It’s about time. It’s about space…
Posted: December 20, 2006 Filed under: Uncategorized 7 Comments »I loved that show. Lost in Space. I never saw the movie, but heard it was not worth the $7.50. Perhaps not worth the $4.25 rental fee either.
Did you know that more than 150 men have walked in space? How cool is that? But. Only 7 women have spacewalked. Of course, there weren’t women in the space program until 1983. So let’s say half as long. But 7 is a bit less than half of 150, wouldn’t you say?
But the other day on NPR, I found out the real reason. Okay. Here it is. They don’t have the right size spacesuits. Seriously. I’m not kidding. They have medium, large, and extra-large. No small suits.
I’m not a major feminist like Melissa. But just the same, I think women should have opportunities that men have. So maybe, just maybe the government can cut back spending on something (ideas anyone?) and buy some small spacesuits.
While we’re at it, do you think that women have fewer CEO positions because the desks are too big?
you know yaakov and i are space nerds (ok, maybe you didn’t know, but now you do). i haven’t heard about the space suit issue, but i will say that NASA has put a lot of money into female astronauts, including meeting needs that are unique to women. (especially with the shuttle program. ) there is a lot of chauvinism there but i think it’s more an “individual” issue than a “NASA” issue. a lot of the guys they hire are military boys, pilots and whatnot, and there is some heavy-duty sexism there. if this is a topic that interests you, there’s a book called “riding rockets” by astronaut mike mullane. what you read in that book will shock you to the truth of NASA’s culture. (personally, i was shocked that he, as a married man, had a mad crush on judy resnick.) but anyway…
Everything in America is designed for men. Furniture, car seats, you name it, everything is modeled on the 6 foot male.
That’s why my feet dangle when I sit in a chair, and I’m 5’5″.
There’s a woman on the space station right now. And another on the returning shuttle. (I watch NASA tv all day long in the corner of my monitor:) I’d say that’s a small step, 2 out of 7 are female, but important nonetheless. They ARE tall girls. Maybe there’s some height chauvinism going on…
I didn’t have a clue about this. Interesting…
I SO miss NPR…but then I have BBC Radio 4 here, which is just as good!
Janet
Maybe they could even buy one less large spacesuit and get a small one instead. With a budget as large as NASA’s there is just no excuse for not opening up all opportunities to women. You shouldn’t have to be six feet tall to walk in space.
Of course, if the Military was more open to women and allowed women into combat then there would be more women pilots and therefore more women in space. But I digress.
Thanks for the plug!
I’m a space junkie. i might even be space junk.
I think NASA has been somewhat progressive in it’s promotion of women into the program. I Melissa has a good point in that the Military kind of screws up the pool of potential pilots by having a History of Male Only positions.
That being said, it makes me angry that they dont have a small suit. A qualified person is a qualified person, and it’s NASA’s loss to limit their pool of Spacewalkers.
How bout if we not pay Haliburton for a day (not that they are even delivering what we’re paying them for) and use the money to make a small spacesuit?
gosh..that is annoying…no fitting space suits?
the desk think? Priceless…