15 times women made history in 2018

Senator Tammy Duckworth became the first sitting Senator to give birth while in office.
Senator Tammy Duckworth became the first sitting Senator to give birth while in office.

From entertainment to space to politics, women shattered almost every ceiling in 2018. More women are in Congress than ever before. Diverse woman had a breakthrough year in Hollywood. All around the world, women spoke up, spoke out and stepped up to lead.

Here are some of the biggest female firsts of the year — and let’s hope they’re not the last.

1. Beyoncé is the first black woman to headline Coachella

2. Amy Sherman-Palladino is the first woman to win a writing and directing Emmy in the same year

3. Simone Biles is first American to win medals at every event at the World Gymnastics Championships

4. Missy Elliot is the first female rapper nominated to the 2019 Songwriters Hall of Fame

5. Nadia Murad is the first Iraqi to win the Nobel Peace Prize

6. Sandra Oh is first Asian woman nominated for a lead actress role at the Emmys. (In 2019, she will also become the first Asian to host a major awards show when the Golden Globes air in January)

7. Naomi Osaka is the first Haitian-Japanese woman to win the U.S. Open

8. Kristine E. Guillaume becomes the first black female president of the Harvard Crimson

9. Beth Ford becomes the first openly gay woman to lead a Fortune 500 company

10. Debra Perelman is the first woman CEO of Revlon

11. Young Jean Lee is the first Asian-American woman to write a play for Broadway

12. Stacey Cunningham is the first female president of the New York Stock Exchange

13. Dame Sarah Mullaly is the first woman to be instated as the Bishop of London, one of the highest ranking officials in church of England

14. Tammy Duckworth is the first U.S. Senator to give birth while in office

15. Sahle-Work Zewde becomes the first female president of Ethiopia

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