List of women's firsts facts for kids

This is a list of amazing "firsts" achieved by women throughout history! These women broke barriers and showed everyone what was possible. When we talk about "breaking the gender barrier" or "breaking the glass ceiling", it means someone achieved something for the first time that was usually done by men. It's like being the first to reach a new level in a game! For example, in the military, it's called "breaking the brass ceiling," and for women in religious roles, it's "breaking the stained glass ceiling." This list celebrates achievements that had a big impact on history.

Women Taking Flight: Aviation and Space Firsts

Many brave women were pioneers in flying, from hot air balloons to space!

Pioneers in Education

Women have also made huge strides in teaching and learning.

Women in Business

Women have also become leaders in the world of business and money.

• 1500s: Philippine Welser, believed to be the first European female billionaire.
• 1889: Anna Bissell, the first female CEO (Chief Executive Officer) in the United States.
• 1903: Maggie L. Walker, the first African-American woman to start her own bank.
• 1915: Helena Rubinstein, the first woman to create her own cosmetics company.
• 1945: Ruth Handler, the first female president of a major toy company.
• 1961: Katherine Graham, the first woman to lead a Fortune 500 company (a list of the biggest companies).
• 1992: Alice Walton, the first female decabillionaire (someone with over ten billion dollars).
• 1999: Andrea Jung, the first female CEO of a MLM company.
• 1999: Carly Fiorina, the first female head of a Fortune 20 company.
• 2000: Martha Stewart, the first self-made female American billionaire.
• 2003: Oprah Winfrey, the first female African-American billionaire.
• 2013: Mary Barra, the first female CEO of a major car manufacturer.
• 2019: Kylie Jenner, the first female billionaire under 30 years old.
• 2020: Rania Llewellyn, the first female bank CEO in Canada.
• 2021: Kathryn Farmer, the first female CEO of a major railroad company.

Women in Journalism

Women have shaped how we get our news and stories.

• 1946: Katharine Graham – The first female publisher of a major newspaper in the United States, The Washington Post.
• 1962: Ellene Mocria – The first female radio newscaster and producer in Ethiopia.
• 1973: Linda Carter Brinson – The first female assistant national editor at The Baltimore Sun.
• 2002: Linda Carter Brinson – The first female editorial page editor at the Winston-Salem Journal.
• 2004: Catherine Pepinster – The first woman to be editor of the British newspaper The Tablet in its 175-year history.

Women and Nobel Prizes

The Nobel Prize is a very famous award given for important discoveries and achievements. Many women have been the first to win these prestigious awards.

• 1903: Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physics. She was also the first woman ever to win a Nobel Prize.
• 1905: Baroness Bertha Sophie Felicita von Suttner, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Peace.
• 1909: Selma Lagerlöf, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
• 1911: Marie Sklodowska-Curie, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. She is the only woman to win two Nobel Prizes and the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different sciences.
• 1947: Gerty Cori, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She was the first American woman to win this prize.
• 1983: Barbara McClintock, the first woman to win an unshared Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (meaning she won it all by herself).
• 2009: Elinor Ostrom, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize in Economics.

Women in Politics: Leading Nations

Women have become leaders of countries and governments around the world.

• Yevgenia Bosch, Ukrainian People's Republic (1917–1918): Sometimes seen as the first modern female leader of a national government.
• Khertek Anchimaa-Toka, Tuvan People's Republic (1940–1944): The first female head of state of a country.
• Sukhbaataryn Yanjmaa, Mongolia (1953–1954): The first female acting head of state.
• Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) (1960–1965): The first elected female prime minister (head of government) of a country. She served for 17 years in total!
• Indira Gandhi, India (1966–1977): The first female prime minister of a major country like India.
• Soong Ching-ling, China (1968–1972): The first female acting co-head of state.
• Golda Meir, Israel (1969–1974): The first female prime minister in the Middle East.
• Isabel Perón, Argentina (1974–1976): The first appointed female president, who was both head of state and head of government.
• Elisabeth Domitien, Central African Republic (1975–1976): The first appointed female prime minister of an African country.
• Margaret Thatcher, United Kingdom (1979–1990): The first female prime minister of a G7 country (a group of leading industrial nations) and the first female prime minister of a European country.
• Eugenia Charles, Dominica (1980–1995): The longest continuously serving female prime minister.
• Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Iceland (1980–1996): The first democratically elected female president. She served for 16 years, making her the longest-serving elected female head of state.
• Jeanne Sauvé, Canada (1984–1990): The first female head of state in North America.
• Corazon Aquino, Philippines (1986–1992): The first female president in Southeast Asia.
• Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan (1988–1990): The first female prime minister of any country with a Muslim majority.
• Kim Campbell, Canada (1993): The first female head of government in North America.
• Tansu Çiller, Turkey (1993–1996): The first elected Muslim female prime minister in Europe.
• Chandrika Kumaratunga, Sri Lanka (1994–2000): This was the first time a country had both a female president and a female prime minister at the same time.
• Ruth Perry, Liberia (1996–1997): The first appointed female head of state in Africa.
• Mary McAleese, Ireland (1997–2011): The first time a female president directly followed another female president.
• Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberia (2006–2018): Africa's first elected female head of state.
• Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, Iceland (2009–2013): She was the world's first openly lesbian world leader.
• Elizabeth II, United Kingdom (1952–2022): In 2015, she became the longest-reigning queen and female head of state in world history.
• Ursula von der Leyen, European Union (2019–present): The first woman to be appointed President of the European Commission.
• Kamala Harris, United States (2021–present): The first woman to become Vice President of the United States.
• Sandra Mason, Barbados (2021–present): The first time a country's first president was female.
• Giorgia Meloni, Italy (2022–present): The first woman to be elected as Head of government in Italy.

