What Are The Challenges Of Women In Space Essay

Women and minorities in our society have to overcome many obstacles to reach higher positions in certain professions. Our society is set up in a way that benefits the privileged and discourages minorities. The documentary Women in Space outlines the struggles women have faced to become astronauts. Women had to fight for inclusion in the Space programs by proving they were capable and qualified for the job.

When the space programs first began, astronauts were white men while women held supporting roles like secretaries, computresess, and wives. As the hope of launching into space became more real, the question of women going into space was considered. However, at the time, people thought sending a woman into space was a weakness. Candidate for the …show more content…
They have had to prove that they are as capable as men. Even when they passed medical and isolation tests with higher scores than men, they weren’t official candidates. They didn’t qualify as candidates because they weren’t allowed to be pilots. Systematic oppression kept women from advancing. Once women did become part of the shuttle program, they had to deal with mistreatment from men who didn’t know how to act around them. They also had to deal with engineers who were frustrated by having to think about women using the bathroom in the space and having their menstruation. Women also received a lot of attention in the media that had to deal with their roles as mothers and wives. Women had to wait so long to become astronauts because they have to overcome and challenge the public’s opinions.

There is a pressure on women to be successful, to show that they are as capable as men. Women who were part of the space programs with NASA paved the way for women today. There is still many barriers to overcome as there are more men in STEM fields and women are often mistreated and underappreciated. Even so, women prevailed and are now an active part of the exploration of