--- title: "People Are Furious at Space Telescope’s Homophobic Name Again" description: "With the James Webb Space Telescope in the news over the release of its incredible images, it's been easy to forget that it was named for a known homophobe." date: "2022-07-13" modified: "2022-07-13" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/webb-homophobia-redux" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "bigotry" - "homophobia" - "James webb" - "james webb space telescope" - "JWST" - "NASA" - "nasa administrator" --- # People Are Furious at Space Telescope’s Homophobic Name Again ![With the James Webb Space Telescope in the news over the release of its incredible images, it's been easy to forget that it was named for a known homophobe.]() *\Image: NASA/Futurism\* With the James Webb Space Telescope in the news over the [long-awaited release of its incredible deep-space images](), it's been easy to forget that it was named for an accused homophobe — but now the controversy is roaring back. A quick refresher: NASA has for years now come under fire for [naming the state-of-the-art space telescope after James Webb](), the second-ever administrator of NASA who was believed to have led a "purge" of homosexuals in government. This history has been well known amongst Webb-watchers for years now, and [NASA has reportedly debated internally]() about whether or not the telescope should be renamed. But the agency has nonetheless held firm and kept the name up until the historic images this week. That hasn't been a popular decision. At least [one NASA adviser resigned last fall]() after the agency refused to rename the telescope amid growing calls to do so. And now the debate is flaring up again. "James Webb space telescope imagery really hits different when you quit a job at NASA out of fear of transphobic and homophobic backlash," [tweeted Victoria Scott](), a former [NASA Mission Control programmer]() (and current staff writer at Futurism's sister site *The Drive*). In a short thread, Scott said that when she worked at NASA, she had coworkers who'd "had to hide their boyfriends and girlfriends from FBI investigations" as recently as the 1990s for fear of being "summarily fired if they were queer." Jane Rigby, a NASA project scientist who is [integral to Webb's operations](), shared a similar sentiment. "Said as a private citizen: a transformative telescope should have a name that stands for discovery and inclusion," [Rigby tweeted](). "As one of the people who has been leading the push to change the name, today feels bittersweet," [tweeted Chanda Prescod-Weinstein](), an assistant physics professor at the University of New Hampshire. "I’m so excited for the new images and so angry at NASA HQ." Prescod-Weinstein was one of the main instigators behind a petition to rename the telescope that [has been circulated since last year]() to no avail. While lots of people are rightfully decrying the telescope's namesake, other still are using its unfortunate name to make excellent jokes. "Reminder to not call JWST by \[its\] official name," [one user tweeted](). "It's Jelescope Welescope Space Telescope in this house." Dr. Thea Kozakis, an astrobiologist living in Denmark, even used it as an opportunity for a little surreal commentary, [noting that on image launch day she coped]() by "pretending that because of time travel the space telescope is the original James Webb, and the homophobic human was named after" and [that the telescope itself]() "is deeply, deeply disappointed to have someone who discriminated against the LGBT+ community named after it." Jokes aside, it's a travesty that the telescope is still named after a well-known alleged homophobe — especially amid the loud public outcry against it. But then again, NASA isn't always known for its [commitment to diversity]() [or inclusion](). So really, we probably shouldn't be shocked. **More NASA beef:** [*How NASA Got Price Gouged on the SLS, According to Its Former Second-in-Command*]() ## 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]()