Feminism in Friday’s Child (Star Trek: The Original Series)

Ok, so I’ve been thinking about this episode recently, and I really wanna know what you guys think.

What a lot of people don’t realise about feminism, is that not all feminists agree. There are different layers to it; people who preach to a mother and house wife that she is shaming their gender are not who I’d call feminist, because they don’t understand that you can be a muslim, and a feminist. You can be Catholic, and be a feminist. You can wear high heals and short skirts, and be a feminist. It isn’t exclusive; all it requires is the belief that women and men are equal. It’s such closed mindedness that has given feminism a bad name. It’s the reason why people scowl at me when I tell them I’m a feminist.

Ok, so what? Well, my point is that this one particular episode, Friday’s Child, is a hotbed for feminist debate. The episode shows McCoy, Kirk and Spock beaming down to Capella IV, a belligerent planet, and known for being allies of the Klingons. When they arrive, their suspicions are proved correct, that the Klingons are interfering, and, soon enough, a coup d’état arises, and the current leader Akaar is assasinated. The throne is taken by Maab, who orders the death of Akaar’s wife, Eleen, and unborn child.

When McCoy treats a burn injury she receives, and drags her away from the fight that ensues, he breaks a long standing tradition that only the husband of Capellan women may touch them.

Eleen is furious that McCoy has dared to breach her rights in this way, and, of course, Bones brushes it off with his usual grumpy reasoning. He continues to ignore this tradition, as he helps her through the rocky terrain, controversially taking her by the hand.

Ok, so first off, let’s get to the gritty bit, here. I’m not particularly knowledgeable in the area Islamic religion, but I do know that women are given a hard time for wearing the hijab, when they’re in Western countries. There’s the debate that the hijab is the product of a patriarchal society, because it hides women’s features, and thus it is oppressive for women to wear them. Others argue that it is entirely their choice to wear the hijab or not, and that the fact that some choose to wear it is a sign of respect for their religion, and independence. It’s their religion, their business.

Now, Bones has gone to the alien planet itself and ignored it’s traditions. Yes, by breaching the rules, he’s saved her life. But he does it with the arrogance and ignorance of someone who thinks they’re doing the right thing, that their customs are more important. He does it with no apology, only with the superior status of a Starfleet Doctor.

In this instance, I’d say it was right that he saved Eleen and the baby from being murdered, of course, but the typically Bonesian way he dealt with it was not so great. But, in his mind, lets not forget, he’s just doing his job.

My point is, for a Doctor who is part of an enterprising force of hope and progression, he is very quick to undermine the traditions of the planets he’s exploring, and is arrogant in doing so. I’m not saying he’s wrong for saving her life; I just think it’s an interesting allegory for the Western and Eastern worlds. (Again, I should remind you that I’m not particularly knowledgeable in this area, so call me out if I’ve said anything wrong. I’m just leaving it here for you to consider yourselves.)

The bit that I can talk a little more on, is the moment when Bones is trying check on the baby. He places his hand on her abdomen, and, of course, feeling violated, she slaps him. Bones is stubborn. So he keeps trying to check the baby’s health- he’s just doing his job. She slaps him a good few times, before finally he slaps her back.

This is the 1960s, guys- the world is still full of people who say they’d never hit a woman, so imagine what it was like then. I’m not saying people should hit women- I don’t think anyone should be hitting anyone at all. But let’s face it, if you got bitchslapped three times really hard by someone ignoring medical advice, you’d frickin’ slap back. Or, at least I would.

I was shocked when I watched this. Let me repeat, this was the 1960s. And on national television, a man hitting a pregnant woman. To me, considering that this is Bones, and he isn’t exactly known for being a chilled guy, I think it makes complete sense. And, considering the fact that Starfleet is comprised of women, too, it only makes complete sense that 23rd century people treat them in the same way as they’d treat men.

Obviously, she’s completely shocked, but in the end she lets him check the baby and deliver it.

And this is the saddest bit for me; Eleen tries to stop the delivery, saying that the baby isn’t hers. Akaar is dead, and so should the baby be. Bones makes her repeat “it’s mine” to encourage her that she is the mother, she has as much of a right to love and be responsible for her child. But she misunderstands. She tells Bones, yes, of course it’s yours, you can have it.

So, in the end, she decides that Bones, a man she’d only just met, was a better candidate for a parent than she was. I don’t think there’s any denying that this is a patriarchal society; but to what extent?

Discuss!

Live Long and Prosper x