Germany – While space exploration has traditionally been a male-dominated industry, feminist collective Wer Braucht Feminismus? (WBF?) is challenging this norm with its conceptual Vulva Spaceship. The design aims to be ‘symbolically inclusive’, drawing upon the fact that conventional spacecraft design is inherently phallic. The collective is currently running a petition on Change.org calling for the European Space Agency to consider the project when designing the future of space exploration.
The provocative statement comes at a time when outer space is becoming a legitimate destination for tourism, retail and business ventures. By breaking through the norms of Extraterrestrial Innovation as a male-dominated sector, WBF? is raising questions about how we can make this nascent space more inclusive from the word go. ‘We want to restore gender equality to the cosmos,' says Dr Lucia Hartmann, head of WBF Aeronautics and inventor of the Vulva Spaceship.
By bringing public attention to design equity in space, the project points to a future in which all genders actively take part in – and inform – intergalactic innovation.
Strategic opportunity
As space becomes a more realistic environment for business ventures, organisations have a responsibility to provide inclusive and accessible education to encourage more diverse teams
