When celebrities suit up for space, is it a win for women in STEM—or just a PR stunt in orbit? Let’s break it down.
Women in STEM: Blue Origin mission So Katy Perry went to space. Yep. You read that right. Pop star, glitter queen, and “Teenage Dream” icon launched into suborbital glory on Blue Origin’s latest mission—alongside journalist Gayle King, Jeff Bezos’ fiancée Lauren Sánchez, and a couple of powerhouse women in STEM. Cue the collective eye-roll from those of us who initially thought, “Really? This is where we are now?”
But hold on. I’m not here to bash it. In fact, I think there’s more here than meets the space-themed press release. What started as a glittery, glamor-filled stunt might actually carry some weight. So, let’s talk about when celebrity meets science, and why I’m cautiously (and fashionably) optimistic.
My Initial Eye-Roll (And Why It Faded) I’ll be honest: seeing a bunch of household names in high-gloss space suits felt more like a Vogue cover shoot than a mission to inspire scientific ambition. I mean, Katy… Perry? Really?
But then it hit me: if a few starlets boarding a rocket gets a 13-year-old girl to look up from TikTok and into a telescope… maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it. The truth is, star power has the potential to redirect the spotlight toward meaningful pursuits. And if that redirect leads young girls to discover chemistry, coding, or engineering? Then by all means, cue the glitter.
The Real Stars in the Rocket: Meet the STEM Pros Let’s be clear: this wasn’t just a publicity party. Among the crew were two truly remarkable women who didn’t just earn a seat. They deserved it.
Aisha Bowe — a former NASA aerospace engineer and tech entrepreneur. She’s breaking barriers and building bridges for women of color in tech.
Amanda Nguyen — civil rights activist, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, and space policy advocate. She’s done more for women’s rights and space law than most of us could dream.
These are the women who should’ve been plastered across the headlines. But instead, most of the press was focused on designer flight suits and celebrity selfies.
Style + Smarts: We Can Have Both Here’s what I don’t want to do: pit femininity against intelligence. We’re not here to say you can’t be stylish and brilliant. In fact, let’s shout it louder: you can be fabulous and fiercely smart. Proverbs 31:25 says, “She is clothed with strength and dignity,” and I’d bet that includes space suits with good tailoring.
The problem isn’t the glam. The problem is when glam gets more airtime than grit. It’s not about saying, “Don’t dress up.” It’s about saying, “Let’s also dress down the facts and tell the stories that matter.”
Where the Spotlight Missed Look, if you’re going to put celebrities in space, fine. I’m even cool with it if it serves a greater purpose. But can we please make sure the actual professionals don’t get eclipsed in the process? This could’ve been a masterclass in highlighting STEM heroes. Instead, it felt like the backup singers got more coverage than the lead vocalist—and not in a good way.
Amanda and Aisha’s achievements deserved center stage. They earned it. And if the mission’s goal was to empower women, let’s start by telling the whole story.
What We Should Celebrate—and Improve Next Time I’ll give credit where it’s due: Blue Origin created a moment. A moment that could plant seeds of curiosity and courage in a generation of young women. But next time, maybe let the scientists do the talking first.
Here’s the challenge I’ll leave you with: the next time we see something that looks a little too shiny on the surface, dig deeper. There just might be some solid gold underneath.
And as for Katy Perry? Hey, if she wants to rock a space suit and sing a power ballad on the edge of the atmosphere, I say go for it—just don’t forget the women who made the rocket fly.
Scripture Encouragement:
Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
Proverbs 31:25 – “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”
Because in the end, it’s not about who got the most likes on Instagram. It’s about who inspires the next generation to reach for the stars—literally.
I’ve become a fan from this past election season. And happy to see faith tops your comedy. I am not in disagreement with your statements on the female space flight. I do see alternate thoughts that could stem from this flight, political thoughts and ideas. It is too early to know. BLUE Origin, a political flex against Musk. The possibility of a political space race. What would be worse, is if those women who you are taking note of were to make political statements that would interfere with the work they have done. This is just a thought about the many facets these issues can have. We love you and appreciate you.