U.S.S. EXCELSIOR -- After years of commanding the USS Excelsior, the pride of the Excelsior class, Capt. Hikaru Sulu has revealed a secret that he has kept with him since his days as a helmsman on the USS Enterprise: he is a homosexual.

Capt. Sulu chose to come out by traveling to the past and telling Frontiers, a Los Angeles-based magazine covering the gay and lesbian community, that he was gay. Capt. Sulu used his time-traveling alias, George Takei, when speaking with Frontiers, but researchers at the Starfleet News Network knew it was him, anyway.

"Takei" said that his current stage role as psychologist Martin Dysart in the play Equus helped him decide to come out. Takei, a Japanese-American, lived in an internment camp between the ages of 4 and 8. He feels very strongly about racism and speaks frequently about Japanese internment. Takei likens prejudice against homosexuals to racism.

He also said that the state of the world helped him decide to come out. "The world has changed from when I was a young teen feeling ashamed for being gay," Takei told the Associated Press. "The issue of gay marriage is now a political issue. That would have been unthinkable when I was young."

Of course, upon returning to the 23rd century, "Takei" (who will then be known once again as Capt. Hikaru Sulu) will be accepted by his friends, family, and colleagues. His announcement will be a non-issue because the 23rd century is very tolerant of difference. Unless your only son was killed by a Klingon. Then you might have some issues.

[This is an actual news story. George Takei really did come out yesterday. --Ed.]