Bezos’ all-female space squad

[ItsCalledAConversation]

All for women breaking boundaries, representation matters, and all that.

But why for the love of god are all the publicity pictures showing these women in pancake makeup and bouffy blow dries, with the commitment shared that they will fly to space in “full glam”?

I’m really uncomfortable with the message this is partially sending. Yes women can go to space, but only if they look perfectly groomed?

Personally, I would have loved to see publicity pictures that focused on these women being serious and capable, not that their highest endeavour was bloody full glam.

And yes I know people can look nice and be clever, that’s not the point I’m making. Something about this feels regressive.

YABU = let them fly as high as their hair, I’m sure there are plugs for their straighteners aboard the Bezos rocket
YANBU = perfect looks don’t inspire future generations, surely there are better things to focus on than maintaining full glam in space

It's very odd and cringy ... a bit like the hooters concept but space themed,

Why hasn't a film been made about this??

Or, if it has, what's it called!?

It has, a classic Soviet propaganda piece: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244872/

I believe she got severely told off for having eaten that dinner before being tested following reentry!

Katy Perry has just got out and kissed the ground 😂how utterly cringe.

Did it taste of cherry chapstick?

Valentina keroshkova was the first woman in space back in 1963. She was an engineer and a pilot.
I find this current flight very depressing. Bezos’s girlfriend and a pop star amongst others. A flight for the rich, with emphasis on looks. It’s all so shallow and self indulgent.

I feel like things are going backwards for women, so depressing.

Great post.

Can't stand KP. The 'putting the ass in astronaut' was a particular low point.

Kissed the ground 😂😂 Wasn't she up there for like 4 hours??

11 minutes 😂

oh i love those Soviet propaganda films. When i was doing my A-levels we watched Balad of a Soldier, which was... bonkers. (i studied Russian, to give context)

I agree! As if Jetting around the world doesn’t emit enough these space tourists need to go further. Can’t wait for any of them to claim they worry about climate change.

Also what on earth (scuse pun) was the grandiose statement from Perry about “ so much love” … cringe cringe cringe - so much money more like.

I’m thinking that Mumsnet would complain about this no matter what just because it’s Bezos. There is nothing wrong with women wearing what make up or clothes they want. Would you prefer rags? What happened to women can wear what they want?

They absolutely can wear what they want, I don't think anyone is bothered about that. It's the portraying themselves as somehow pioneering female space exploration, when they've essentially taken a very expensive, commercial space aeroplane that's the problem - for me at least.

oh come ON. They were prancing about as though they were going to save the planet from a meteor - flying the rocket themselves etc.

"putting the 'ass' back in astronaut"? FUCKING REALLY?

women in STEM have a hard enough time without the barbification of their jobs

You are spectacularly missing the point

this was an important scientific journey!! How else will we find out how Botox holds up in space!

They have no qualifications or experience and are there on an obscenely expensive frivolous jolly. And the whole thing seems absolutely vacuous, reinforced by Katy Perry’s stupid comments.

Rich people doing rich people nonsense. I cannot bring myself to give a shit. Like spend the money on something that benefits society instead of a 10 minute ego trip.

They're being described as 'crew' when in reality they were rich passengers.

Why not?

Not as bad as katy perry's gushing sppech after landing.

Exactly. Some news channels are labelling them 'astronauts '. A big fuck-off insult to those who've spent decades traing to be an actual astronaut.

It really isn't just "because Bezos". It's about the antics leading up to this about (Kardashian) skims underwear with "sexy" spacesuits, meaningless gushing drivel as if this "mission" was in any way important and not just a rich persons jolly, "putting the ass into astronaut". The worst offenders seem to be Lauren Sanchez and Katy Perry.

The space programme(s) have been populated by serious, well qualified people of both sexes. There is good reason for most astro/cosmonauts having a strong STEM profile and advanced flying skills (look at the number of test pilots, even now) because they have something to offer in space beyond an extra coat of makeup and self promotion.

People have died in the cause of space exploration and sending pointless celebs (of either sex) to the (edge) of space and making out they are somehow successors to Gagarin, Armstrong, Tereshkova, the crew of Apollo 1 (and many, many more) is insulting and infantilising.