If you’re looking for forward thinking people who don’t use ridiculously misogynist advertising, perhaps a brand of deodorant which is used primarily by teenaged boys isn’t the best place to find it. Unfortunate though that is. Though the latest gimmick of the Axe deodorant brand (Lynx in the UK and, apparently, Australia) seems to take the proverbial cake.

It makes sense to cash in on the fact that XCOR are developing a suborbital spaceplane coincidentally called the Lynx, and it makes sense to make a competition to give a lucky winner the chance to ride one high up into Earth’s thermosphere. What’s not ok about this is the fact that, as might be disappointingly expected, the competition seems to be aimed exclusively towards men. Because, you know. It’s not like there are any female astronauts, are there? Yes, that was sarcasm.*

Hey Lynx/Apollo - women are astronauts too. Don't bring sexism into space ow.ly/hdFsW #inspace (plus RT)

—
Kate AG (@SpaceKate) January 29, 2013

Understandably, quite a few people I follow on both Twitter and Tumblr were rather dismayed by this. However, the internet can sometimes be rather a marvellous place…

Meet Molly Pfaff. Because even though the advertising is all about finding brave “men” and has catchlines like “leave a man, come back a hero” the competition is indeed open to anyone, gender notwithstanding. Since entering, her tumblr post has accrued over 13000 notes, winning her over 11000 votes in the competition. She’s currently ranked at number 3.

After all the nonsense about them trying to “recruit a few brave men”, would you like it if the winner of this competition was, in fact, not a man at all? Because I think it would be beautifully poetic. If you agree, then vote for her here! 

While you’re at it, consider voting for Justine Ezarik, presently ranked at number 4, too.

Honestly, in a world where those of us with any sense are trying to break the shackles of this patriarchal system which rules us, reinforcing the idea that certain occupations are “for men” are actually very harmful. Let’s all keep sexism out of space, shall we?

*I assure you, it’s impossible for you to read that sentence with as much sarcasm as I’d like to convey.