Fifteen years ago today Janet Reno became the first, and so far the only, female Attorney General of the United States. She was nominated by President Clinton on February 11th, 1993 and was confirmed one month later to become the second longest serving Attorney General in the U.S. Her term in office ran from March 11th, 1993 to January 20th, 2001.
Here's a time line of other women in politics - maybe we are finally gettin' somewhere?
1872: Susan B. Anthony is the first U.S. woman to register to vote. As a result she becomes the first to make a ballot, for which she is arrested.
1917: Jeanette Rankin of Montana is the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1930: Alexandra Kollontai is appointed Ambassador from the Soviet Union to Sweden, becoming the first woman Ambassador in modern history.
1960: Siramavo Bandaranaike of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) becomes the world's first female Prime Minister.
1966: Indira Gandhi becomes the first Prime Minister of India.
1969: Golda Meir becomes the first female Prime Minister of Israel.
1979: Margaret Thatcher becomes the first woman Prime Mnister of the United Kingdom. She served in that position -- winning re-election in 1983 and in 1987 -- until resigning in 1990.
1984: Geraldine Ferraro is the first woman nominated for Vice-President by either major political party in the United States.
1986: Corazon Aquino is the first woman elected president of the Philippines.
1988: Benazir Bhutto is the first woman elected Prime Minister of Pakistan and becomes the first woman elected to head a Muslim country.
1990: Carmen Lawrence is Australia's first female premier.
1991: Edith Cresson is the first woman elected Prime Minister of France.
1991: Rita Johnston is Canada's first female Premier.
1992: California elects two women, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, to the U.S. Senate.
1992: Betty Boothroyd is the first woman chosen to be Speaker of the House of Commons in Great Britain.
2002: Nancy Pelosi is sworn in as the House Democratic Whip - the highest-ranking leadership position ever held by a women in the United States Congress at that time. She was later named Minority Leader.
2006: Democrats take control of the United States Congress and Nancy Pelosi is elevated to the position of Speaker of the House. She is the third highest ranking official in the United States government and the highest ranking female in US political history.
2007: Senator Hillary Clinton is the first woman to ever be considered as a serious candidate for the US Presidency.
And don't forget Shirley Temple Black! - She was appointed a delegate to the United Nations by President Richard M. Nixon in 1969. She was United States Ambassador to Ghana (1974–76). In 1976, she became the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States. She was United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989–92).
As of this date, twenty-nine women have been or are currently serving as the governor of an American state. currently there are 16 women serving in the 100 member Senate, 73 women serving in the U.S. House of Representatives of the 110th Congress, and one woman running for President of the United States.
I wonder, if Hillary wins, would her Secret Service codename be MsPOTUS?
The image at the top of the post "FIRST HUSBAND?" was adapted from my political parody, WASHINGTON DISSES WASHINGTON. The original image is available as archival giclees in various sizes on my website, PopArtDiva.com. Copyright 2008 by PopArtDiva.com. All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy, distribute or reproduce without written permission from PopArtDiva.com.
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