First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-
monarchical
A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy) ...
head of state
A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
or
chief executive
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
. The term is also used to describe a woman seen to be at the top of her profession or art.
The title has also been used for the wife of a head of government who is not also head of state. It has also been used to refer to the wives of the leaders of
administrative division
Administrative division, administrative unit,Article 3(1). country subdivision, administrative region, subnational entity, constituent state, as well as many similar terms, are generic names for geographical areas into which a particular, ind ...
s within a country.
History
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
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
, saw its first documented use in 1838 in reference to
Martha Washington
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington (June 21, 1731 — May 22, 1802) was the wife of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Although the title was not coined until after her death, Martha Washington served as the inaugural ...
, who was never referred to as such during
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
'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
Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston (May 9, 1830 – July 3, 1903) acted as first lady of the United States during the administration of her uncle, lifelong bachelor President James Buchanan, from 1857 to 1861. She has been described as the first o ...
, who was actually James Buchanan's niece, as Buchanan was a lifelong bachelor.
Variations
The male equivalent of the title in countries where the head of state's spouse has been a man, such as the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
or
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, is first gentleman. While there has never been a male spouse of a U.S. president, "
first gentleman
First lady is an unofficial title usually used for the wife, and occasionally used for the daughter or other female relative, of a non-monarchical head of state or chief executive. The term is also used to describe a woman seen to be at the t ...
" is used in the United States for the male spouse of a
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well ...
or
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
.
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
Gender equality, also known as sexual equality or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing d ...
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
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
Louis Aliot (; born 4 September 1969) is a French politician, a lawyer by profession, and the vice president of the National Rally (previously named National Front) since 16 January 2011. A member of the FN Executive Office, Executive Committee a ...
becoming first gentleman, should his spouse, Marine Le Pen, win that year's
presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The pre ...
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
-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
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
-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
Sinophone, which means " Chinese-speaking", typically refers to an individual who speaks at least one variety of the Chinese language. Academic writers often use the term Sinophone in two definitions: either specifically "Chinese-speaking popula ...
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
Croatia
The terms ''supruga predsjednika republike'' (wife of the president of the republic) or ''suprug predsjednice republike'' (husband of the president of the republic) are most commonly used in Croatia, while the terms ''prva dama'' (first lady) and ''prvi gospodin'' (first gentleman) are rarely used, except by foreign sources. The current wife of the
president of Croatia
The president of Croatia, officially the President of the Republic of Croatia ( hr, Predsjednik Republike Hrvatske), is the head of state, commander-in-chief of the military and chief representative of the Republic of Croatia both within the ...
is Sanja Musić-Milanović.
The wife of the prime minister has occasionally, in exceptionally rare cases, also been referred to as the "first lady" of Croatia, however as the spouses of prime ministers have often maintained a low profile and have almost never been public figures, the title ''supruga predsjednika vlade'' (wife of the prime minister) has been used in cases when such a reference is needed. The current wife of the prime minister is Ana Maslać Plenković.
Ivana Zemanová
Ivana Zemanová (née Bednarčíková; born 29 April 1965) is the current First Lady of the Czech Republic and wife of the 3rd President of the Czech Republic Miloš Zeman
Miloš Zeman (; born 28 September 1944) is a Czech politician serving ...
.
The term ''první dáma'' is also used for first ladies of other countries.
Poland
The term ''pierwsza dama'' (literal meaning: "first lady") is used by the wife of the current
president of Poland
The president of Poland ( pl, Prezydent RP), officially the president of the Republic of Poland ( pl, Prezydent Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej), is the head of state of Poland. Their rights and obligations are determined in the Constitution of Pola ...
. The title ''pani prezydentowa'' (the presidential lady) is also commonly, though informally, used.
Russia
Foreign press reports have referred to the wife of the
Russian president
The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federal ...
as first lady. The term has also been used by foreign press to refer to the wife of
Alexei Navalny
Alexei Anatolievich Navalny ( rus, links=no, Алексей Анатольевич Навальный, , ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej ɐnɐˈtolʲjɪvʲɪtɕ nɐˈvalʲnɨj; born 4 June 1976) is a Russian opposition leader, lawyer, and anti-corruption act ...
, Yulia Navalnaya.
Russian first ladies have been less visible than their western counterparts due to historical reasons, as explained below.
=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
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
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 Marina Poroshenko and
Olena Zelenska
Olena Volodymyrivna Zelenska (;russian: Елена Владимировна Зеленская, , Elena Vladimirovna Zelenskaya, born 6 February 1978) is a Ukrainian architect and screenwriter who is the current First Lady of Ukraine as the ...
