Women In Space

By Ceaser Siwale

$11 million spent. 11 minutes in space. But at what expense?

This week, the first-ever commercial spaceflight crew made up entirely of women soared into space.
The media called it “historic.”
Socials called it “feminist.”
Headlines called it a “win for women.”
But was it really?

This was the crew:
 • Lauren Sánchez – Jeff Bezos’ fiancée
 • Katy Perry – Popstar
 • Gayle King – Journalist
 • Amanda Nguyen – Civil rights activist
 • Kerianne Flynn – Film producer
 • Aisha Bowe – The only aerospace engineer onboard

Each seat reportedly cost $11 million. They were in space for 11 minutes.

While we were looking up, too many women on the ground were being forgotten:
• Equal pay is still not a reality.
• Access to reproductive healthcare is under threat.
• Autonomy over our own bodies is debated in courtrooms.
• Disabled women are denied dignity and inclusion.
• Girls as young as 9 are still being forced into marriage.
• Women are dying — yes, dying — because they cannot access basic healthcare.
• In war-torn places, women aren’t asking for boardroom seats or badges — they’re begging for soap, water, safety, sanitary pads.

I’m not saying achievements like these don’t have meaning — but when symbolic victories are spotlighted while urgent, life-and-death issues are sidelined, something is deeply wrong.

Feminism can’t only show up when the cameras are rolling and the hashtags are trending. If we only applaud when it’s glamorous and easy, and fall silent when it’s uncomfortable or messy, we’re not pushing the movement forward. We’re diluting it.

Why are we clapping for space while ignoring suffering on Earth?

True feminism means holding space for the woman in the rocket and the woman under rubble. For the girl reaching for the stars and the girl just trying to survive the night.

Please — don’t lose sight of what matters. Applause is easy. Solidarity is everything.