Astronaut Emily Calandrelli criticizes men who sexualized her reaction to seeing Earth

Emily Calandrelli, the Netflix and YouTube host and MIT engineer known as the "Space Gal," was overwhelmed with tears as she witnessed Earth from space on a recent Blue Origin flight — and she's not apologizing to any online trolls trying to "belittle" her for it.

The astronaut, who became the 100th woman in space, wrote on Instagram on Nov. 24 that a video showing her emotional reaction during the roughly 10-minute flight was taken down "across all platforms" due to a host of negative comments. TODAY has reached out to Blue Origin for comment.

Calandrelli wrote that she watched “hoards of men sexualize” her reaction to viewing Earth from space “because being a woman achieving something monumental means expecting men to try to humiliate her.” Calandrelli was one of six space tourists on the Nov. 22 flight from Blue Origin's site in Texas.

Calandrelli described her dismay at seeing some of the comments on the video.

"This all happened as I was flying home after experiencing the most perfect, wonderful dream-achieving experience of my life," she wrote in the caption on Instagram. "And instead of being on cloud nine, I’m crying in my seat staring out the window. Because of course this happened. Of course I should have expected this."

She said she texted fellow "space sisters" for advice on how to handle the ugly reaction.

"But I refuse to give much time to the small men on the internet," she wrote. "I feel experiences in my soul. It’s a trait I got from my father. We feel every emotion deeply and what a beautiful way that is to experience life. This joy is tattooed on my heart.

"I will not apologize or feel weird about my reaction. It’s wholly mine and I love it."

Calandrelli said she received words of encouragement following her journey.

"As I left the flight, the Southwest stewardess who recognized me, and I suspect could see that I had been crying, whispered as I walked off the plane 'don’t let them dull your shine,'" she wrote. "And I felt an immediate sense of camaraderie with her, with all women."

Calandrelli mentioned to her followers, “When I can, I’ll reshare it myself with all of you.”

She also received supportive comments on Instagram.

"I thought your emotional reaction was beautiful," one commenter wrote. "I haven’t been to space or had a baby but I immediately understood the parallel you made. My hope is that in a month or whenever the weird creeps’ reaction just fades into the ether."

"Your reaction gave me the chills," another wrote. "I can only imagine the absolutely pure and raw emotion I’d experience seeing a view like that. Thank you for letting us experience that with you. You should be so proud."

"I can’t stop crying!!" another person commented. "Watching you live the dreams you worked so hard for is incredibly empowering and so beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!"

The next day, on Nov. 25, Calandrelli shared an Instagram video of her reaction to seeing Earth and space, as she looked out of the window while overcome with awe.

“That’s our planet,” she says as her voice cracks. “Oh my God, that’s space.”

“I’m here. I did it,” she says later in the video. “We are in space right now. Oh my goodness.”

In her caption, she expressed her gratitude for Blue Origin and being able to witness Earth from space.

"Our planet ?? I left her. I saw her," she wrote. "A dream decades in the making. The only thing I can compare it to was holding my babies for the first time after they were born. Like knowing someone for a long time, loving someone for a while, but seeing them with your own eyes for the very first time.

"It hit me in the soul and is tattooed on my heart forever," she continued. "How lucky I am to be one of 100 women to experience this view. I don’t take it for granted and I plan to share this awe with as many as I can."

This article was originally published on TODAY.com