First lady

This article is about the unofficial title for the spouses or partners of elected heads of state. For other uses, see First Lady (disambiguation).

Egyptian First Lady Jehan Sadat receiving American counterpart Rosalynn Carter in Cairo, March 8, 1979

A group of first ladies assemble in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, September 22, 2008

First ladies in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, September 25, 2009

First Lady or First Gentleman is an unofficial title usually used for the spouse, and occasionally used for the offspring or other relative, of a non-monarchical head of state or chief executive. The term is also used to describe a person seen to be at the top of her profession or art.

The title has also been used for the spouse of a head of government who is not also head of state. It has also been used to refer to the spouses of the leaders of administrative divisions within a country. The title is often used for the wives of Christian pastors in denominations where married clergy are the norm.

History

Main article: First Lady of the United States

It has been noted that the earliest use of the term "first lady" is in reference to person of a high ranking or outstanding person in their field, and that the term, as used to describe the spouse of the president of the United States, saw its first documented use in 1838 in reference to Martha Washington, who was never referred to as such during George Washington's time as president.

The first person to have been referred to as "first lady" on a regular basis during their time in the position was Harriet Lane, who was actually James Buchanan's niece, as Buchanan was a lifelong bachelor.

Variations

Queen Mathilde of Belgium meeting with the first ladies and first gentlemen of NATO members at the Royal Castle of Laeken on May 25, 2017.

The male equivalent of the title in countries where the head of state's spouse has been a man, such as the Philippines or Malta, is first gentleman. In 2020, Doug Emhoff, spouse of VP Kamala Harris, became the first male spouse of a U.S. vice president. "First gentleman" is used in the United States for the male spouse of a mayor or governor.

First spouse and first partner, both rare variations of the title, can be used in either case where the spouse of a political leader is of any gender. This term is used to promote gender equality and gender neutrality.

In the United States, collectively, the president of the United States and his spouse are known as the first couple and, if they have children, they are usually referred to as the first family.

Use in non-English speaking countries

American actor Marlon Brando meeting the First Lady of Finland, Mrs. Sylvi Kekkonen, in Helsinki, Finland in 1967.

French-speaking countries have used the term première dame for first ladies, regardless of where the first lady is from. At least one article, published in 2017, used the term premier monsieur for first gentleman. For that particular article, it was used to discuss the possibility of Louis Aliot becoming first gentleman, should his domestic partner, Marine Le Pen, win that year's presidential election. Emmanuel Macron defeated Le Pen in that year's election.

Portuguese-speaking countries have used the term primeira-dama or "Primeira Dama" for first ladies. The term is used regardless of where the person is from. The term primeiro-cavalheiro is used for first gentlemen.

In Spanish-speaking countries, the term primera dama is used for first ladies, regardless of the country the person is from. The term primer caballero has been used for first gentlemen.

Sinophone countries have used the term 第一夫人 (dìyī fūrén) as a term for first ladies, also without regards as to where the first lady is from.

Europe

Czech Republic

The term první dáma is used for wife of the president of the Czech Republic.

Poland

The term pierwsza dama (literal meaning: "first lady") is used by the wife of the current president of Poland.

Russia

Foreign press reports have referred to the wife of the Russian president as first lady. Russian first ladies have been less visible than their western counterparts due to historical reasons.

Soviet Union

It has been noted that Soviet leaders generally preferred to keep their wives and families out of the spotlight, resulting in "invisible first ladies". As a result, low-profile first ladies remain common in post-Soviet countries, due to the leaders of those countries having grown up during the Soviet era.

The wife of Mikhail Gorbachev, Raisa Gorbachev, has been referred to as a Soviet first lady.

Ukraine

The wife of the country's president has been referred to as перша леді (persha ledi) by the country's government. The term "first lady" has also been used by the government in English language news releases.

While some first ladies, like Maryna Poroshenko and Olena Zelenska, have played a role in social activism, other first ladies, like Lyudmila Yanukovych, have rarely taken part in public roles.

Asia

Armenia

The wife of the president of Armenia has been referred to as "Հայաստանի Առաջին տիկին" (Hayastani Arrajin tikin). The term "first lady" has also been used. The spouse of the current president, however, is only referred to as "հանրապետության նախագահի տիկին" (hanrapetut'yan nakhagahi tikin), or "wife of the president of Armenia".

Indonesia

The term ibu negara (lady/mother of the state) is used for wife of the president of Indonesia. The term is also used to refer to first ladies of other countries.

Iran

Main article: Shahbanu

Before the 1979 revolution there was the queen Shahbano. There is no office of first lady or first female (or madam بانوی اول Banuye Aval). September 2023 Iranian wife of president denied news of being the first lady and said that actually wife of Supreme leader of the revolution is the first lady. Minister of Foreign relations also said the same thing. The wife of Supreme leader is remaining hidden there is no image from her.

Japan

In Japan, the term Naikaku Souri Daijin Fujin (内閣総理大臣夫人, literally "the wife of the Minister of the Comprehensive Administration of the Cabinet") is the title used for the wife of the prime minister of Japan.

Vietnam

Currently, the spouse of the President of Vietnam is called phu nhân chủ tịch nước (lit: wife of the state president). The term đệ nhất phu nhân (lit: first lady) is also unofficially used by the press and on social media.

Non-spousal uses

In some situations, the title is bestowed upon a non-spouse.

Australia

Following the leadership spill which installed Julia Gillard as the first female prime minister of Australia on June 24, 2010, some news media referred to her partner, Tim Mathieson, as the "first bloke". The Australian Government has referred to Mathieson as Gillard's partner, and has also recognized him as a prime ministerial spouse.

