Betty Skelton's Test

“Though the Look article stated that ‘no exclusive data’ existed on how women compared to men in facing the physical and psychological stresses of spaceflight, Skelton’s tests are strikingly absent from the story. Rather, Skelton was depicted listening to and receiving guidance from the astronauts. She was photographed in men’s pajamas, her hands, playfully thrust into pockets on either side…Technicians at Brooks Air Force Base had handed Skelton the pajamas when they confessed that they did not stock suitable clothing for women who might under testing…While Skelton’s abilities did not appear to have been overtly questioned by the astronauts themselves or any of the space officials she encountered, it was clear that her experience was nothing more than a staged publicity stunt.” (57). …show more content…
She was at Brooks Air Force Base because she was a qualified pilot and was one of the women who were to be considered to be sent into space. Moreover, she was there to participate in testing, both physically and mentally, to prove whether or not women were fit for space travel. The paragraph also describes how the idea of women going to space was not taken seriously by the media. They made her seem like a child in the pajamas who needed guidance and would have to be saved as if she was out of her depths trying to become an astronaut. Furthermore, the media failed to mention any of Skelton’s test results which would have helped prove that women were actually capable of space travel. In addition, the passage describes how not all men were against female astronauts. The men who worked with Skelton and the astronauts didn’t question her abilities and respected her. These facts encompass the novel by touching on themes such as working hard, achieving a dream, and