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George Takei鈥檚 Sexuality: What We Know

George Takei has been the face of the television series 鈥楽tar Trek鈥� for several years after appearing in the series Hikaru Sulu. The Japanese American actor and author, born in 1937 to Japanese American parents is also an activist who has fought for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community for many years. The movie star also took part in other movies such as 鈥楳ulan鈥� and 鈥楢llegiance鈥� in the twentieth century.

Takei has been at the forefront of fighting for same-sex marriage rights in the United States of America despite his coming out as a gay man at an old age.

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When he was interviewed on David Tenantt鈥檚 podcast in 2020, the superstar revealed his journey to coming out as a gay man. Takei came out in 2005 for the first time to the public as a gay man at the age of sixty-eight years. He hid his sexuality for more than six decades before letting everyone know about his true identity.

However, Takei states that he failed to come out earlier as a gay man because he feared losing his job and putting his career under constant threat. He lived in an era when sexuality was not a widely spoken topic and the society did not accommodate the gays.

鈥淲hy did it take me so long to come out? Because I鈥檓 an actor and I wanted to work,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 learned at a young age that you couldn鈥檛 be an openly gay actor and hope to be employed. And I was already an Asian-American actor, so I was already limited a lot,鈥� he added during the same interview.

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Takei decided to stay closeted for several years to protect his career. The eighty-six-year-old man says that there are still several Hollywood stars who are afraid to come out as gay because they don鈥檛 want to lose their jobs.

鈥淭o this day, there are big Hollywood actors who are not out in order to protect their careers,鈥� Takei said.

Despite coming out at an old age, the Asian movie star says that he discovered his sexuality when he was a little boy. According to his story, he knew he was different before he turned ten years old and went on to confirm his difference when he was in junior high school. Even though he had male friends who were more interested in girls, Takei did not find girls more fascinating than boys.

鈥淭he other boys in junior high school, middle school, would get all excited. There was a girl named Monica who was prematurely blossoming out and they would say, 鈥淲oah, Monica is hot!鈥� I thought, Monica鈥檚 nice, but what are they getting so excited about?鈥� said Takei in the interview. He felt different from an early age and would be attracted to boys as he said in the interview.

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鈥淲hen I saw Bobby, he has such a cute smile, and they didn鈥檛 think so,鈥� said the actor referring to boys in junior high school.

However, Takei states that he did not choose to be different from the rest of the boys. According to him, being gay is not something that one decides because people are either born gay or straight.

Growing up in America, Takei met a group of other boys who would sneak him to gay clubs at night. However, he was told that the police raids the clubs sometimes and arrest everybody, take their pictures, and have a list of boys arrested in the gay bar. Takei was afraid of being arrested and therefore would rarely go to the bars for the sake of his acting career.

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The actor reveals that he lived a double life for fear of being exposed as a gay man which would mean that he lost his job as an actor. 鈥淐ertainly, I as an actor, those kinds of people weren鈥檛 hired by producers, and so I lived a double life. I was closeted,鈥� he recalled.

Takei met his husband Brad Takei back in the 1980s when the actor became part of a gay club marathon. He would have Brad train him for the marathon and they got to spend a lot of time together. One thing led to another and the couple tied the knot in 2008 after the United States of America legalized same-sex marriage.

The year before coming out, the author felt the need to fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community following his witness of their devotion to fight for their rights. He became part of the people who demonstrated and fought against social prejudice.

However, one incident changed his life forever. While visiting a friend in the hospital who was suffering from HIV/AIDS, Takei saw how his friend suffered at the hands of the doctors and nurses because people living with HIV/AIDS were also considered immoral and society outcasts.

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鈥淚 saw the connection, how inhuman and how cruel government and society鈥檚 influence on politicians can do such cruel injustices to suffering people. Yet, I was closeted because I wanted my career,鈥� he confessed in the interview. That was the turning point in his life as he made the decision that changed his life forever.

Takei caught a wake-up call and decided to come out and fight for the rights of the people. One more event made him choose to speak publicly about his sexuality– the search for the Equality Bill in California. George Takei narrates that Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to sign the bill into law which angered Takei.

He decided to go to the press and let everyone know that he was gay and eventually became a renowned advocate for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.

鈥淚 spoke to the press as a gay man,鈥� he told Tennant. 鈥淎fter that, I was out and loud and active as I lobbied for gay equality.鈥�

Takei says that even though he did not show his true self on the screen, he plans to have more stars in the movie 鈥楽tar Trek鈥� who would play gay characters to honor his legacy. He has been the voice for the LGBTQ+ community for many years and continues to advocate for their rights and acceptance in society.