Can we take a moment to talk about optimizing and gender?
Do you see the blue bar on the floor? Astronauts can tuck their feet under that or grab hold of it to stabilize themselves.
Luca has his feet tucked under it. Jessica does not.
Do you see the blue bar on the floor? Astronauts can tuck their feet under that or grab hold of it to stabilize themselves.
Luca has his feet tucked under it. Jessica does not.
He can see through the window while anchoring to the floor.
She can't.
While he's on the tall side for an astronaut, take a look at the Mission 61 crew.
She can't.
While he's on the tall side for an astronaut, take a look at the Mission 61 crew.
Space is accessible to everyone on that crew.
It's optimized for the men.
It's optimized for the men.
When we're talking about unconscious bias, it's this kind of very small thing.
It's not a huge deal, but it means that the women on the crew are constantly having to compensate just to do their jobs.
It's not a huge deal, but it means that the women on the crew are constantly having to compensate just to do their jobs.
When the ISS was built, pretty much everyone involved was a white man. Not all, but certainly the majority of people.
Things were designed for a mixed crew, but *optimized* for their comfort. This has a cascading effect.
Things were designed for a mixed crew, but *optimized* for their comfort. This has a cascading effect.
Let me illustrate this with puppetry.
Jim Henson was 6'3"
The Muppet sets were optimized to make him comfortable.
When they hired puppeteers, the people who had the easiest time were also over 6'.
Jim Henson was 6'3"
The Muppet sets were optimized to make him comfortable.
When they hired puppeteers, the people who had the easiest time were also over 6'.
At some point, they realized that they didn't have a lot of women performers. They wanted to add more, but had a hard time finding people who could work in the sets.
Being over 6' is rare for women, fyi.
Being over 6' is rare for women, fyi.
When we are on set, we have to wear platform sneakers just to be tall enough to get a puppet into frame. That affects our mobility. That affects our performance.
When you look at a list of Muppet performers, it heavily skewed male.
When you look at a list of Muppet performers, it heavily skewed male.
Sets today are still built and optimized for a 6'3" man, even though Henson died in the 90s.
No one made the decision to hire more men than women. It comes as a direct causal chain from that initial optimization.
No one made the decision to hire more men than women. It comes as a direct causal chain from that initial optimization.
This is true for space as well.
If we don't look at the way things were optimized when astronauts were all white men, we'll wind up repeating it.
If we don't look at the way things were optimized when astronauts were all white men, we'll wind up repeating it.
It's a small thing, bars on the floor & the distance between rails. Obviously, Jessica has found ways to compensate.
But she *has* to compensate. Space wasn't optimized for her.
It's the astronaut version of Ginger Rogers, doing everything Astaire did, but backward & in heels.
But she *has* to compensate. Space wasn't optimized for her.
It's the astronaut version of Ginger Rogers, doing everything Astaire did, but backward & in heels.
PS I recommend "Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men" by Caroline Criado Perez.
parnassusbooks.net/book/978141972…
parnassusbooks.net/book/978141972…
PPS If you want to read my books, and want a signed copy, support my local independent bookstore, @ParnassusBooks1
parnassusbooks.net/maryrobinettek…
parnassusbooks.net/maryrobinettek…
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