Katy Perry going into orbit

I wonder how much we've moved on from the 1970s if all the 'kick-ass trailblazer females' look like Charlie's Angels.

They didn't do anything great. They just paid for the flight.

Exactly.

Sorry not sure what you mean.

Oh what no. They just paid for it.

It's the false claims they are making around the words crew, astronauts and mission.
They have awarded themselves a status - a quite a significant hard to achieve status - they have no entitlement to.
They have then garnished these lies with sexiness and several layers of nauseating 'hey guys look at me".
To top it off they have claimed to be role models for young girls.

Bring back Helen Sharman!

@Ffgeefg, in broad terms, because it is a tone deaf publicity stunt, environmentally irresponsible and entirely disconnected from reality.

Add in the fact that she thinks it’s about women in STEM and that she’s somehow championing it. I graduated in STEM 35 years ago and it was a very tough space to be in.

Add in that these celebrities with fat cheque books are being labelled as role models, they are not role models I’d want my kids or the young people I work with to aspire to.

KP actually stated that her motivation included ‘setting an example for her daughter and showing that such extraordinary achievements are possible, highlighting the collective energy and importance of making space for women in exploration’.

Absolute rot, KP was on the flight because she has rich friends and a big bank balance.

I agree with previous posters, this stunt does nothing at all to advance feminism or STEM, quite the opposite. Just imagine getting a similarly situated group of men to do this - a pop star, a chat show host, an influencer and then a token activist/scientist. Dress them in superhero style fitted outfits, And all the fanfare, look at these brave boys going into space! It would look ridiculous. Why don’t we see this as ridiculous because they are female.

It is a toxic (largely republican American) interpretation of feminism. Look, girls being brave and looking sexy. But actually doing nothing at all but sit in pod and squeal and then talk about how exciting and life changing it all was. Think of men doing this and how ridiculous it would look.

This is not equality.

Why is everyone so upset with her? I don't understand.

@SpidersAreShitheads has said it all really. This was an extravagant, self-promotional act that did little to benefit anyone beyond those involved on a PR mission. It had nothing to do with STEM at all.

No skills required other than signing a big fat cheque.

The flight was entirely automated, good job really given the skill set of the passengers on board, bar one.

Pseudo feminism and bitter scolds. Listen to yourself.

This.

Well said. Some posters have spectacularly missed the point.

On well, as long as this high cost (celebrity) tourism does not end up like the Titan submersible.

Oh, jeezus, spare me with the pseudo feminism. Another thread of people hiding their bitterness at life under the feminism banner. Build women up and applaud their endeavors. Don't shit all over them because you don't like their jumpsuits.

The media should be deeply ashamed to even compare this flight to Tereshkova's. Comparing gold to cheap plastic tat gilded with gold paint. You were not even aware of the original flight more than 60 years ago but were ready with the "you must be so jealous" retort.

They should send all of the bajillionaires up and ransom their re-entry. Don't let them back until the world is fed & has medical aid for the next 50 years.

I see inane celebrity worshippers with no respect for the actual struggle of women in STEM and who care fuck all for the environment or science are having an outing too. I have no issues with 5 women having a little space junket- it is blatant dishonesty to present this as frontier science or as genuine women's achievement. The fawning publicity was puke worthy.

April 14 (Reuters) - Pop star Katy Perry and five other women launched into space on a Blue Origin rocket and successfully returned to Earth on Monday, marking the first all-female spaceflight in more than 60 years.

I stand corrected with apologies to Valentina Tereshkova:

The celebrity launch was the first U.S. space flight where women filled each seat. The only other all-female crew in 64 years of human space flight was back in 1963, when Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova launched by herself, becoming the first woman in space. Tereshkova spent three days off the planet.

You’re spectacularly missing the point.

Wealthy, famous women did not get on that flight by merit, are not aspirational, and they’re not a positive role model for girls.

Men get to go into space in comfortable spacesuits. Women have to go wearing slinky little catsuits.

The many, many women who are irritated by this aren’t jealous or “tearing down other women”. The reverse is true. We’re upset by the rampant misogyny, unequal standards, and sexist reporting.

The women who are actually aspirational are real life astronauts like Suni Williams. By the way, did you notice how Suni’s appearance got ripped to pieces on her return to earth but barely a word about how her male counterpart But h Wilmore looked?!

This is why it matters that we don’t reduce women’s value to how pretty they can be. We are worth so much more.

Women in STEM can be beautiful and glamorous. I have a sister-in-law who is. However, Katy Perry has nothing to do with STEM. Nor does Gayle King. Or Lauren Sanchez.

Other than the environmental impact, I don’t really care if they want to go up to space. But dear fucking god, the attention this flight got is just ridiculous - and has nothing to do with STEM. It’s just a PR gig for Bezos - a bloke puts women in sexy clothes so he can benefit…. plus ca change. Misogyny #101.

And as a PP pointed out, they were neither crew nor were they the first all-female space flight.

Well, I see the "tear down other women especially if they're wealthy/successful/good looking" brigade are out in force. 🤦‍♀️

It’s a load of self indulgent crap, nobody gives a shit.

No it isn’t

Let's be clear - they were not 'crew' they were passengers.