Posted in: CBS, Opinion, Preview, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: , , , , , ,


Star Trek: SNW: Melissa Navia to Anti-Ortegas Bigots: "We All See You"

We've been noticing a silver lining lately that's been coming out of the growing s**tstorm that is social media, with its mix of close-minded gatekeepers and narrow-minded "pseudo-fans" pushing back on anything new or different. They're not exactly what you would call "change agents." And one thing they love to do is scream, "Woke!" at the top of their poor, butthurt lungs any time a production "dares" to present a cast that represents the real diversity in our society instead of another "whitewash." So you can just imagine the grief that Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Melissa Navia gets for their portrayal of Helmsman Erica Ortegas, with comments like "demo casting" and "just checking off a box" being thrown around by folks who think they can know & love a show about the future while living blissfully & ignorantly in the past. Except Navia represents this growing trend of more and more within the creative community actively pushing back on social media hate and calling folks out specifically so they can be held accountable for the bile that they spew.

star trek
Pictured: Melissa Navia as Ortegas of the Paramount+ original series STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS. Photo Cr: James Dimmock/Paramount+ ©2022 CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

"Happy Sunday! Last night was cray. I just couldn't have people spouting such hate while professing it was harmless and do nothing. Remember, I'm a fearless widow, so don't worry about me. Just know I have your backs. There is good in this world, and it's worth fighting for," Navia wrote in a two-tweet follow-up to their previous night spent crushing trolls and dropping knowledge. "And yes, I know the few we tried to reason with are just the tip of an unfortunate iceberg, but calling them out is never hopeless. Think about kids reading along who look like me, look up to me, and hear the same at school. I can now make noise. So when I have the energy, I will."

And here's a look at Navia's tweet after several earlier Twitter exchanges, making it clear that social media attacks won't be left unresponded to: "Let it be known: I shrink from nothing. I pander to no one. When you come for Ortegas with bigoted nonsense, you come for anyone who looks like her, identifies with her, sees any part of themselves in her, looks up to her, [and] vibes with her. I see you. We all see you." Here's a look at the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star's tweet:

And here's a look at the thread in question, which you can check out here. But just to give you a sense of just how little time they have for any bigoted, hateful nonsense, here's a sample of one response from Navia during the exchange: "I am insisting nothing, M*** [editorial redaction]. I'm outright calling you what your own words have shown you to be – a bigot. You judge people superficially and think you're morally superior to people who love who they love. I need no apologies. I ask that you do better. Speak less, think more."


Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!

Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
twitterinstagram
Comments will load 20 seconds after page. Click here to load them now.