Trekkies or Trekker

[Kage Kazumi]

Reader,

So on a non-Star Trek forum people brought up what Star Trek fans are called and one member said, "Trekkors" well another said it was "Trekkies" and a third said it was "Trekkers."

Here's ones man's response:

In the movie "Fan Boys" it explains the term "Trekkie" is a negative term the proper name is "Trekker."

So exactly what is it?

v/Respectfully,
Kage

 

[Tiberius]

To me, a Trekkie is someone who goes around speaking Klingon, dressing up as Captain janeway (even if they're a guy) and making funny hand signs.

I'm a Trekker, someone who has a great appreciation for the show.

 

[Miss Lemon]

I don't like the term Trekker; I refer to myself as a Trekkie.

To me, a Trekkie is someone who goes around speaking Klingon, dressing up as Captain janeway (even if they're a guy) and making funny hand signs.

I usually dress up as Seven.

 

[Greg Cox]

I usually stick with Trekkie, since it's more fun and informal. Never really seen the point in drawing a distinction between "Trekkie" and "Trekker."

 

[sonak]

"Trekkie" is the correct and original term. (Hence the name of the documentary)


"Trekker" is an awkward and self-conscious term invented by embarrassed folks who were somewhat ashamed of being associated with Star Trek fandom.


just my $0.02

 

[JustKate]

Nobody except Trek fans knows or understands the term "Trekker" - use that with a member of the general public and his reaction will be "Huh?" Anybody who tries to use it ends up explaining himself anyway. So I use either "Trekkie" or "Star Trek fan," depending on my mood.

BTW, I've never seen "Trekkor" until now. Maybe I don't get out enough, but I would have assumed it was a plain ol' misspelling.

 

[horatio83]

Trekkers are guys with boots, sticks and Jack Wolfskin jackets while Trekkies are guys who own far too much Trek merchandise. I prefer the term Trek fan as it correctly implies that there are things about Trek which I am fanatic about (and other I do not care at all about).

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Who came up with the name Trekker? It sounds like someone was embarrased by the behavior of some people called Trekkies and decided to come up with a name to differentiate themselves from those "weirdos". They must've got beat up on the playground for being a Trekkie so they devised this different term.

Anway I'm not really into the idea of coining some name to describe my fandom...Lost fans are "Losties", Fringe fans are "Fringies", relationshippers are "shippers", etc. those names sound so silly. I'd prefer "Lost fan" over "Lostie", "Fringe fan" over "Fringie", etc and "Trek Fan" over Trekkie or Trekker.

 

[Greg Cox]

To me, it's like trying to make a distinction between "sci-fi" and "science fiction." I realize that some people are very intent on splitting those hairs, but, as far as I'm concerned, life is too short.

Plus, of course, it just leads to endless, futile arguments about exactly where the dividing line is.

It's like debating how many Organians can dance on the head of a pin. What's the point?

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Or Dickies? Dickers?

 

[Methos]

i just enjoy Trek for what it is...

Call me a trekkie, trekker, fed, geek or whatever... don't really care for lables, i just enjoy the show / books / community for what they are

M

 

[Greg Cox]

are dick tracy fans dickheads then ?

As opposed to fans of Philip K. Dick?

 

[C.E. Evans]

A Trekker is a Trekkie who needs a reality check.

 

[sonak]

Who came up with the name Trekker? It sounds like someone was embarrased by the behavior of some people called Trekkies and decided to come up with a name to differentiate themselves from those "weirdos". They must've got beat up on the playground for being a Trekkie so they devised this different term.

Anway I'm not really into the idea of coining some name to describe my fandom...Lost fans are "Losties", Fringe fans are "Fringies", relationshippers are "shippers", etc. those names sound so silly. I'd prefer "Lost fan" over "Lostie", "Fringe fan" over "Fringie", etc and "Trek Fan" over Trekkie or Trekker.

Yep, your top paragraph theory is pretty much what happened.

"trekker" was a term made up so that some Trek fans could look down on some other Trek fans("trekkies") as losers or nerds.


if you look at those "trekkie vs trekker" lists floating around on the internet("trekkers imagine what it's like having sex in zero g, trekkies imagine what it's like having sex," etc.) you'll see what I mean.

 

[Methos]

quoted from UrbanDictionary...

Trekker

Original series Star Trek fans have had a preference for trekker, not trekkie, going back to the early '70s and the first conventions.

At about that time, the mainstream media discovered Star Trek fandom with feature stories that usually had a condescending spin, including the term trekkie. These were along the lines of "Who are these trekkies and why do they gather by the thousands to profess their love for an old canceled TV show?"

Those features often focused on the most extreme aspects of fandom that of course looked weirdest to non-fans, and didn't delve into what it was about the show that made fans so passionate. Thus were the beginnings of the "nerdy" cliches that have come to be associated with fans. It was to avoid associations with such cliches that original Star Trek fans became opposed to trekkie and sought to get the more serious-sounding term trekker used.

"Yeah, I'm a Star Trek fan, but I'm not a trekkie, I'm a trekker. Why? Because it better reflects what being a fan is about."

Trekkie

(n.) A fan, avid or otherwise, of at least one Star Trek series or movie. Devotees who totally immerse themselves in this subculture have given this term a somewhat negative stereotype, turning the majority of the fan base into the butt of many lame jokes. More "reality based" Trekkies, hoping to differentiate themselves from the habituous character-emulating, convention-attending crowd, choose to accept the label of "Trekker".

"John has the entire 3 seasons of the original Star Trek on DVD. What a Trekkie!"

"Nah... John's more of a Trekker. At least he doesn't go to half a dozen conventions a year dressed as a Klingon."

M

 

[Greg Cox]

The problem is, such distinctions are only meaningful to people who care about them.

From a practical point of view, "Trekkie" tends to be more useful in everyday conversations. If you're at a PTA meeting or neighborhood barbecue and you try to explain that, no, seriously, you're a "Trekker," not a Trekkie, people are just going to look at you funny.

Which, ironically, may be the opposite of what you intended . . . .

 

[Skywalker]

Trekkers have forgotten that this is all supposed to be fun.

 

[Hound of UIster]

Who the hell invented these idiotic distinctions?

 

[JustKate]

The problem is, such distinctions are only meaningful to people who care about them.

From a practical point of view, "Trekkie" tends to be more useful in everyday conversations. If you're at a PTA meeting or neighborhood barbecue and you try to explain that, no, seriously, you're a "Trekker," not a Trekkie, people are just going to look at you funny.

Which, ironically, may be the opposite of what you intended . . . .

Yeah, they're going to think that anybody who's given that much thought to the subject has a couple of screws loose, and what's more, they may be right!

 

[JustKate]

^

I think you're definitely on to something there, Gazomg!