Start rephrasing 'The first female <noun>' with 'The new <noun> has a VAGINA'.

[PlumpPartridge]

Makes news reports far more amusing!

Male nurse? 'A nurse with a PENIS did such-and-such.'

Female Navy officer? 'A naval officer with a VAGINA was.....'

More seriously, it does raise the question of why my genitals are relevant to my job description. Would you also like to know my shoe size?

I thought this thread was going to be about this news story on the BBC website today

This is a genuine first. Does that make any difference?

It came from DH and I discussing that very event this morning, Edith!

I'm not sure it does make any difference, actually. 'A brain that's attached to a body WITH A VAGINA proved itself to be extra-specially good at maths.'

Yes, but we're not allowed to say that someone with a penis is a man because some women have penises, and we're not allowed to say someone with a vagina is a woman because some men have vaginas. So it doesn't help to identify whom you're talking about.

Fair point CK. We could say 'A person whose brain and/or genitalia identify them as female has won the Maths prize', but it's rather wordy.

I'm afraid you can't really say that, because everyone knows that people with ladybrain can't do sums, as famously expained by barbie. So in saying that someone can do maths, you're saying they have manbrain, and is therefore a man. Which may not be how he or she identifies him or herself. So don't refer to brains or vaginas.

Someone won a prize is about as specific as you can safely be.

I have a strap-on penis, somewhere. Is it a female penis? ANd if I put it on, will it make me better at maths?

SGB You need to do an experiment (if that's not beyond your ladybrain, that is. But if it is that's OK because men and women are different, you know, and that's not saying women are not as good. You are just good at different, but equally important, things.)

You are good at ladythings, SGB. Things for ladies.