Bolivia

Evo Morales, the former president of Bolivia, is single, so during his presidency his sister, Esther Morales, fulfilled the role of first lady.

Chile

Irina Karamanos, the domestic partner and girlfriend of Gabriel Boric, accepted the title of first lady despite both Karamanos and Boric's initial opposition to the position's existence. Karamanos said that taking on the role would involve "adapting it to the times."

Ireland

During the first half of Bertie Ahern's term as Taoiseach, he was separated from his wife Miriam (née Kelly) and the role of first lady was filled by his then domestic partner, Celia Larkin.

Republic of Korea (South Korea)

During the last five years of Park Chung Hee's time as president, his daughter, Park Geun-hye, served as first lady following her mother, Yuk Young-soo's death. She has been regarded as a de facto first lady of South Korea by some modern sources.

Peru

Keiko Fujimori took over the duties of first lady at the age of 19, after the divorce of her father Alberto Fujimori and her mother Susana Higuchi.

United States

Main article: First Lady of the United States

Thomas Jefferson was a widower by the time he took office as president, and his daughter, Martha Jefferson Randolph, who served as the lady of the president's house on occasion, has been recognized by the First Ladies National Historic Site as being a first lady, even though the White House website recognizes her mother, Martha Jefferson, as first lady. While Dolley Madison also served as hostess and Jefferson's escort on occasion, she is recognized as a spousal first lady by way of her husband's presidency following Jefferson.

Andrew Jackson's wife, Rachel Jackson, died before Jackson's presidency. Jackson's niece, Emily Donelson, carried out the duties of first lady until her death, and Jackson's daughter-in-law, Sarah Jackson, presided over the White House during the final months of Jackson's presidency. Both are recognized by the First Ladies National Historic Site as being first ladies, despite the White House website recognizing Jackson's wife as first lady.

James Buchanan was a lifelong bachelor. During his time in office, his niece, Harriet Lane, served as "hostess". She is recognized as having acted in the capacity of a contemporary first lady during her uncle's time in office, and is listed among other spousal first ladies on the White House website.

Colorado

Jared Polis, who was elected as governor in 2018, is openly gay, and was in a long-term relationship with his partner, Marlon Reis, at the time of his election. Reis was referred to as "first man" by Polis during a speech on the night of his election, and members of Polis' campaign said that Reis will take on the title of "first gentleman". The pair subsequently married in 2021.

Not all non-married partners of Colorado governors are called first lady or first gentleman, as Robin Pringle was referred to by The Denver Post as John Hickenlooper's girlfriend prior to their marriage.

Puerto Rico

After taking office as Puerto Rico's first female governor, Governor Sila María Calderón appointed her two daughters, Sila María González Calderón and María Elena González Calderón, to serve as first ladies.

Non-political uses

It has become commonplace in the United States for the title of "first lady" to be bestowed on women, as a term of endearment, who have proven themselves to be of exceptional talent or unique notoriety in non-political areas. The phrase is often, but not always, used when the person in question is either the wife or "female equivalent" of a well-known man (or men) in a similar field. For example, the term has been applied in the entertainment field to denote the "first lady of television" (Lucille Ball), the "first lady of song" (Ella Fitzgerald), the "first lady of country music" (Tammy Wynette, although Loretta Lynn was also known by the title), the "first lady of Star Trek" (actor/producer Majel Barrett), the "first lady of American soul" (Aretha Franklin), the "first lady of the Grand Ole Opry" (Loretta Lynn), "the first lady of American cinema" (Lillian Gish), the "first lady of the American stage" (Helen Hayes), and "the first lady of (American) football" (Norma Hunt).

The term has also been used to refer to wives of college and university presidents in some cases.

The term "first lady" is also used to denote a woman who occupies the foremost social position within a particular locality, in this sense being particularly popular in Africa, where the pre-eminent female noble in some chieftaincy hierarchies, such as those of the Yoruba people, is often referred to by the title.

In recent years, the term has also been used to refer to the wife of the pastor of a church, especially in predominantly black churches.

See also

• List of spouses of heads of state
• List of spouses of heads of government
• List of first gentlemen in the United States
• List of spouses of national leaders born abroad
• Second lady
• Queen consort

Further reading

• Abrams, Jeanne E. First Ladies of the Republic: Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Dolley Madison, and the Creation of an Iconic American Role (NYU Press. 2018) online review
• Bailey, Tim. "America's First Ladies on Twentieth-Century Issues: A Common Core Unit", History Now 35 (Spring 2013) online Archived October 15, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, curriculum unit based on primary sources
• Berkin, Berkin, ed., "America's First Ladies", History Now 35 (Spring 2013) online Archived March 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine; popular essays by scholars
• Burns, Lisa M. (2008). First Ladies and the Fourth Estate: Press Framing of Presidential Wives. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press. ISBN 978-0-87580-391-3
• Caroli, Betty Boyd (2010). First ladies : from Martha Washington to Michelle Obama. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195392852.
• Horohoe, Jill, "First Ladies as Modern Celebrities: Politics and the Press in Progressive Era" (PhD dissertation, Arizona State University, 2011). DA3452884.
• Lugo-Lugo, Carmen R. and Mary K. Bloodsworth-Lugo. "Bare Biceps and American (In) Security: Post-9/11 Constructions of Safe(ty), Threat, and the First Black First Lady", Women's Studies Quarterly (2011) 39#1 pp 200–217, on media images of Michelle Obama
• Watson, Robert P. "Toward the Study of the First Lady: The State of Scholarship", Presidential Studies Quarterly (2003) 33#2 pp 423–441.

External links

• Current First Ladies (biographies and photo profiles)