The Singular Instance Of "gatekeeping" I Feel Compelled To Do Is For Star Trek Series Shorthand. That

The singular instance of "gatekeeping" I feel compelled to do is for Star Trek series shorthand. That is, the often three (3) letters we use to shorten a show or films title for quickreference. On occasion this can be up to 4 letters (often for films), or down to 2. Generally though 3 is the most common.

At no time in the 56 years of the franchise have we used "ST_" because it is ridiculously redundant. It also wouldn't make any sense upon a single show existing with the same letter prominently placed. Example, DS9 and Discovery.

This is why it is wholely incorrect to use the initialism "STD" besides the fact that it's a favored term by bigots to defame Discovery. They enjoy associating the show with the initialism for Sexually Transmitted Disease. Partly because they have the mindset of 13 year olds, and partially because of the inherent bigotry of hating the show featuring the most LGBTQIA and POC cast.

The proof is in the pudding though. Enterprise is ENT. No where can you find fans calling it STE. Voyager is VOY (or occasionally VGR). What would you even do with TOS and TNG? STT? STO and STG?

When we needed these shorthand terms, we came up with them and even gave the original series it's own unofficial subtitle as "The Original Series".

So for those in need, here's the proper terms.

Star Trek (the original series): TOS

The Next Generation: TNG

Deep Space 9: DS9

Voyager: VOY or VGR

Enterprise: ENT

Discovery: DSC or DISCO

Picard: PIC

Lower Decks: LD or LDS

Prodigy: PRO

Strange New Worlds: SNW

For the films, it's pretty basic. Take the title and go. Yes, we include Ts for "The" - don't ask me why.

TMP, TWOK, TSFS, TVH, TFF, TUC, GEN, FC, INS, NEM, 09, ID, and Beyond as the only mono word title just gets the whole word. No one knows why lol. I guess BEY feels weird, like calling it BAE. But that's how everyone felt in 2016 so it's what happened.

I tell you all this NOT to make you feel like a lesser fan if you don't know it. On the contrary. I want you to know it because I'm welcoming you in. I want you in my fandom. And this is a piece of important messaging because it's been mutilated by toxic anti-fans. They and they alone embrace the obnoxious contradiction of calling the modern shows "STD" and "STP" etc for their own vile hate.

I want you all to know what true fans have used for decades. So you're not associated with bad people. You can dislike Disco or Picard, or DS9 or TOS. That's up to you. But it's toxic to be accidentally or unknowingly using the wrong terms that a particular nasty and vocal subset who hate the shows because of politics, bigotry, or grifting off hate use.