The voyage had begun, and had begun happily with a galaxy to explore, and an intrepid crew.
Star Trek: The Original Series first aired on Sept. 8, 1966, to mixed reviews. Despite its modest beginnings and unceremonious ending, the science-fiction show left a lasting impact on society, spawning multiple successful spin-offs. From the start, its goal was to portray a utopian future free of prejudice, greed and superstition.
In many ways, the show succeeded in promoting racial equality and women’s rights. Yet in other ways, the Star Trek franchise failed to portray women as equals. Like every other human creation, Star Trek was shaped by the cultural and social biases of its time. The writers’ and
producers’ perspectives inevitably influenced what appeared on screen.
The pilot episode illustrates this struggle. Gene Roddenberry wanted the first officer to be a woman, but the network refused to approve the show unless he changed it. “…just as the original series tended to reassert colonialist and capitalist hegemonies even while trying to call them into question, so for Star Trek: The Next Generation the sincere acknowledgement of gender equality is riddled with conservative contradictions.” (Heller, 1997)
This discussion remains relevant because the shows, for all their flaws, still present an optimistic vision of the future. They continue to inspire positive change and reaffirm egalitarian values. “The message is therefore confusing: on one hand Star Trek: The Next Generation
denies the essentialism which predetermines each sex’s capabilities and implies that both sexes are capable of fulfilling the same tasks, and yet on the other hand, has the main female characters in the series in roles which subscribe to age-old gender stereotypes of a female
nature.” (Korzeniowska, 1996)
Writers are always shaped by their era, making it difficult to create a story outside personal experience. Modern Trek faces the same challenge, only under new emotional and cultural norms. In some ways, it may be even more guilty than its predecessors of projecting
contemporary ideology onto the far-future world of Star Trek.
Food Banks Have New Support in Improving Child Nutrition
Food banks have a new ally in the fight against childhood malnutrition, and it couldn’t have come sooner. The North York Harvest Food Bank has been supporting the community for over 40 years, and still, one in three patrons is a child.
When food banks were heavily organized in Canada during the 1980s, the intention was to create a temporary stopgap for food insecurity. The number of Canadians still experiencing hunger remains alarmingly high. The Canadian Malnutrition Task Force conducted a study and found one in three children who were admitted to hospitals were suffering from malnutrition. Signs of malnutrition are not always physical, and spotting the markers is not easy. As the cost of food rises, the problems persist, and the work done by food banks becomes all the more crucial.
Having a nutritious diet is critical to healthy development. The North York Harvest Food Bank is an organization that has always understood the importance of food equity, and their commitment to our city’s health is indispensable. The work of food banks is crucial in offsetting the gaps in social programs and income inequalities, especially for children. According to research by Desapriya in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, Canada ranked 17th out of 29 developed nations in child health outcomes. These numbers show the obvious need for change in our government’s approach to solving hunger issues.
Just last year, the federal government responded to the crisis by introducing the National School Food Policy (NSFP), bringing Canada back in line with the majority of developed nations. The policy is set to invest $1 billion over five years into school food programs, with the intention of providing support and meals for an additional 400,000 Canadian children. School food programs greatly improve the physical and psychological well-being of participating children. In Economic Effects of the Double Burden of Malnutrition, Nugent and associates found that students who had access to daily nutritious breakfasts, on average, grew taller and had higher grades than their peers.
As the North York Harvest Food Bank celebrates 40 years of operation, a new chapter is beginning for Canadians facing food insecurity. With the help of the National School Food Policy, the goal for a hunger-free Canada is getting closer. The increase in governmental support provides hope for the future.