didn’t recognize the name, you probably know David Gerrold best as the guy who wrote the OS episode The Trouble With Tribbles. So there’s that.
Fanlore has got you covered!
The whole letter: “ Dear [Ms. G] Thank you for taking the time to write and share your thoughts. I appreciate your candor. Let me be equally candid. The people who created STAR TREK neither share no endorse the belief that Kirk & Spock are gay lovers. Indeed, two of the most aggressive promulgators of this belief have been barred from the lot and from the offices of those who produce ST. Furthermore, those who publish ST books now have a policy of specifically avoiding even soft-core K/S material; those who write these kinds of stories will find it increasingly difficult to sell them.
Of course, if it pleases an individual to believe that Kirk and Spock are lovers, it is unlikely that anything I or anyone else may say would change their mind, and it would be wrong to try. A person is entitled to his/her own beliefs. However – the active dissemination of the K/S interpretation of ST is something that Paramount would very probably view as damaging to their property — and the studio will act to protect their property. One last note: Because of the content of several recent letters (some of it related to K/S) I have asked to have my fan mail monitored and examined by appropriate legal agencies. K/S fans are welcome to continue writing to me, of course, but unfortunately, because of the actions of a few irresponsible individuals, all correspondence on this issue will have to be included and turned over. You are welcome to share this information with any K/S fans you know.
Sincerely, David Gerrold
P.S. In answer to your question about IDIC, I find it difficult to believe that IDIC includes Sado-masochism and sexual humiliation. If so, I must have missed something…"
More info: http://fanlore.org/wiki/Open_Letter_to_K/S_Fandom_by_David_Gerrold