No space outing but Roshini still has last laugh at the guys

(TMI)When she was picked for a Florida space camp, the male chauvinists came out of the
woodwork to attack her with derogatory remarks.

Postgraduate student Roshini Muniam's dream of becoming Malaysia’s first female astronaut may have crash-landed but she did join more than 100 participants in the United States for the programme.

Out of the number, only 23 were picked to go to space, of whom two were women – one each from Thailand and Norway.

“The fact that two women made it, regardless of whichever nation they are from, proves that women are capable after all,” she said on her Facebook page on December 6.

Netizens threw their support behind Roshini after she became a victim of trolls. They had targeted her profile which appeared on Axe deodorant’s Apollo Space Race Facebook page in September after she won an online competition to go to space.

One troll expressed surprise at a woman’s desire to go to space while another said women can't go to space when they menstruated.

The insulting posts were subsequently removed.

When the Malaysian leg of the competition closed on September 17, Roshini beat four male finalists to qualify as the country's sole representative to the Florida space camp.

Thanking everyone for their support, the 27-year-old said she was grateful for the experience, including getting a taste of G-Force and zero gravity and meeting American astronaut Edwin Eudgene “Buzz” Aldrin Jr, the second person to walk on the Moon.

“I hope my journey doesn't end here. It's for you to continue. Perseverance is a journey of discovery and self-realisation.

“One small experience for me, one big step for women and youth all over the world,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

Roshini’s Facebook page was swamped with congratulatory messages.

Rekha Dass said Roshini was an inspiration to youth, while Norhamidah Mohd Yusof wished her well in her future adventures, noting that she had accomplished a lot.

Roopa Yamini Fai Letchumann said Roshni was a symbol of pride for Malaysian women.

“Though you dint (sic) win the competition, you've proved that if you want something, you should go all out for it and the universe would favor those who persevere. Kudos!” – December 13, 2013.