--- title: "Senators Complain That NASA Isn’t Allowed to Be Racist Anymore" description: "Gone are the good old days of homophobia and racism at NASA — and to some Republican senators, that's a problem. " date: "2023-05-19" modified: "2023-05-19" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/senators-complain-nasa-woke" categories: - "Future Society" - "NASA" - "Space" tags: - "NASA" - "racism" - "senate" - "the digest" --- # Senators Complain That NASA Isn’t Allowed to Be Racist Anymore ![Gone are the good old days of homophobia and racism at NASA — and to some Republican senators, that's a problem. ]() *\Image: Alex Wong/Getty Images/Futurism\* ## Space Race Gone are the good old days of [homophobia]() and [racism]() at NASA — and to some senators, that's a problem. During a [budgetary hearing]() this week, a pair of Republicans on the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee criticized NASA's efforts to both combat climate change and increase diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), calling the initiatives "woke." As [*Space Policy Online* breaks it down](), the senators — onetime presidential hopeful Ted Cruz of Texas and Eric Schmitt of Missouri, both ranking members of the committee — spoke in broad, *Fox News*-friendly terms when denouncing NASA's DEI and environmental proposals. For his part, Schmitt trashed the agency's "obsession with misguided woke policies related to climate change and diversity, equity, and inclusion." He also opined that "China has no interest in out-DEIing us and they’re not intimidated at all by this divisive radical policy that’s found its way into this budget." "If NASA is seen as partisan, that is very bad for space and space exploration," Cruz added. "So I hope NASA will continue its tradition of staying out of those battles." ## NAS Ackwards As [*Futurism*]() and [other outlets]() have reported, the American space agency has long been a [white boys' club](). During the race to the Moon in the 1960s, it had the opportunity to select a highly accomplished Black astronaut for the Apollo program — but [ultimately didn't](). And though the contributions of numerous Black women as mathematicians during the agency's formative years were well documented in the 2016 book "[Hidden Figures]()," it took decades for their efforts to be recognized. Strides have been made, but the agency has never had a female administrator and has only had [one Black man at its helm](). It took [until last year]() for a Black woman to become a crew member on the International Space Station. So to the contrary of Cruz and Schmitt's grandstanding, it's clear that DEI is still very much needed at NASA. And needless to say, the climate isn't a partisan issue either. Besides, anyone familiar with current right-wing rhetoric knows that "woke" has become a sort of [catch-all code word]() for progressive anti-bigotry ideals and efforts. From [attempts to use more inclusive language in reproductive healthcare]() to [debates about artificial intelligence guardrails](), the fear of a "woke" planet has much of the country veritably frothing at the mouth and pining away for the days when there were no consequences for being a bigot — and that outlook, it seems, has made its way to the lawmakers overseeing NASA. Bottom line? Instead of worrying about the very real ways [racism harms America financially](), Cruz and Schmitt are instead invoking the "woke" boogeyman to score political points — and frankly, it's pretty embarrassing to witness. **More on NASA:** [*New NASA Goddard Director Explains Why She Was Sworn In On a Carl Sagan Book*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()