It was actually Harry Kim but his character was so undeveloped that we never noticed.
Maybe that’s why he had such bad luck with women. He probably didn’t even figure it out himself until he was back home and finally got a promotion.
And Rick the Dick Berman said fuck no, in fact here’s a blonde bombshell in a catsuit. Fuck you.
Who turned out to be gay in Picard but Berman didn’t have anything to do with that I believe.
While I absolutely do not want to defend Rick Berman, I also think it’s important to acknowledge that his brand of assholishness was not unique (and, frankly, still isn’t).
As an adolescent boy, I did not really mind the choice.
As a grown up man, I still do not really mind the choice.
What’s funny is the “blonde bombshell in a catsuit” turned out to be one of the best characters on the show.
The studio said ‘add big tits’ and they took that and made an amazing character.
The episode that really nailed down what a talented actor Jeri Ryan is was the time she had all those assimilated personalities surface and was switching back and forth rapidly, and the bit where the Doctor “took over” her body when they were in prison.
Both times, it was absolutely believable that someone else was at the wheel, and “Seven” wasn’t there.
Her being the doctor is one of the greatest things in the entire series.
And also the time she thought she was a ballroom singer. And the moment she switches back to seven you can see it in the way she stands.
To be fair the blonde bombshell in a catsuit was initially nonbinary.
And then Janeway immediately gave it conversion therapy and told it to be a woman.
I think their are two bridge crew members where it could have been interesting if either was gay.
The first is Tovok. Having a Vulcan show its illogical to deny attraction to the same sex would be fun. The downside here is how reserved the character is, so it likely wouldn’t come up all that often in the show.
The second is Harry Kim. It would have been fun for him to be interested in Tom but Tom has no interest in him that way. We’d get a few episodes, may even a season of Harry pining for him before giving up and ending up best friends. Then we get Tom trying to set Harry up with people.
I don’t even think either of these would have changed things much overall.
Crew romance doesn’t play a big role in Voyager tbh, gay or not. The only proper relationship we see fleshed out is between B’Elanna and Tom Paris. We hear about Tuvok’s wife, Janeway’s fiance, and whatever that is between Seven and Chakotay.
It will be interesting to see Harry dating men but I don’t see a pairing on the bridge.
‘Resolutions’ called, it wants to build up a relationship between Janeway and Chakotay and then throw it away never to be heard from again.
As a cishet white male who dislikes Voyager, I would absolutely have enjoyed a clueless straight Tom Paris trying to set gay Harry up.
Instead he turned into a fish and kidnapped Janeway to, and I will be very gracious to the writing staff here, have consensual offspring with her.
Why did I tell myself I needed to watch that show? Worst trek. 😢
Edit: Also, good on Kate Mulgrew for being way more Star Trek than most by advocating for inclusion. I do like Janeway.
