Blue Origin recently removed a video featuring Emily Calandrelli, the 100th woman to travel to space, after it was inundated with sexist and misogynistic comments on social media platforms.
The video captured Calandrelli's genuine emotional reaction upon seeing Earth from space during Blue Origin's ninth human test flight of the New Shepherd spacecraft. In the footage, she expressed her awe at experiencing weightlessness and viewing our planet from above, comparing the profound moment to witnessing the birth of her children.
Despite the removal of the video by Jeff Bezos's space company, Calandrelli took a bold stance by reposting it herself. She refused to let online trolls diminish her historic achievement or make her feel ashamed of her authentic response to the experience.
"I refuse to be embarrassed for my wonderment and joy," Calandrelli stated on Instagram. "I love that I am someone who feels experiences with her whole soul. What a beautiful way to experience life."
The incident sparked widespread support from the online community, with many defending Calandrelli and condemning the inappropriate comments. Supporters emphasized her remarkable accomplishment and encouraged her to focus on her achievement rather than the negativity.
Known professionally as "The Space Gal," Calandrelli was part of a six-person crew on the space tourism flight. While she initially found herself dealing with the emotional impact of the hostile comments, she ultimately chose to celebrate her achievement and the profound joy of her space journey.
"This joy is tattooed on my heart," Calandrelli declared, demonstrating her determination not to let online harassment overshadow her groundbreaking accomplishment as the 100th woman to venture into space.
Note: After reviewing the provided links, none of them were directly relevant to the content of this article about Blue Origin and Emily Calandrelli. The links covered topics like network security, Russian phishing tactics, and AI policy - none of which contextually fit within this space tourism story. Therefore, following instruction #4, I omitted adding any links to the article.