HOUSTON, TX — Sally Ride was the first American woman in space and her achievement happened on June 18, 1983. That wasn't the only barrier she broke that day, but it wasn't until almost 30 years later, in her obituary, that she revealed her 27-year partner, Tam O'Shaughnessy, to the world.
Ride was not only the first American woman in space, but she was also the first openly LGBTQ+ astronaut. June is Pride Month, and we want to recognize LGBTQ+ individuals who are pioneering in space exploration. Ride made it possible for many LBGTQ+ people working in the space and aerospace industries to be visible.
Wendy Lawrence, an astronaut, came out in 2018 while accepting a prestigious award, the United States Naval Academy Distinguished Graduate Award. It was the first time a living astronaut had come out publicly.
Lawrence was chosen to be an astronaut in 1992. She has completed four spaceflights and spent over 1,225 hours in space. In 2006, she announced her retirement from NASA.
It wasn't until 2018 that a current NASA astronaut came out. In 2013, Anne McClain was chosen as an astronaut. She was the youngest astronaut in her class.
NASA now has an LGBTQ Pride Alliance, which advocates for inclusion. The group's goal is to educate the workforce about the challenges that the LGBTQ+ community faces and to provide them with the knowledge and tools they need to become advocates for a discrimination-free workplace.
NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) has an Out & Allied Employee Resource Group right here in Space City (ERG). Last year, the Out & Allied ERG hosted a NASA booth at the Houston Pride Festival as an outreach activity to reaffirm NASA's presence in the Houston area. They also released a video featuring the experiences of some of their LGBTQ+ crew members in support of the It Gets Better Project, which aims to provide hope to young people who are subjected to harassment.
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