Zach Weinersmith

RE: https://mastodon.social/@jpshoer/116374668748767033

Yes! It's a great story, even with context, but the missing context does change it quite a bit. Most importantly, Dr. Rhea Seddon worked on the women's kit, and was at that time the only astronaut/physician/vagina-haver on planet Earth.

Apr 9 at 1:43pmWeb
Show threadZach Weinersmith6d ago
I would also add that although there was absolutely structural and direct sexism at NASA, the period of the late 70s and early 80s was a time when there was a full on effort, often against the wishes of powerful people, to integrate women and minorities into the program. So, while it's good to call out sexism, I think we should be careful about punishing groups for taking forward steps that will inevitably look awkward in retrospect.
Show threadZach Weinersmith6d ago
Put another way... it's a great story because of the funny moment with Ride and Sullivan checking the kit. But I think NASA essentially acted right here. They had to create a new kit. They involved Dr. Seddon. They, as in every bodily function, considered maximum need, then added extra. And then they asked the women for feedback. The funny part is the kind of comedy of errors that leads up to the infamous 100 tampons, but the procedure was appropriate.
Show threadZach Weinersmith6d ago

One interesting last thing: I was talking to a historian friend about how the story had been around for decades and then took on a new valence around the time of the metoo movement. And he said that was typical of how history often works in the present. Worth thinking about. The past is always complex, and often won't sit up and do what we want it to do.

If you want something appropriately detailed, go here: https://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title/10164/integrating-women-astronaut-corps?srsltid=AfmBOoofx4Yb5YlZwNYWaJlIpLgXJ7HL4glndS-IOaMJEP1U5CAJZffh

Show threadMan aging with April showers6d ago
Admitting you don't know something is the first step in learning
@ZachWeinersmith
Show threadJoseph Shoer6d ago
@ZachWeinersmith And I would bet that SpaceX is barely considering issues like this in any discussion of Mars or Moon bases! At least NASA treated it like a serious problem to solve.
Show threadJoseph Shoer6d ago
@ZachWeinersmith It's ALSO also exactly the same approach everywhere else that can make NASA seem slow and over-cautious. Like the Mars rover that is "supposed" to last 90 days and instead keeps going for almost a decade!