, have played a role in social activism, other first ladies, like Lyudmila Yanukovych, have rarely taken part in public roles.
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
did not have an official title of "First Lady". Unofficially, however, there was a fierce competition between
Eva Braun
Eva Anna Paula Hitler (; 6 February 1912 – 30 April 1945) was a German photographer who was the longtime companion and briefly the wife of Adolf Hitler. Braun met Hitler in Munich when she was a 17-year-old assistant and model for his ...
, Adolf Hitler's mistress, and
Emmy Göring
Emma Johanna Henny "Emmy" Göring (; 24 March 1893 – 8 June 1973) was a German actress and the second wife of ''Luftwaffe'' Commander-in-Chief Hermann Göring. She served as Adolf Hitler's hostess at many state functions and thereby staked a ...
, Hermann Göring's wife, both of whom aspired to be considered as such.
Asia
Armenia
The wife of the
president of Armenia
The president of Armenia ( hy, Հայաստանի Նախագահ, Hayastani Nakhagah) is the head of state and the guarantor of independence and territorial integrity of Armenia elected to a single seven-year term by the National Assembly of Arm ...
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".
Azerbaijan
The wife of the current
president of Azerbaijan
The president of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the head of state of Azerbaijan. The Constitution states that the president is the embodiment of executive power, commander-in-chief, "representative of Azerbaijan in home and foreign policies", ...
The term ''pratham mahila'' (प्रथम महिला, literally meaning "first lady") is less frequently used in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The term might be used at times to refer to the wife of the
president of India
The president of India ( IAST: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Mur ...
in newspapers; however, the more widespread term in general use is "wife of the president" or more informally as the president's wife/spouse/husband. the term "first lady" is not used to refer to the wife of the prime minister. Instead the term "first spouse" is used for the spouse of PM of India.
Indonesia
The term ''ibu negara'' (lady/mother of the state) is used for wife of the
president of Indonesia
The President of the Republic of Indonesia ( id, Presiden Republik Indonesia) is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Indonesia. The president leads the executive branch of the Indonesian government and i ...
. The term is also used to refer to first ladies of other countries.
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
The prime minister of Japan (Japanese: 内閣総理大臣, Hepburn: ''Naikaku Sōri-Daijin'') is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its Ministers of Sta ...
.
Pakistan
In Pakistan, the term خاتون اول (read as ''khatoon-e-awwal'') is commonly used for the wife of Mohammad, Khadija Bint Al-Khuwaylid. It has also been used for wife of the
prime minister of Pakistan
The prime minister of Pakistan ( ur, , romanized: Wazīr ē Aʿẓam , ) is the head of government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen cabinet, despite the president of Pa ...
president of the Philippines
The president of the Philippines ( fil, Pangulo ng Pilipinas, sometimes referred to as ''Presidente ng Pilipinas'') is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of t ...
bears the
gender-neutral
Gender neutrality (adjective form: gender-neutral), also known as gender-neutralism or the gender neutrality movement, is the idea that policies, language, and other social institutions (social structures or gender roles) should avoid distinguish ...
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
: ''unang kabiyák''), and among other duties, is host of Malacañan Palace. The title is genderless as many
Philippine languages
The Philippine languages or Philippinic are a proposed group by R. David Paul Zorc (1986) and Robert Blust (1991; 2005; 2019) that include all the languages of the Philippines and northern Sulawesi, Indonesia—except Sama–Bajaw (languag ...
lack
grammatical gender
In linguistics, grammatical gender system is a specific form of noun class system, where nouns are assigned with gender categories that are often not related to their real-world qualities. In languages with grammatical gender, most or all noun ...
, and because there have been presidential consorts of both sexes.
When the official consort is female, she is known as "first lady" (''unang ginang''); the title has also been applied to an immediate female relative serving in this capacity for a widowed president. There has only been one first gentleman (''unang ginoó'') in history:
José Miguel Arroyo
José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ).
In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...
, the husband of
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
, the 14th president, but always given title "excellency".
South Korea
The wife of the president is called ''yeong-bu-in'' (영부인/令夫人).
Non-spousal uses
In some situations, the title is bestowed upon a non-spouse.
