The first female prime minister

[ArabellaScott]

Interesting clip on the BBC.

'Sirimavo Bandaranaike was elected the modern world's first female head of government in 1960 when she became prime minister of Sri Lanka'

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-55002773

I'll stick that on while I make dinner, thanks Arabella

1960 struck me as quite early - I think some countries in Europe women didn't even get the vote til the 70s?

When John Major was elected I was driving one of my DDs home from school; and when it came over the news she said "Can a man be Prime Minister?" There had been a woman PM for the whole of her life. It made me smile.

@mischance - that is v.cool.

I admit I came here thinking this was going to be about Thatcher

I admit I came here thinking this was going to be about Thatcher

Same, didn't realise already had been one!

When John Major was elected I was driving one of my DDs home from school; and when it came over the news she said "Can a man be Prime Minister?" There had been a woman PM for the whole of her life. It made me smile

Brilliant, love it

Mischance, that's really sweet.

I'd never heard of her. What an interesting woman. Some more detail here:

news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/20/newsid_2784000/2784527.stm

Can anyone recommend there good reads on Asian female leaders, there were several heads of state in the 20th century in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan etc. I'd love to understand more about the context, given the state of women's rights in those countries re femicide, VAWG, reproductive rights. Is it a class thing?

Indira Ghandi and Golda Meir were also elected as leaders pre-Thatcher.

List of elected and appointed female heads of state and government:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_elected_and_appointed_female_heads_of_state_and_government

It is worth marking the anniversary in my opinion.

@ArabellaScott

1960 struck me as quite early - I think some countries in Europe women didn't even get the vote til the 70s?

Swiss women didn’t have the vote until 1970 (one canton held out until 1991! Though some cantons allowed it earlier).

Will have a listen to the clip, it’s a remarkable achievement.

Jenni Murray's book "A History of the World in 21 Women" includes biographical chapters on Bandaranaike, Meir, Bhutto and Merkel. I learned a lot and I recommend the book.

1991?! 199 fucking 1.

Unbelievable.

Thanks for the book rec, I will add it to the list!

@Mischance I was 6 then and asked my dad exactly the same thing!

Fabuleuse - great little minds think alike!

There had been a woman PM for the whole of her life. It made me smile.

A whole generation (myself included) grew up with a female prime minister. I was 5 when she took power, but don't remember her not being PM, and 16 when she left.
There must have been millions like me who thought having a female PM was no big deal.
Plus we had (and still have) the Queen as head of state, which most British people alive won't remember any different.

I feel the same about the idea of having a King once the Queen goes.

It will be really weird having a King, even people who are going on for 70 will only have ever really known a Queen.

I read something years ago about caste systems and the higher the caste you are born into, the more equal women are. That's why there have been lots of Asian women leaders.

Britain has had two female Prime Ministers in three hundred years. The Labour Party has never had a female leader, but yeah something, something The Queen (whose role retains symbolic importance but who doesn't govern). All sorted then.

@Mischance

When John Major was elected I was driving one of my DDs home from school; and when it came over the news she said "Can a man be Prime Minister?" There had been a woman PM for the whole of her life. It made me smile.

I grew up thinking that a Prime Minister was the title for a female leader & President the title for a male leader

Thanks for the link OP & thank you PP I’ve added the Jenni Murray book to my list

Mrs Bandaranaike first came to my attention when she made a statement about sending the Tamils back to India.

Thanks, Abhannmor, I found an obituary with a bit more detail on her life and politics.

www.theguardian.com/news/2000/oct/11/guardianobituaries

Thanks for sharing this. Really interesting to read about her life.