The race to space is still deemed to be a male endeavour
First Women Exclusives · February 22, 2016
During the 1960s, when space agency’s such as NASA refused to accept recruits who weren’t military test pilots, the profession of astronaut was not open to women. Decades later, there still seems to be a stereotypical belief that the sector is the preserve of men.
Valentina Tereshkova shattered the cosmic glass ceiling in 1963 when she became the first woman in space. By some accounts, however, Tereskhova remains a contradictory hero given her selection was met with opposition. And even though many speculate that she only became the first woman in space as part of the “space race”, Tereskhova once explained that “Soviet women have had the same prerogatives and rights as men”.
“They share the same tasks. They are workers, navigators, chemists, aviators, engineers, and now cosmonauts,” she said.
But just because it’s possible doesn’t mean that women haven’t endured hardships on their way “to the stars”.
To find out more about how the globe’s space heroines, both past and present, faced bias, read the full article on Real Business.
