Katy Perry’s spaceflight wasn’t a giant leap for womankind: How celebrity missions undermine real inclusion

16 April 2025, 07:53

Katy Perry’s recent space flight made headlines around the world. Billed as inspirational, empowering and progressive. But for those with our feet on the ground, it wasn’t exactly a giant leap for womankind.

It’s the perfect example of how diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is being hijacked by celebrity culture and vanity PR.

We are living in a time where marginalised communities are fighting for access, opportunities and representation in several areas of their lives, so watching multi-multimillionaires, funded by a billionaire blast off into space for all of 10 minutes all in the name of ‘progress’ and ‘equality’ is not only tone deaf, but the opposite of ‘progressive’.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not denying individual achievement or ambition - it was a monumental journey for both Aisha Bowe and Amanda Nguyen. But for many young women, this trip was far from aspirational.

If anything, it was isolating and a costly reminder that access to space, tech and innovation is lightyears away for many who aren’t privileged.

A recent poll showed that 36% of the UK public now believe DEI efforts have “gone too far. This figure should alarm us, but it isn’t surprising.

When inclusion is reduced to PR and celebrity stunts, it’s inevitable that the public will question its value.

The D begins to stand for diluted, as we witness DEI being watered down to branding exercises, rather than driving meaningful, measurable change.

And it’s damaging, with serious consequences. When DEI is seen as performative, it is deemed unnecessary, slowing down both progress and investment.

It becomes a buzzword, breaking down trust, leading to well-intentioned initiatives being scrapped under the false belief that inclusion is simply a trend, and not a necessity.

I work with organisations everyday that are building inclusive cultures, and I see first hand the power of real engagement and action driven DEI policies.

They’re creating authentic paths in both career and community for underrepresented groups, rethinking recruitment, supporting working parents, boosting engagement and making work more accessible, creating cultures that actually reflect modern Britain.

This is the real work, but moments like the Blue Origin Mission make it harder to do that work and they turn DEI into a punchline. DEI should be for the many, not the few.

If we want to inspire the next generation, and people in general, we of course should reach for the stars, but move beyond the spectacle.

We need to stop mistaking visibility for progress, and tackle the roots of inequality, rather than chase headlines. DEI isn't about sending celebrities to space. It's about creating opportunities here on Earth.

Let’s get back to reality.

Dan Buckley is the CEO of Cognexo

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