SOPHIE: 80,000 sign petition urging NASA to name planet after late trans icon
Fans noticed similarities between artists' impressions of TOI 133B and "the aesthetic sense of SOPHIE’s visual work."
Words: Jamie Tabberer; picture: MSMSMSM/wiki
A petition urging NASA to rename a planet after the late musician SOPHIE has gained 80,000 signatures online.
The Grammy-nominated singer and producer for the likes of Charli XCX died last month in Athens, Greece after a sudden accident’ at the age of 34.
News of the trans icon’s death has prompted fans to note similarities between artist renderings of planet TOI 133B and the pink-hued tones of SOPHIE’s 2018 album Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides.
“Her fans would love to pay homage by having her name be remembered in this way”
The petition, which is aiming for 150,000 signatures, was started by fan Christian Arroyo, who says on the Change.org page: “Sophie Xeon, known mononymously as SOPHIE, was a highly influential singer, songwriter, and producer who was a great inspiration to the LGBTQIA+ community. Her messages, actions, and music left an insurmountable impression on many LGBTQIA+ individuals. She always pushed a message of individuality and expressing your true self which resonated throughout everything she did.
“SOPHIE tragically passed away Saturday, January 30th, 2021 around 4:00 AM EET, in Athens, Greece after an accident while attempting to see the full moon. This event has devastated her fanbase, which had looked up to her for inspiration. A fanbase that took her messages and ran with them, further spreading her influence.
“When artist renditions of TOI 1338 b (a circumbinary exoplanet discovered by Wolf Cukier and fellow scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center) were featured in the press following the 235th American Astronomical Society meeting in Honolulu, many fans noticed the similarities between the interpretations and the aesthetic sense of SOPHIE’s visual work, specifically the cover for her 2018 album Oil of Every Pearl’s UnInsides.
“I am requesting, at the discretion of the incredible scientists who discovered the planet, that TOI 1338 b be named in honor of the great LGBT+ influence, SOPHIE. Her fans would love to pay homage by having her name be remembered in this way and for her influence to continue to flourish for years to come.”
“Profound sadness”
A statement from SOPHIE’s team last month read: “It is with profound sadness that I have to inform you that musician and producer SOPHIE passed away this morning around 4am in Athens, where the artist had been living, following a sudden accident.
“At this time respect and privacy for the family is our priority.
“We would also ask for respect for her fanbase, and to treat the private nature of this news with sensitivity.”
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