Australia
Following the
leadership spill
In Australian politics, a leadership spill (or simply spill) is a colloquialism referring to a declaration that the leadership of a parliamentary party is vacant and open for contest. A spill may involve all or some of the leadership positions (l ...
news media
The news media or news industry are forms of mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public. These include news agencies, print media (newspapers, news magazines), broadcast news (radio and television), and ...
Tim Mathieson
Timothy Raymond Mathieson (born 1957) is an Australian hairdresser and the former partner of Julia Gillard, former Prime Minister of Australia. He entered the public spotlight in 2006 when they became partners. Gillard was Deputy Leader of t ...
, as the "first
bloke
''Bloke'' is a slang term for a common man in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
The earliest known usage is from the early 19th century, when it was recorded as a London slang term. The word's origin is un ...
". The Australian Government has referred to Mathieson as Gillard's partner, and has also recognized him as a prime ministerial spouse.
Bolivia
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma (; born 26 October 1959) is a Bolivian politician, trade union organizer, and former cocalero activist who served as the 65th president of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019. Widely regarded as the country's first president to c ...
, the former president of Bolivia, is single, so during his presidency his sister,
Esther Morales
Esther Morales Ayma de Willacarani (13 November 1949 – 16 August 2020) was a Bolivian grocer, small businessperson and public figure. In 2006, she was designated to the role of First Lady of Bolivia by her younger brother, then- President of ...
Gabriel Boric
Gabriel Boric Font (; born 11 February 1986) is a Chilean left-wing politician who is the 37th and current president of Chile, serving since 11 March 2022. Boric studied in the Faculty of Law at the University of Chile, and was the president o ...
, 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
Bartholomew Patrick "Bertie" Ahern (born 12 September 1951) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who served as Taoiseach from 1997 to 2008, Leader of Fianna Fáil from 1994 to 2008, Leader of the Opposition from 1994 to 1997, Tánaiste a ...
's term as
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government, or prime minister, of Ireland. The office is appointed by the president of Ireland upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann (the lower house of the Oireachtas, Ireland's national legislature) and the o ...
, he was separated from his wife Miriam (née Kelly) and the role of first lady was filled by his then domestic partner,
Celia Larkin
Celia Larkin, also known as Cecilia Larkin, is a former Irish civil servant and was the partner of the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. Since 2020 she has worked for Limerick City and County Council as Limerick City Centre Revitalisation Manager.
Relat ...
.
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
During the last five years of Park Chung-hee's time as president, his daughter,
Park Geun-hye
Park Geun-hye (; ; often in English ; born 2 February 1952) is a South Korean politician who served as the 11th president of South Korea from 2013 to 2017, until she was impeached and convicted on related corruption charges.
Park was the fi ...
, served as first lady following her mother,
Yuk Young-soo
Yuk Young-soo (; 29 November 1925 – 15 August 1974) was the wife of the 3rd South Korean president Park Chung-hee and the mother of the 11th South Korean president Park Geun-hye. She was killed in 1974 during an attempted assassination of ...
's death. She has been regarded as a de facto first lady of South Korea by some modern sources.
Peru
Keiko Fujimori
Keiko Sofía Fujimori Higuchi (; ja, 藤森 恵子, Fujimori Keiko; born 25 May 1975) is a Peruvian politician. Fujimori is the eldest daughter of former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori and Susana Higuchi. From August 1994 to November 200 ...
took over the duties of first lady at the age of 19, after the divorce of her father
Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto ( or ; born 28 July 1938) is a Peruvian politician, professor and former engineer who was President of Peru from 28 July 1990 until 22 November 2000. Frequently described as a dictator,
*
*
*
*
*
*
he remains a ...
and her mother
Susana Higuchi
Susana Shizuko Higuchi Miyagawa ( ja, 樋口 静子, Higuchi Shizuko; 26 April 1950 – 8 December 2021) was a Peruvian politician and engineer. She served as First Lady of Peru from 1990 to 1994 as the wife of President Alberto Fujimori. A mem ...
Elpidio Quirino
Elpidio Rivera Quirino (born Elpidio Quirino y Rivera; ; November 16, 1890 – February 29, 1956) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the sixth president of the Philippines from 1948 to 1953.
A lawyer by profession, Quirino ente ...
(1948–1953), sixth president of the Philippines. Victoria's mother, Alicia Quirino née Syquía, had been killed by occupying Japanese troops towards the end of the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
. While President
Corazón Aquino
Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino (; ; January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009) was a Filipina politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People ...
