Our new documentary premieres today!
Hello everyone,
I'm writing to share an exciting new project we’ve been working on at The JustSpace Alliance: a documentary on the James Webb Space Telescope naming controversy, and the ongoing impact of homophobia in the field of astronomy.
Our 40-minute documentary, called Behind the Name: James Webb Space Telescope, premieres on YouTube TODAY (!), July 5th, at 4pm ET. The documentary includes historical records and footage to provide context for the Lavender Scare, James E. Webb’s work at NASA and the State Department, and the process of naming telescopes. It also features interviews with LGBTQIA+ astronomers to explore their perspective on JWST’s name, and their experiences with the prejudices still lingering in the field today.
I'd love for you to join us for the live online premiere at 4pm ET! Here’s the premiere link, where you can also schedule yourself a reminder to watch or leave a comment: https://youtu.be/jqrZ0Pl-KjQ. If you can't make the premiere, fear not: the documentary will continue to be available at the same link. And if you’d like to watch and share a trailer for the documentary, check out https://youtu.be/2dxh8UOQ8HM.
The full press release is below, if you’d like to learn more about the project (and/or about JustSpace!).
In solidarity to the stars,
Lucianne
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NEW DOCUMENTARY “BEHIND THE NAME: JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE” TO PREMIERE ON YOUTUBE JULY 5, 2022
Online: A new documentary from the JustSpace Alliance on the James Webb Space Telescope naming controversy, and the ongoing impact of homophobia in the field of astronomy, will premiere on YouTube on July 5, 2022 at 4:00 pm ET, at https://youtu.be/jqrZ0Pl-KjQ
Also known as JWST, the James Webb Space Telescope is the most powerful telescope ever launched into space, and is currently orbiting the Earth at a distance farther than the Moon. The astronomy community is highly anticipating the first science images from JWST, expected July 12th. But this excitement has been tainted by the name chosen for the telescope.
Unlike most space telescopes, which are usually named post-launch for scientists after a naming process seeking input from the public and the astronomical community, JWST was named abruptly in 2002, years before launch, by then-NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe. The chosen namesake, James E. Webb, was not an astronomer, but rather a career bureaucrat who served as Undersecretary of State prior to becoming the NASA Administrator, a position he held during the Apollo era. Proponents of naming the telescope for Webb point to this celebrated period of NASA’s history– however, the full breadth of Webb’s career in federal service has caused many to question whether his legacy should be associated with NASA’s new flagship mission. The Cold War was closely interwoven throughout Webb’s story. Of particular concern is Webb’s role in the notorious Lavender Scare, when thousands of federal employees were fired for being gay, leading many queer people to lose not only their livelihoods, but lives.
What was Webb’s role in the Lavender Scare? How should this legacy affect the naming of NASA’s flagship telescope? And what are the implications for LGBTQIA+ astronomers and space scientists in the field today?
To address these questions, the JustSpace Alliance has produced a new 40-minute documentary called Behind the Name: James Webb Space Telescope. The documentary includes historical records and footage to provide context for the Lavender Scare, James E. Webb’s work at NASA and the State Department, and the process of naming telescopes. It also features interviews with LGBTQIA+ astronomers to explore their perspective on JWST’s name, and their experiences with the prejudices still lingering in the field today.
The JustSpace Alliance is a nonprofit founded in 2018 by astronomers Lucianne Walkowicz and Erika Nesvold to advocate for a more inclusive and ethical future in space, and to harness visions of tomorrow for a more just and equitable world today.