Entertainment: Feminism Takes Flight

By Andrew Xie May 21, 2025

On the morning of April 14, Blue Origin—a U.S.-based space technology company founded by entrepreneur Jeff Bezos—launched an all-female crew aboard its New Shepard rocket. Intended as a high-profile step toward promoting space tourism, the mission was brief but attention-grabbing, lasting just 11 minutes and reaching an altitude of roughly 60 miles above Earth.

The star-studded crew quickly made headlines. Representing a diverse range of backgrounds, the six women brought with them a mix of celebrity, expertise and advocacy. Among them were pop star Katy Perry, journalist Gayle King, aerospace engineer Aisha Bowe, feminist activist Amanda Nguyen, film producer Kerianne Flynn and Lauren Sánchez—television journalist, aviation entrepreneur, philanthropist, children’s book author and fiancée of Bezos. Their participation marked the first all-female spaceflight since 1963.

This latest mission marked Blue Origin’s 31st successful New Shepard launch—an impressive milestone for a company founded in 2000. In its early years, Bezos kept operations low-profile, privately funding the company, but that changed in 2015, when Blue Origin drew public attention with the first successful unmanned launch and vertical landing of the New Shepard rocket. Despite these achievements, the company has faced criticism for its slow pace of innovation and development, especially when measured against its main competitor, SpaceX.

Reaching supersonic speeds of over 2,000 mph during its ascent, the New Shepard launched from Blue Origin’s private Launch Site One in West Texas. The crew capsule carried its passengers on a brief voyage above the Kármán Line—the internationally recognized boundary of space—reaching a peak altitude of 66 miles above Earth. On the ground, female celebrities like Kris Jenner, Orlando Bloom and Oprah Winfrey watched the spectacle unfold. Blue Origin documented the event with a livestream, garnering millions of views across social media, further amplifying

the moment.

Although the flight lasted only 11 minutes, the women were permitted to safely unstrap from their seats to experience the microgravity of space and gaze out the capsule's large windows to take in a stunning view of Earth. Upon landing, their reactions were emotional and heartfelt. Katy Perry, overcome with joy, bent down and kissed the desert floor, later reflecting on the experience as one of the most inspiring moments of her life—one that might even influence her future creative work. Fellow crew members Lauren Sánchez, Gayle King, Aisha Bowe, Amanda

Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn were also visibly moved, describing the view as transformative.

Much of the backlash surrounding the flight centered not on the space mission itself, but on the use of celebrity feminism as a promotional tool. Critics argued that positioning the flight as a STEM empowerment initiative was hollow compared to the optics of wealthy celebrities participating in a luxury experience. In The New York Times, opinion writer Jessica Grose described the launch as “tone-deaf,” pointing out the disconnect between millionaire celebrities going to space and everyday women struggling with job loss and economic instability. She also noted how the crew’s emphasis on appearances—mentioning hair appointments and eyelash extensions—diluted the flight’s stated goal of inspiring young women to pursue science and technology. The flight has drawn comparisons to previous

instances of celebrity feminism, such as Emma Watson’s HeForShe campaign, which received praise for raising awareness but also criticism for emphasizing visibility over broader policy change.

“The flight seemed more like a publicity stunt than real progress. Putting A-list celebrities in space for 11 minutes doesn’t make the flight ‘feminist’; it makes it unauthentic. Real progress looks like funding STEM programs for underprivileged girls and actively empowering them to explore the field,” Junior Neils Park said.

Critics also raised alarms over Blue Origin and Jeff Bezos’ connections to President Trump’s policies, particularly its lack of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). The company reportedly benefited from regulatory flexibility under the former administration, which had actively scaled back DEI initiatives across federal agencies. For some, the company’s promotion of a diverse, all-female crew felt disingenuous against that backdrop.

Still, passengers like Amanda Nguyen and Lauren Sánchez defended the flight as inspirational. They emphasized that the mission was never about vanity but about visibility, demonstrating that women, particularly from

underrepresented backgrounds, have a place in the future of space exploration. Sánchez pointed to the significance of representation, while Nguyen connected the journey to broader struggles for equity and inclusion. Supporters praised

the symbolic value of an all-female crew soaring into space—a powerful image of possibility that resonated with many. The genuine awe and tears seen upon landing underscored how meaningful the experience was to the

participants.

"It was powerful to see the first all-female crew in space in many years. Even if it was brief, moments like this can inspire young women to imagine themselves in roles they might not have considered before," Freshman Dylan Xie said.

Blue Origin’s all-female spaceflight was both a historic milestone and a point of debate about the role of celebrity feminism in promoting true empowerment. While the flight celebrated women’s achievements in aerospace, it also highlighted a disconnect between high-profile gestures and the real challenges many women face. The flight emphasizes a broader conversation about what feminism in the 21st century should look like and who gets to define it, reminding us that true progress requires more than just symbolic victories—it demands systemic change that includes and benefits all women.

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About the Contributor

Andrew Xie is a Freshman at Leland High School and is a Writer. He loves reading and writing and this is his first year in journalism. He likes watching soccer and playing video games.