Part 3/7:
At the heart of the criticism is how names and labels influence public perception. Since the inception of astronaut journeys, terminology has played a significant role in framing missions. King emphasizes that male astronauts have rarely been described with the dismissive term "ride," arguing that it belittles the rigorous training and credentials associated with space exploration. In her view, the mission should be treated with the same respect as previous historical flights, rather than being trivialized.
Importantly, she points out that the mission successfully duplicated a route taken by male astronauts, which perhaps could speak to the broader issues of gender recognition in fields where women are underrepresented.