Women in Racing

Women have sped into history in various racing sports.

• 1949: Sara Christian became the first woman to race in NASCAR.
• 1976: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify and compete in the famous Indianapolis 500 race.
• 1977: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify and compete in the Daytona 500.
• 1989: Shawna Robinson became the first woman to win a NASCAR-sanctioned stock car race.
• 2005: Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500.
• 2008: Danica Patrick became the first woman to win an Indy Car Series race.
• 2013: Danica Patrick became the first woman to race a complete full-time NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series schedule.
• 2013: Danica Patrick became the first woman to win a pole position (start from the very front) for a NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series race in the 2013 Daytona 500.
• 2013: Danica Patrick became the first woman to lead the Daytona 500.

Women in Religion

Women have also taken on important leadership roles in religious organizations.

• 1935: Regina Jonas was the first woman to be ordained as a rabbi (a Jewish religious leader).
• 1980: Marjorie Matthews, the first woman to become a bishop of the United Methodist Church.
• 1989: Barbara Harris, the first woman ordained a bishop in the Anglican Communion.
• March 12, 1994: The first women were ordained as Church of England priests.
• 1992: The first women were ordained as priests in the Anglican Church of Australia.
• 1996: Gloria Shipp was the first Aboriginal woman ordained as priest in the Anglican Church of Australia.
• 2000: Denise Wyss, the first woman to be ordained as a priest in the Old Catholic Church.
• 2003: Alison Elliot was elected the first female moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
• 2006: Katharine Jefferts Schori, the first female presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States.
• 2008: Kay Goldsworthy, the first female consecrated bishop in Australia.
• 2014: Libby Lane, the first female consecrated bishop in the Church of England.
• 2021: Sister Nathalie Becquart, the first woman appointed as undersecretary to the Synod of Bishops.

Women in Sports

From swimming to football, women have achieved incredible athletic feats.

