Star Trek star George Takei tweeted Sunday that one of his “biggest regrets” is not becoming a dad.
Takei, a gay man and activist, tweeted in tribute to Father’s Day that he regrets “never becoming a dad,” adding that there was limited access for gay men and same-sex couples of his generation to raise children. He expressed his gratitude for being known as “Uncle George” by many.
“One of my biggest regrets was never becoming a dad. In my generation, coming of age in the 50s and 60s, it just wasn’t something very available to gay men, even those in couples. But I’m happy I could still be “Uncle George” to so many,” Takei tweeted.
One of my biggest regrets was never becoming a dad. In my generation, coming of age in the 50s and 60s, it just wasn’t something very available to gay men, even those in couples. But I’m happy I could still be “Uncle George” to so many.
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June 20, 2021
Takei gained stardom for his role as Mr. Sulu in the original “Star Trek” television series in the 1960s. In 2005, the Star Trek star came out as gay to Frontiers, a biweekly Los Angeles magazine, the Today show reported. He kept his sexuality a secret in order to protect his career. (RELATED: The New Sulu Is Gay, And George Takei Is Bummed)
“I was silent, it was totally against my character. The one cause that was the most personal to me, I had to stay quiet on because I wanted to keep my career,” Takei told Variety in June 2020.
After the California Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage on May 15, 2008, Takei married his long-time partner, Brad, according to Variety. The two had been in a committed relationship since 1985.
Out of the 1.1 million same-sex couples in the U.S., 15% of couples have children, according to the Census Bureau.
