Submitted by Greg Alderete.
In an era increasingly defined by spectacle and simulation, Blue Origin’s recent all-female spaceflight — a brief, 11-minute sojourn into the stratosphere — has been heralded by some as a triumph of representation and progress. But beneath the polished veneer of diversity optics and branded empowerment lies a troubling display of elitism, performative feminism, and cultural detachment.
When Katy Perry, one of the flight’s celebrity participants, announced she had brought a daisy into space to honor her daughter, it was meant to be poignant. Yet the gesture, though personal, echoed hollow against the broader implications of the event. This was not a message to young women that they can become scientists, engineers, or astronauts. It was a message that proximity to wealth, fame, and power — not merit or dedication — is the surest route to the stars.
The flight was not a mission of exploration, innovation, or public good. It was a high-priced, low-impact publicity campaign — a branding exercise cloaked in the language of progress. It offered no new knowledge, no technological advancement, no lasting benefit to humanity. It merely perpetuated the fantasy that space is the next frontier for the ultra-rich to flaunt their status while selling the illusion of inclusivity.
We once celebrated women who, through grit and determination, built airplanes, assembled ships, and ran factories. The original Rosie the Riveter was a symbol of industriousness and sacrifice, of women stepping into roles that sustained a nation through war and upheaval. Today, we are offered Rosie the Influencer — a grifter of sorts, whose journey into the cosmos is paid for by corporate sponsorships and leveraged celebrity, rather than earned through effort or expertise.
This is not to say women should be excluded from spaceflight — quite the opposite. But equality should be rooted in substance, not symbolism. True progress lies in breaking barriers that matter: in access to education, in opportunity, in leadership, and in meaningful contributions to science and society. An 11-minute joyride for the well-connected does not qualify.
If the goal is to inspire, let us highlight the women working behind the scenes — the engineers, the coders, the mission planners — who make actual spaceflight possible. Let us tell the stories of women who overcome adversity not with Instagram-ready moments but through years of work that may never trend.
Because in the end, if our heroes are chosen for their celebrity rather than their character or contribution, we’re not reaching for the stars. We’re only burning fuel to stay in orbit around ourselves.
What you say in your article seems to be right on target. In the 1940’s My mother and grandmother worked at being “Rosie the riveter”. They did not ask for anything other than being a help in the war effort.
Amen
“Because in the end, if our heroes are chosen for their celebrity rather than their character or contribution, we’re not reaching for the stars. We’re only burning fuel to stay in orbit around ourselves.”
Indeed this was an exercise in narcissism: “Look at me! I’m special!”
But this is just the most recent example of narcissism run amok. I’d suggest some groups that represent a tiny fraction of the population are obsessed with their self importance to the point that we have days and months set aside for their celebration. “Pride” in ones abnormal behavior, foisted on the rest of us, is a form of “acting out” to generate attention and acceptance but can have quite the opposite effect as in this specific case.
Nothing of substance but rather performance art.
John, when you say narcissism & self importance are you referring to tRUMP?
We don’t have “Trump Pride” day or month nor do we childishly write his name. What have you been elected to?
That viewpoint reflects a common misunderstanding of what marginalized groups are actually asking for. Pride isn’t about narcissism or demanding attention—it’s about visibility after generations of being forced into silence, criminalized, or erased. Celebrating identity, especially for communities that have faced systemic discrimination and violence, isn’t “acting out.” It’s reclaiming dignity.
When we designate days or months for these groups, it’s not about elevating them above others—it’s about recognizing their contributions, struggles, and humanity. If that feels like it’s being “foisted” on you, it might be worth asking why equality feels threatening to you.
Insight from Greg, summary from John. Precisely, it’s performance art, with enough risk to excite and allure to appeal. It’s what’s kept America coming to the circus since, well, since Rome. Some, hopefully, will always find interest in figuring out how to make the ride happen, some, just hop onboard or drift, … in space. The marvel of it all is that resilient future Rosies will strive with maturing curiosity toward hypotheses over hype and the sigma of salient human endeavor will ever pull human imagination toward creative achievement.
Communists are angry, I believe these women paid for the ride, hats off to them I wish I could afford it!
Oh wow—communists are angry because… wealthy women took a rocket ride? That’s your grand theory? So just to be clear, you’ve managed to combine Cold War buzzwords, economic envy, and some backhanded compliment into one incoherent casserole of a comment. Hats off to you, my friend. Not everyone can so confidently say absolutely nothing with so many words.
Someone sent me a statement: “If a 3 minute ride into space makes one an astronaut, then I’m a gynaecologist”.