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I’m sick of Katy Perry pretending her space trip was a feminist win

Laura Harman
Laura Harman
Published April 15, 2025 3:46pm Updated April 15, 2025 4:26pm
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This handout photo from Blue Origin shows US singer Katy Perry upon return to Earth after a flight on Blue Origin New Shepard NS-31, which brought the passengers beyond the Karman line -- the internationally recognized boundary of space, in Van Horn, West Texas, April 14, 2025. Pop star Katy Perry completed a brief foray into space Monday, roaring to the edge of the cosmos with an all-women crew on one of billionaire Jeff Bezos's rockets. The "Firework" and "California Gurls" singer was lofted more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the Earth's surface in a vessel from Blue Origin, the space company owned by the Amazon founder. Five other women -- including Bezos's fiancee Lauren Sanchez -- were on the flight, which took off from western Texas shortly after 8:30 am (1330 GMT) before safely landing again some (Photo by Handout / BLUE ORIGIN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT / BLUE ORIGIN " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by HANDOUT/BLUE ORIGIN/AFP via Getty Images)
Well, sorry to bring Katy back to Earth, but what a load of tosh (Picture: Handout / BLUE ORIGIN / AFP)

‘All for the benefit of Earth.’

Of all the reactions to Katy Perry going into space, perhaps the woman herself had the most preposterous. 

Perry, 40, was one of the six women on board during the all-female Blue Origin 10-minute space trip to the Kármán line, considered by many to be the edge of space. 

The trip, the first all-female space team in 60 years, was apparently supposed to inspire young women to love science and see that women really can do anything.

Perry said she ‘hopes her journey encourages her daughter and others to reach for the stars, literally and figuratively’.

While this surface-level message is positive, it’s difficult to understand why this mission would inspire anyone.

Attempting to boost her vanity trip, Perry said in an interview: ‘It’s about making space for future women, and taking up space, and belonging.’

Well, sorry to bring Katy back to Earth, but what a load of tosh.

This handout photo from Blue Origin shows US singer Katy Perry kissing the ground upon return to Earth after a flight on Blue Origin New Shepard NS-31, which brought the passengers beyond the Karman line -- the internationally recognized boundary of space, in Van Horn, West Texas, April 14, 2025. Pop star Katy Perry completed a brief foray into space Monday, roaring to the edge of the cosmos with an all-women crew on one of billionaire Jeff Bezos's rockets. The "Firework" and "California Gurls" singer was lofted more than 60 miles (100 kilometers) above the Earth's surface in a vessel from Blue Origin, the space company owned by the Amazon founder. Five other women -- including Bezos's fiancee Lauren Sanchez -- were on the flight, which took off from western Texas shortly after 8:30 am (1330 GMT) before safely landing again some (Photo by Handout / BLUE ORIGIN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / HANDOUT / BLUE ORIGIN " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (Photo by HANDOUT/BLUE ORIGIN/AFP via Getty Images)
While this surface-level message is positive, it’s difficult to understand why this mission would inspire anyone (Picture: HANDOUT/BLUE ORIGIN/AFP via Getty Images)

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, is the billionaire tech oligarch behind Blue Origin, and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez was part of the ‘crew’, as they were called, even though they were more like passengers. 

But I can’t work out how rich people going on a jolly to space is for the ‘benefit of Earth?’

I am not inspired by the ultra-wealthy spending time in mansions or on private yachts, so why on earth would I be inspired by this charade of female empowerment?

To be clear, nothing has been achieved.

Katy Perry is not a trailblazing astronaut, she is a space-tourist, which is not a title that needs to exist or be praised or emulated. 

'My higher self is steering the ship': Katy Perry reacts to all-female spaceflight

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Emily Ratajkowski may have said it best as she told her TikTok followers she was ‘disgusted’ by the space trip.

She isn’t alone in her thoughts as celebrities and members of the public have united in their hatred for this horrifically misjudged launch.

But it points to a wider issue with Katy Perry in particular. 

It seems as if the Dark Horse singer has wanted to be thought of as a feminist icon for years.

The star has aimed to project surface-level empowerment as best highlighted by her most recent hit, Woman’s World.

Katy Perry - Woman's World
All the while the video cut to shots of Katy pouring whiskey on herself, holding a vibrator, and pushing her breasts together (Picture: Vevo/Youtube)

The song was filled with bland, generic lyrics such as: ‘It’s a woman’s world.

‘And you’re lucky to be living in it. Sexy, confident, so intelligent, she is heaven-sent, so soft, so strong.’

The music video accompanying the song was even worse than the lyrics and showed sexualised scantily-clad women taking on typically male construction jobs while holding sparkly hammers.

All the while the video cut to shots of Katy pouring whiskey on herself, holding a vibrator, and pushing her breasts together.

Like yesterday’s foray into space, it didn’t feel to me like I was watching a new wave of feminism. 

What it looked like on board Katy Perry's all-female space flight

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The singer responded to the criticism by emphasising on X that the video was satire: ‘We’re kind of just having fun being a bit sarcastic with it, it’s very slapstick and very on the nose.’

Well that attempt at satire was almost as big a misfire as her intergalactic ego trip. 

Perry has also continued to collaborate with Dr. Luke on her recent music.

The producer 50, was previously accused by Kesha of raping and drugging her as well as physical and verbal abuse, which he has denied. The two jointly agreed to settle a long-running legal battle in 2023. 

‘I understand that it started a lot of conversations and he was one of many collaborators that I collaborated with,’ she said, addressing their collaboration on the Call Her Daddy podcast.

But for many, her work with the producer leaves something of a sour taste. 

First pics of Katy Perry, Lauren Sanchez and Gayle King in space on Blue Origin flight
Women have known for years that a passion for science and space can lead to this kind of role (Picture: Blue Origin)

And Perry’s latest stunt is another frustrating move from a popstar who, in my view, has used feminism as a way to promote herself – without actually managing to help women at all.

It seems as if the star assumed that the general response to her mission would be: ‘Wow, women in space, this is amazing, women can do anything, and I too want to go to space and learn about science.’

But women have known for years that a passion for science and space can lead to this kind of role. That usually involves hard work, dedication, and even luck, not sucking up to a billionaire. 

Comment now What are your thoughts on Katy Perry’s journey to space? Have your say in the commentsComment Now

The New Shepherd space trip only highlighted that the mega-rich, having already done plenty of damage to the Earth, want to make space their new playground. 

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And so as life becomes increasingly harder for women across the world, this performative expedition feels like more of a punch in the face.

As the rich travel to space for a laugh, women are losing basic human rights here on Earth.

Perry should either take action to empower women in a substantial way or quit this feminist charade and stop using it as a tool to engineer her fame and fortune.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

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