Star-breaking and feminist-formidable news broke when the United Arab Emirates’ announced that of only 2 carefully chosen new recruits to their space expeditors, one is a women. Her name is Nora Al Matrooshi, and here’s why it’s a historical shooting star.

  • AlMatrooshi and counterpart selectee, Muhammed AlMulla conquered 4305 other candidates for the UAE representation of the NASA Astronaut Candidate Class, reported Space News. Those numbers premise a substantial amount of fierce competitors battling for galactic glory, of which most were men.
  • Just 65 women ever, from all over the world have rocketed to space, and  AlMatrooshi is now the 66th.
  • She is also only 27 years old.
  • And perhaps the most important. It marks an incredible achievement for Arab women given the socio-political climate of the UAE, where for some driving by themselves was a dream made of stardust, let alone going to space. 

The UAE has been under the ever baring gaze of Human Rights Watch for quite some time regarding their laws toward women’s treatment and rights. This is, after all the same country that only in 2018 allowed women to drive in Dubai. So it really is a hopeful time for women empowerment considering some reforms have been made. For example, in March last year, a “new domestic violence law,” came into essence allowing women restraining orders against abusers, something which to many countries may seem relatively small, but to others unimaginable.

Every single step toward empowerment counts, and now it is a woman who is soaring, taking the Emirates to the stars! Almatrooshi expressed how honoured she felt, tweeting a powerful response to her achievement.

Credit: Twitter

Nora AlMatrooshi is a hero to all girls. Hopefully, the time will come where gender inequality is something deemed to be a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

Picture: @fiercefemalespodcast

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