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When It Comes To Spaceflight, Gender-neutral Language Matters (Slate)

In many ways, NASA is slow to change. That’s not surprising;...
Racy shimmering hell macaca
  07/20/17
One giant leap for huwomanity.
domesticated misanthropic circlehead hospital
  07/20/17
underrated
Submissive Confused Set Feces
  07/20/17
Isn't the point of space travel to escape libs?
Thirsty Trailer Park
  07/20/17
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territorial quadroon
  07/20/17
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Beady-eyed public bath shitlib
  07/20/17
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filthy razzle-dazzle point
  07/20/17
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Mind-boggling pit
  07/20/17
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sienna twinkling uncleanness church
  07/20/17
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aquamarine range voyeur
  07/20/17
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Bossy Sick School Queen Of The Night
  10/12/17
calling them ASStronoughts is homo centric should be call...
Metal Motley Menage Foreskin
  07/20/17
we didn't deserve to make it to the moon.
Misunderstood Office
  07/20/17
...
Lake useless brakes indian lodge
  07/20/17
wtf
Ruddy talking idea he suggested station
  07/20/17
"Words matter." Why the FUCK do so many libs sa...
comical well-lubricated temple
  07/20/17
Black Lives Matter.
Beady-eyed public bath shitlib
  07/20/17
What woman who is worth anything to NASA doesn't understand ...
domesticated misanthropic circlehead hospital
  07/20/17
Don't be mean to Julia
Mind-boggling pit
  07/20/17
...
internet-worthy chocolate resort
  07/20/17
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180 vermilion private investor black woman
  07/20/17
...
sienna twinkling uncleanness church
  07/20/17
...
Racy shimmering hell macaca
  10/12/17
...
Racy shimmering hell macaca
  04/24/18


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Date: July 20th, 2017 12:57 AM
Author: Racy shimmering hell macaca

In many ways, NASA is slow to change. That’s not surprising; it’s a government agency, for one thing, and for another being a tad conservative isn’t such a bad feature when you’re trying to put people into space safely.

But even NASA is ahead of a lot of the curve when it comes to language used when talking about spaceflight. The terms “manned” and “unmanned” have fallen out of favor with the space agency: The NASA History Program Office Style Guide now specifically states that “All references referring to the space program should be non-gender specific.” The only exceptions are for names of buildings and programs; these are—pardon the expression—grandfathered in.*

I think this is great! Words matter. Using more inclusive words is a tacit invitation to people of all flavors, and diversity = strength.

My friend Emily Lakdawalla wrote about this on her blog for the Planetary Society (the comments there are interesting, too, so be sure to check them out as well). The topic came up again when a few science communicators were trying to come up with a good substitute for “manned” and “unmanned.” A lot of us use “crewed,” but as Emily points out (and as I have said many times) it sounds like “crude” when spoken aloud, which can cause momentary confusion for an audience. I’m still not sure what might be best there. “Crewless” works well for “unmanned,” though.

Phil Plait

PHIL PLAIT

Phil Plait writes Slate’s Bad Astronomy blog and is an astronomer, public speaker, science evangelizer, and author of Death From the Skies!

I did a quick search and found that I used the word “crewed” in a post way back in 2007, though it’s unclear if I did that to be more inclusive or just to switch my word usage up a bit. I stopped using the word “manned” a few years ago, though (except when quoting someone, or referring to something like the Manned Maneuvering Unit). I did that when I got into a conversation on this very topic on Twitter with some science communicator friends a while back. I’m a balding, bearded, middle-aged white guy, the very picture of stereotypical science dork. If I figured this out, others can too.

I know a few folks will froth and fume over this change; some people get very hot and bothered when others want to be more inclusive. But things like this cost us very little, and the payoff is large. Even if the cost were higher it wouldn’t matter, because it’s the right thing to do.

Everyone deserves to feel welcome when it comes to math, science, and tech … really everywhere. There’s no way to know from someone’s sex, skin color, or superficial characteristics what they might contribute. We all have brains. What we all need is a chance—and the environment—to participate.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814466)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 12:59 AM
Author: domesticated misanthropic circlehead hospital

One giant leap for huwomanity.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814474)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:24 AM
Author: Submissive Confused Set Feces

underrated

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814556)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 12:59 AM
Author: Thirsty Trailer Park

Isn't the point of space travel to escape libs?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814478)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:00 AM
Author: territorial quadroon



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814481)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:07 AM
Author: Beady-eyed public bath shitlib



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814506)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:03 AM
Author: filthy razzle-dazzle point



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815115)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:04 AM
Author: Mind-boggling pit



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815116)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:13 AM
Author: sienna twinkling uncleanness church



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815156)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:18 AM
Author: aquamarine range voyeur



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815175)



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Date: October 12th, 2017 11:51 AM
Author: Bossy Sick School Queen Of The Night



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#34424909)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:00 AM
Author: Metal Motley Menage Foreskin

calling them ASStronoughts is homo centric

should be called VAGINAnoughts.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814479)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:01 AM
Author: Misunderstood Office

we didn't deserve to make it to the moon.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814489)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:02 AM
Author: Lake useless brakes indian lodge



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814491)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:03 AM
Author: Ruddy talking idea he suggested station

wtf

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814493)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:03 AM
Author: comical well-lubricated temple

"Words matter."

Why the FUCK do so many libs say this? They literally DONT FUCKING MATTER YOU STUPID KIKES

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814494)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:08 AM
Author: Beady-eyed public bath shitlib

Black Lives Matter.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814510)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:19 AM
Author: domesticated misanthropic circlehead hospital

What woman who is worth anything to NASA doesn't understand synonyms?

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814543)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:04 AM
Author: Mind-boggling pit

Don't be mean to Julia

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815117)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 1:28 AM
Author: internet-worthy chocolate resort



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33814563)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:04 AM
Author: 180 vermilion private investor black woman



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815119)



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Date: July 20th, 2017 8:12 AM
Author: sienna twinkling uncleanness church



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#33815155)



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Date: October 12th, 2017 11:50 AM
Author: Racy shimmering hell macaca



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#34424905)



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Date: April 24th, 2018 3:29 AM
Author: Racy shimmering hell macaca



(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3679859&forum_id=2#35906744)