(1986–1992) was also widowed, the title was not given to her older children who would assist her in official duties. These included her son (and later president)
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
, who was a sort of ''de facto'' first gentleman; his four sisters, as under their mother's presidency, now unofficially share the duties of the first spouse. The former president, Rodrigo Duterte's marriage was annulled, and his common-law wife is not qualified to take the title as they are not married yet. Instead, he named his daughter, Davao City MayorSara Duterte, as first lady.
United States
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
was a widower by the time he took office as
president
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
, 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
Martha Skelton Jefferson ( ''née'' Wayles; October 30, 1748 – September 6, 1782) was the wife of Thomas Jefferson. She served as First Lady of Virginia during Jefferson's term as governor from 1779 to 1781. She died in 1782, 19 years before ...
, as first lady. While
Dolley Madison
Dolley Todd Madison (née Payne; May 20, 1768 – July 12, 1849) was the wife of James Madison, the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. She was noted for holding Washington social functions in which she invited members of bo ...
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
Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
's wife,
Rachel Jackson
Rachel Jackson ( ''née'' Donelson; June 15, 1767 – December 22, 1828) was the wife of Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States.
, died before Jackson's presidency. Jackson's niece,
Emily Donelson
Emily Donelson (June 1, 1807 – December 19, 1836) was the niece of Rachel Donelson Jackson. She served as White House hostess, a role that effectively made her an acting first lady of the United States.
Early life and marriage
Emily Tennessee ...
, 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
Harriet Rebecca Lane Johnston (May 9, 1830 – July 3, 1903) acted as first lady of the United States during the administration of her uncle, lifelong bachelor President James Buchanan, from 1857 to 1861. She has been described as the first o ...
, 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
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...
website.
Colorado
Jared Polis
Jared Schutz Polis (; born May 12, 1975) is an American politician, entrepreneur, businessman, and philanthropist, serving as the 43rd governor of Colorado since January 2019. He served one term on the Colorado State Board of Education from 20 ...
, who was elected as
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
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
''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...
'' as
John Hickenlooper
John Wright Hickenlooper Jr. (; born February 7, 1952) is an American politician serving as the junior United States senator from Colorado since 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 42nd governor of Colorado from 2011 to 20 ...
's girlfriend prior to their marriage.
Puerto Rico
After taking office as
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...
's first female governor, Governor
Sila María Calderón
Sila María Calderón Serra (born September 23, 1942) is a Puerto Rican politician, businesswoman, and philanthropist who was the governor of Puerto Rico from 2001 to 2005. She is the first woman elected to that office. Prior to her term as gov ...
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
Lucille Désirée Ball (August 6, 1911 – April 26, 1989) was an American actress, comedienne and producer. She was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times, and was the recipient of several other accolades, such as the Golde ...
), the "first lady of song" (
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917June 15, 1996) was an American jazz singer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing, timing, in ...
), the "first lady of country music" (
Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette (born Virginia Wynette Pugh; May 5, 1942 – April 6, 1998) was an American country music artist, as well as an actress and author. She is considered among the genre's most influential and successful artists. Along with Loretta Ly ...
, although
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...
was also known by the title), the "first lady of '' Star Trek''" (actor/producer
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Ma ...
), "the first lady of American cinema" ( Lilian Gish) and the "first lady of the American stage" ( Helen Hayes).
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
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
, where the pre-eminent female noble in some chieftaincy hierarchies, such as those of the
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitut ...
, 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 church
The black church (sometimes termed Black Christianity or African American Christianity) is the faith and body of Christian congregations and denominations in the United States that minister predominantly to African Americans, as well as their ...
The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'', March 20, 2013.
See also
*
List of spouses of heads of state
The following is a list of spouses of current heads of state.
States recognised by the United Nations
Other states
The following states are in free association with another UN member state.
The following states control their territory and ...
List of first gentlemen in the United States
In the United States, the title of first gentleman may be accorded to a man who is married to the head of state of a state government, analogously to the unofficial use of first lady for the wife or hostess of a head of state, including the wife ...
First Yaya
''First Yaya'' () is a 2021 Philippine television drama romance comedy series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by L.A. Madridejos, it stars Sanya Lopez in the title role. It premiered on March 15, 2021 on the network's Telebabad line up replac ...
* 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 , curriculum unit based on primary sources
* Berkin, Berkin, ed., "America's First Ladies", ''History Now'' 35 (Spring 2013 online ; popular essays by scholars
* Burns, Lisa M. (2008). ''First Ladies and the Fourth Estate: Press Framing of Presidential Wives''. DeKalb: Northern Illinois University Press.
*
* 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.