The couple were joined by Takei’s Star Trek co-stars at the wedding

Former Star Trek actor George Takei has married his long-term partner in a Buddhist ceremony in Los Angeles.

Takei, 71, who played Mr Sulu in the sci-fi series, married business manager Brad Altman, 54, in front of a number of his Star Trek co-stars.

They included best man Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov, and matron-of-honour Nichelle Nichols – Uhura.

The wedding – at Japanese American National Museum – came after California lifted a ban on same-sex marriage.

The couple, who have been together for 21 years, wore matching white tuxedos in the ceremony.

Takei, who recently appeared in US TV show Heroes, said in his vows that Altman was “an organised, detailed-obsessed, punctuality-driven control freak”.

“I’m easygoing so we’re a good fit,” he added.

Speaking before the ceremony, Takei said: “We have a relationship that’s been stronger and longer-lived than some of our straight friends and yet we were not equal.

“What this does is give us that dignity.”

Dignity is what it is all about.  Forced to dream and love in the shadows is a crime against humanity.  The compulsion of myopic dogmas to deny basic human natural attraction, is cruel.  Nature has many facets that are  balanced and productive, religious dogmas only recognizes a fraction of these.  To fear the happiness of others is a sickness, ritualized and capitolized on by many, but not all, religions. Neither you, nor I should be threatened by this couple’s marriage.  I, personally, am delighted that another pair of humans have found joy.

Live long and prosper ….