by Phoenix Bedolla
There have been numerous events and historical figures involved in the LGBTQ+ movement that inspire youth even today, including members of the Minarets Gay-Straight Alliance Club (GSA). Sophomore Sophia Kennedy, an integral member of the school’s GSA club, was asked about what person in history filled her with inspiration, to which she ecstatically replied, “Sally K. Ride!”
Kennedy was eager to share much about Ride’s story, explaining that not only was she the first American woman in space, but also the first lesbian woman to travel in space as well, reaching these achievements with her first trip up in 1983. Kennedy explained the mark that Ride left on today’s youth, saying,“She really goes to show that women and members of the LGBTQ+ community played and continue to play important and necessary roles in our history books, which should never be overlooked.”
Taking a peek into Ride’s personal life, the word “inspiration” might be an understatement. In addition to being an LGBTQ+ icon, Ride was the youngest astronaut to conduct space-travel, doing so at only the age of 32. Before becoming an astronaut, she was also a professor of physics at the University of California San Diego. Following her days of making history and inspiring millions, she wrote/co-wrote seven books, aimed at inspiring youth, specifically girls, to study science. In hindsight, Ride’s work not only benefited LGBTQ+ youth, but the youth population as a whole.