It’s Women’s History Month and that means it’s a great time to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of all the women out there killing it in their field. That’s why we want to highlight the historical firsts of these glass-ceiling-shattering ladies with a list that will make you say, “Wait, that seriously hadn’t happened before then?”
First woman of color to be nominated for Best Director – Chloé Zhao
This year Chloé Zhao is making history as the first woman of color to ever be nominated in the Best Director category since the Academy Awards’ inception in 1929. And prior to this year, only five women have ever been nominated, and only one has won. Wow! We’re glad to see Zhao clinch this well-deserved nomination, and also amazed that the Academy has managed to only nominate men and a small handful of white women for almost a century, given that women of color have actually been making movies for as long as movies have existed.
First Native American Women elected to Congress – Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland
In 2018, Sharice Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, became the first Native American women to ever be elected to Congress. Yep, 2018! These two women’s political success will surely inspire you to think, “It sucks that this didn’t happen sooner.” Haaland is now serving as Secretary of the Interior, and yes, that’s another first. The more barriers you have set up against you, the more you can break down, right? Just kidding, of course — this country is a nightmare and that’s bad!
One of the first trans women to have work issued by a “Big Five” Publisher – Torrey Peters
Torrey Peters’s acclaimed debut novel Detransition, Baby is among the first by a trans woman to be published by any of the “Big Five” publishers. And this book, like, just came out. We’re talking a few months ago. This major accomplishment will make you say, “Seriously??” then sigh and be like, “I guess.”
First woman Vice President – Kamala Harris
Okay, you probably knew that Kamala Harris was the first woman to be Vice President of the United States, but it’s still fucking crazy that that hadn’t happened yet. Jesus!
So there you have it! Four historical firsts that we tried to celebrate but then thought about the reasons they were firsts to begin with and got really tired. Happy woman month!
