Most of us would prefer not to look back on 2021, myself included. On the bright side, however, there were more First Women in 2021. Here are just a few of my favorites:
Kamala Harris
Much is made of the fact that Kamala Harris is the First Black Woman to serve as Vice-President or that she is the First South-Asian American Woman to serve as Vice-President, but let’s call this what it is. In spite of her ethnic disadvantages, she is the FIRST WOMAN—period—to serve as Vice-President of the United States. It is also cool that her husband is the first second-gentleman in the United States.
Sarah McBride
The first openly transgender state senator was Sarah McBride who was elected to the Delaware General Assembly in 2021.
Avril Haines
President Biden nominated, and Congress approved, Avril Haines at the First Woman to serve as director of national intelligence. Previously, she had been Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and Deputy National Security Advisor in Obama’s administration. She was the First Woman to hold both of those posts as well.
Janet Yellen
Janet Yellen was the First Woman to head the Treasury Department since its creation in 1789. Although the Treasurer of the United States has been a woman since President Truman appointed Georgia Neese Clark in 1949, at no time in our history has a woman held the Cabinet position for our nation’s finances. Yellen was also the First Woman to chair the Federal Reserve.
Sarah Thomas
When Sarah Thomas took the field at the 2021 Super Bowl, she became the First Woman to officiate an NFL Super Bowl game. Previously she had been the First Woman to work a major college football game and the First Woman to referee an NFL playoff game.
Amanda Gorman
Only six poets have spoken at presidential inaugurations in the United States. Of the three men and two women who preceded her, Amanda Gorman is the youngest. She was also the First Poet at a Super Bowl Game.
Chloé Zhao
Nomadland’s director, Chloé Zhao, was the First Asian Woman to win a Golden Globe for best director. This is a moving film of a widow living in her van, which stars Frances McDormand. Only one other woman has won a Golden Globe for director, Barbara Streisand in 1984. Do the math—a 37 year gap!
Wally Funk
On July 20, 2021, Wally Funk was on board the Blue Origin rocket, the First octogenarian Woman to fly into space. Funk was originally one of 13 women who trained for the astronaut program, before it was determined women were not eligible because they had not been test pilots. In spite of the fact that they had lacked opportunities to join the military, where test pilots were trained, no exceptions were made. Oh, yes, one exception was made to the strict rules—for John Glenn. He was admitted in spite of the fact that a college degree was required and Glenn did not have one. Glenn went back into space when he was 77, but Funk bested him as she was 82.
Jill Biden
It bears mentioning that Jill Biden is the First First Lady to retain her professional position in spite of obligations as First Lady.
When the day comes that there are so few First Women we no longer note them, we shall be joyous. Meanwhile, I’ll continue to report on women’s progress.