• August 6, 1926: Gertrude Ederle, the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
• 1937: Grace Hudowalski was the first woman to climb all 46 of the Adirondack High Peaks.
• 1940s: Lois Fegan Farrell became the first female reporter to cover a professional hockey team in America.
• 1960: Mary McGee became the first official female motorcycle racer in the United States. She was also the first woman to compete in the Baja 500 off-road race.
• 1960: Wilma Rudolph, a track and field champion, became the first American woman to win three gold medals in the Rome Olympics. She helped make women's track very popular.
• 1967: Drahşan Arda was confirmed as the world's first female football referee by FIFA.
• November 27, 1968: Penny Ann Early, the first woman to play major professional basketball.
• August 15, 1970: Patricia Palinkas, the first woman to play professionally in an American football game.
• January 1, 1972: Women were officially welcomed into the United States Polo Association, with Sue Sally Hale becoming the first female member.
• May 16, 1975: Junko Tabei, the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain.
• 1993: Lynn Hill was the first person to free climb (climb without ropes for aid) the famous Nose Route on El Capitan.
• 1993: Halli Reid became the first woman to swim across Lake Erie.
• 1994: Catherine Destivelle became the first woman to complete the winter free solo of the "north face trilogy" of the Eiger, the Grandes Jorasses, and the Matterhorn.
• October 18, 1997: Liz Heaston, the first female to play and score in a college football game.
• December 26, 2008: Sarah Thomas, the first woman to officiate an NCAA football bowl game.
• 2009: Kei Taniguchi became the first woman to win the Piolet d'Or, a top award in mountaineering.
• September 4, 2009: Carolynn Sells became the first woman to win a solo motorcycle race on the Snaefell Mountain Course.
• May 17, 2010: Edurne Pasaban became the first woman to climb all fourteen of the world's eight-thousander peaks (mountains over 8,000 meters high).
• May 4, 2012: Rosie Napravnik became the first woman jockey to win the Kentucky Oaks.
• August 9, 2012: Shannon Eastin became the first woman to officiate a National Football League (NFL) game.
• 2012: Anna Wardley, from England, became the first person to complete a solo swim around Portsea Island.
• May 31, 2013: Lydia Nsekera became the first female FIFA Executive Committee member.
• May 18, 2013: Rosie Napravnik became the first woman to have ridden in all three Triple Crown races.
• June 2013: Ashley Freiberg became the first woman to win an overall GT3 Cup Challenge victory in North America.
• September 23, 2013: Sarah Outen became the first person to row solo from Japan to Alaska.
• 2013: Davie Jane Gilmour became the first woman to lead the board of directors for Little League.
• 2013: UFC 157 featured the first women's fight in UFC history and the first UFC event headlined by two female fighters (Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche).
• 2013: At 64, Diana Nyad became the first person confirmed to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.
• 2013: Lesley Thomson became the first woman appointed to Scottish Rugby's board.
• 2013: Anna Wardley, from England, became the first woman to swim non-stop around the Isle of Wight.
• 2013: Peggy O'Neal became the first woman to be president of an Australian Football League club.
• 2013: Tracey Gaudry became the first woman appointed as vice president of the Union Cycliste Internationale.
• 2013: Adel Weir became the first female squash coach hired at the Qatar Squash Federation.
• 2013: Maria Toor became the winner of the first ever women's event in the Nash Cup in Canada.
• 2013: Tatyana McFadden became the first athlete to win six gold medals at a championships.
• 2013: Tatyana McFadden won the Boston, Chicago, London, and New York marathons in the same year, a first for anyone.
• 2013: Denise Fejtek became the first woman to complete the "Peak to Heat Double" (climbing Everest and finishing the Ironman Triathlon).
• 2013: Sonya Baumstein became the first person to stand-up paddleboard across the Bering Strait.
• 2013: Meredith Novack became the fastest person, and first woman, to pull a double crossing of the Auau Channel in Hawaii.
• 2013: Rosie Napravnik won 17 races to become the first woman to capture the leading rider title at Keeneland.
• 2013: Olivia Prokopova became the first woman to win the World Crazy Golf Championship.
• 2013: Mia Hamm became the first woman inducted into the World Football Hall of Fame.
• 2013: Emily Bell became the first woman to kayak the length of Britain.
• 2013: Casey Stoney became the first female member of the Professional Footballers' Association's management committee.
• 2013: Jodi Eller became the first woman to complete the 1,515-mile Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail.
• 2013: Nicole Kirnan became the first woman to coach a professional hockey team in the United States.
• 2014: Torah Bright became the first woman to qualify for three snowboard events at a Winter Olympics.
• 2014: Ashley Freiberg became the first woman to win an overall race in Continental Tire Challenge History.
• 2014: The first women competed in ski jumping at the Olympics.
• 2014: Jennifer Welter became the first female non-kicker or placekick-holder to play in a men's pro football game.
• 2014: Abbey Holmes became the first woman to kick 100 goals in one regular season of Australian Rules football.
• 2014: Annabel Anderson, from New Zealand, became the first woman to cross Cook Strait standing on a paddleboard.
• 2014: Peta Searle became the first woman appointed as a development coach in the Australian Football League.
• 2014: 16-year-old Katie Ormerod became the first female snowboarder to land a backside double cork 1080.
• 2014: Shelby Osborne became the first female defensive back in American football.
• 2014: Amélie Mauresmo became the first woman to coach a top male tennis player.
• 2014: Corinne Diacre became the first woman to coach a men's professional soccer team in a competitive match in France.
• 2014: Cecilia Brækhus, from Norway, became the first Norwegian and the first woman to hold all major world championship titles in her boxing weight division.
• 2014: Mo'ne Davis was the first girl in Little League World Series history to pitch a winning game and the first girl to pitch a shutout.
• 2014: Amy Hughes, from England, ran 53 marathons in 53 days, setting a record for consecutive marathons.
• 2015: Jennifer Welter became the first woman hired to coach in men's pro football.
• 2019: G. S. Lakshmi, a former Indian cricketer, became the first female ICC match referee.
• 2021: Jennifer King became the first African-American female full-time NFL coach.

See also