Katherine Johnson has died.

[Al1Langdownthecleghole]

www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/katherine-johnson-nasa-mathematician-depicted-hidden-figures-dead-101-n1141566

A NASA Mathematician who literally helped put men on the moon has died age 101.

She said her greatest contribution to space exploration was making "the calculations that helped sync Project Apollo’s Lunar Lander with the moon-orbiting Command and Service Module." In other words, helping to put men on the moon in 1969.

What a Shero. I’ve not seen the film Hidden Figures discussed in the article, so I’m gong to put that right. So many incredible woman who contributed to the space programmes.

We stand on their shoulders, we really do.

Absolutely ^^

I'm still awake because on hearing the news I've been reading (again) the book.

The work done by Katherine and her peers, was ground breaking.

For those who have not read the book, please do.

The film is very good but the book has so much more information about the struggles these women faced.

Katherine was an icon, as the film makes clear but there were many other women whose stories could have anchored such a movie.

Dorothy Vaughan's story is part of the movie but much underplayed in terms of her contribution to both women's and black rights.

I started this thread to praise an incredible woman. And to reflect on the many women whose roles in history are silent.

I’m not going to be distracted by posters who don’t like the language I chose to use.

I’d prefer to celebrate the achievements of the women I admire.

Hero
Heroine
Shero
Genius
Inspiring
Amazing
Glorious
Awesome

It’s all good...

And OP - you are a good sort for starting the thread.

Yeah we've gone so far we see how men have tainted the very language we use so we're creating our own. What a terrifying thought for a certain type of man.

My daughter did a school project on Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson. I for one am saddened by the loss of Katherine Johnson. She was a trail blazer!

Shine amongst the stars Katherine, for you are one!

Thanks for this thread, I knew about the women who did the calculations, and how poorly they were paid and valued, but somehow I managed to miss the book and film. Have now downloaded both and am looking forward to enjoying them.

This place is a goldmine!

Oh yeah, and shero is fine by me. Men have been in charge of defining words and their meanings through the many centuries when they were the only ones permitted an education. Why get so irritated when women play with language and mint themselves a few male exclusionary words?

It’s not language pedantry. It’s actually quite demeaning.

She was a hero, in the full sense of the word. She did what she did despite being a woman in a male dominated world, she deserves the same recognition as any man does, not a stupid made up word defined by her sex, which was exactly what she fought against.

The movie is excellent. I must get the book.

What age would you say I could show it to dd? She is 8 now.

Why would you not use the word Hero? Because she is female?

Maybe the OP likes the word 'Shero' as far from being demeaning, it might specifically signify someone who has triumphed in a context of sexism? I'd rather take this positive view than quibble (and certainly not give any support to the entirely negative and disrespectful second post.)

The word heroine is a diminutive of hero, along with actress and waitress, words that had to bestowed a diminutive to denote that women were adopting male roles, therefore we get our feminisation tacked onto the end, it can be emaphasised with a smile, the tress, and the whine in heroine.

Shero puts the female right at the front.

Shero puts the female right at the front

Each to their own. I think it's a silly word and disrespectful to her.

God, I can’t believe you are still bickering about the word ‘shero’ on this thread. Way to miss the point. 🙄 How about we focus on Katherine Johnson’s considerable achievements instead?

Surely it’s this sort of ridiculous word policing that stops people from feeling comfortable speaking up more?

Someone has posted something lovely admiring a woman who has achieved a lot in a time where everything was stacked against her.

Despite the lovely praise, some posters have piled on attacking and picking apart the use of literally one word.

How many other lurkers are going to be sat here going “well unless I express myself 100% perfectly I’m going to get a bollocking from the purity police, so I best not risk it?”

From reddit

Oh! That brought a tear to the eye...

Legend - there’s a word no one can argue with.

Spot on.

You know what I think has been the saddest thing about women in the last 15 years? We celebrated adult girls not grown women. Growing up, I used to read about women like KJ (and I am not black or American) and their personal power and authority transcended their immediate reality so much they made it possible to feel as though you had one foot inside something great. Once you can sense that one step you will move heaven and earth to get the rest.

I hope she smiles at the legacy she has left.

There is still a long way to go - the sex ratio for undergrad physics hasn't really moved in the past 20 years - it's still about 1:8

In the early days of computing it was a “womans job”- it was thought of in the same way as secretarial work and typing. Which is why many of the very early computing trailblazers were women.

Then the potential was realised and valued and suddenly it became a mans job. Maths and science, obvs.

Just one example of how gender stereotyping affects women. Computing doesn’t naturally come easier to men because blue brain, but because society tells us they are.

@bluebluezoo the other thing that not enough women realise is how easy computing could be - it's intuitive to us.

the other thing that not enough women realise is how easy computing could be - it's intuitive to us.

I write scientific software - been doing it over 30 years, very little formal training in programming. I'm not sure what the sex ratios are but there are a good number of women in my field, including some of the 'big names'.

@ErrolTheDragon

I didn't mean to suggest it is easy - it's just that it is branded as the thing the super brainy men do (as opposed to super brainy women like you )

I’m humbled by Katherine. And thank her.