National Geographic Premieres Sally Ride Documentary Revealing Private Life, Legacy

The 2025 documentary "Sally," directed by Cristina Costantini and premiering on National Geographic and streaming on Disney+, explores the life and legacy of Dr. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. The film highlights Ride's groundbreaking accomplishments and the intense sexism she faced during the 1970s and 80s, as well as her concealed 27-year relationship with partner Tam O’Shaughnessy, who speaks candidly throughout the documentary. It uses archival footage, sound design, and interviews to depict Ride's determination and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated field, while also confronting her imperfect pursuit of recognition. The documentary gains further significance amid NASA's recent rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives under President Donald Trump's administration, which has led to a suppression of LGBTQ+ expressions within the agency. This political backdrop adds a poignant layer to Ride's story, reflecting ongoing struggles around identity and inclusion that Ride herself navigated privately. Despite some critiques about the film's concluding legacy summary, "Sally" serves as an important narrative about breaking barriers and the personal costs of pioneering change.