Amanda Nguyen Reveals Depression Following “Avalanche of Misogyny” After Historic Spaceflight
A harrowing account of online harassment and its impact on mental health has emerged from Amanda Nguyen,the Vietnamese-American astronaut who made history as the first Vietnamese woman in space. Nguyen, 34, has publicly shared her struggle with depression following a “tsunami of harassment” after her April flight aboard a Blue Origin spacecraft, alongside passengers including pop star Katy Perry and journalist Gayle King.
The 11-minute suborbital journey, while celebrated as a milestone for space tourism and depiction, drew meaningful criticism regarding its environmental impact and the allocation of resources. However, for Nguyen, a dedicated civil rights activist and bioastronautics research scientist, the backlash proved deeply personal and damaging.
In a detailed statement posted on Instagram on Tuesday, Nguyen described how the negative reaction to the flight effectively overshadowed her professional accomplishments and lifelong aspirations. “My moment of justice mutilated,” she wrote, feeling like “collateral damage” in a broader debate. She revealed that during a phone call with King shortly after the flight, “I told her my depression might last for years.”
The sheer volume of online commentary was overwhelming. Nguyen explained that the reaction was so “unprecedented” that even a “small fraction of negativity becomes staggering,” amounting to “billions of hostile impressions” – an intensity she believes “no human brain has evolved to endure.” she recounted being unable to leave her accommodation in Texas for a week and being forced to end a call with a Blue Origin staff member a month later due to being overcome with emotion.
Nguyen’s journey to space was already remarkable, built upon a foundation of resilience forged through personal adversity. Prior to pursuing her dream of becoming an astronaut, she had paused her ambitions after experiencing sexual assault at university. This led to a years-long fight for justice, a struggle she described as “all-consuming” in a March interview with The Guardian. Her advocacy work earned her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2019 and recognition as one of Time magazine’s Women of the Year in 2022.
https://www.instagram.com/nguyen.amanda/ nguyen’s Instagram post details her emotional journey and gratitude for support.
Now, eight months after realizing her dream, Nguyen reports that the “fog of grief has started to lift.” She expressed profound gratitude to those who offered support, stating, “Vietnam saved me… You all saved me.” Her family’s story as refugees fleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon adds another layer of meaning to her achievement.
“When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon, bombs rained down on Vietnam,” Nguyen reflected. “This year, when my boat refugee family looked at the sky, instead of bombs they saw the first Vietnamese woman in space. We came on boats,and now we’re on spaceships.”
Despite the negativity, Nguyen emphasized the positive outcomes stemming from the flight, including increased visibility for her women’s health research and opportunities to engage with global leaders regarding her advocacy for sexual assault survivors.
“It is the greatest gift this holiday season that I can feel the fog lifting,” Nguyen wrote. “I can tell Gayle it’s not going to take years.” She concluded her post with a poignant photograph of herself as a young student at Harvard, captioned simply: “For her.”
Did you know?-Amanda Nguyen paused her astronaut ambitions after experiencing sexual assault in college, later becoming a prominent advocate for survivors.
Did you know?-Nguyen received a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2019 for her work in civil rights and advocacy.
Did you know?-Nguyen’s family fled Vietnam as refugees after the fall of Saigon, adding historical weight to her spaceflight.
