Given that the crew of the NX-01 Enterprise found out about Orion women running the Syndicate, I can only conclude that the stereotype persists because it's true in some or most cases, because by its very nature the Federation should run down inaccurate stereotypes quickly. Take a look at how quickly our culture has gone from "feet don't fail me now!" black characters in film to Will Smith. There's no way the Federation should be slower in phasing out prejudice than that.
So either "Orion slave girls" are the exception or there's a mob run by female capos passing themselves off as slave girls, which is more likely. Plus, it's the explanation that makes Enterprise less canon, which is always nice.
If she's roommates with Uhura, she's probably in some sort of communications-related department (they were also being given assignments together). Maybe some kind of proto-Troi counselor position, albeit much more useful when the emphasis is on figuring out civilizations upon first contact, getting the lay of the land from street smarts and slang, that kind of thing. Imagine her beaming over to meet and greet with a Klingon Bird of Prey, not being taken seriously, then reporting back with what family the Klingons are and what they're probably up to based on their current standing in the Empire.
I could also see her being friends with a Deltan (they could probably bond over unfair sexual stereotypes, because imagine all the Federation frat boys who'd try to get into Orion/Deltan pants. Which makes Kirk EVEN MORE of a mack daddy, because he pulled it off and went where no man had gone before) and one of those sentient cetaceans that serve on the Enterprise in the books, just because those guys are awesome. I mean, Enterprise has an aquarium deck? EFF YEAH.
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Date: 2009-05-17 05:51 am (UTC)So either "Orion slave girls" are the exception or there's a mob run by female capos passing themselves off as slave girls, which is more likely. Plus, it's the explanation that makes Enterprise less canon, which is always nice.
If she's roommates with Uhura, she's probably in some sort of communications-related department (they were also being given assignments together). Maybe some kind of proto-Troi counselor position, albeit much more useful when the emphasis is on figuring out civilizations upon first contact, getting the lay of the land from street smarts and slang, that kind of thing. Imagine her beaming over to meet and greet with a Klingon Bird of Prey, not being taken seriously, then reporting back with what family the Klingons are and what they're probably up to based on their current standing in the Empire.
I could also see her being friends with a Deltan (they could probably bond over unfair sexual stereotypes, because imagine all the Federation frat boys who'd try to get into Orion/Deltan pants. Which makes Kirk EVEN MORE of a mack daddy, because he pulled it off and went where no man had gone before) and one of those sentient cetaceans that serve on the Enterprise in the books, just because those guys are awesome. I mean, Enterprise has an aquarium deck? EFF YEAH.