First lady

First Lady or First Gentleman is an unofficial title usually used for the spouse, and occasionally used for the offspring or other relative, of a non-monarchical head of state or chief executive.

[9] The title is often used for the wives of Christian pastors in denominations where married clergy are the norm.

[11] The male equivalent of the title in countries where the head of state's spouse has been a man, such as the Philippines or Malta, is first gentleman.

For that particular article, it was used to discuss the possibility of Louis Aliot becoming first gentleman, should his domestic partner, Marine Le Pen, win that year's presidential election.

[28] The term pierwsza dama (literal meaning: "first lady") is used by the wife of the current president of Poland.

[30] It has been noted that Soviet leaders generally preferred to keep their wives and families out of the spotlight, resulting in "invisible first ladies".

[30] The wife of the president of Armenia has been referred to as "Հայաստանի Առաջին տիկին" (Hayastani Arrajin tikin).

[49] The term đệ nhất phu nhân (lit: first lady) is also unofficially used by the press and on social media.

Following the leadership spill which installed Julia Gillard as the first female prime minister of Australia on June 24, 2010, some news media referred to her partner, Tim Mathieson, as the "first bloke".

[51] The Australian Government has referred to Mathieson as Gillard's partner, and has also recognized him as a prime ministerial spouse.

"[55] During the first half of Bertie Ahern's term as Taoiseach, he was separated from his wife Miriam (née Kelly) and the role of first lady was filled by his then domestic partner, Celia Larkin.

[69] 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 as John Hickenlooper's girlfriend prior to their marriage.

[70] 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.

[74][75][76] 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, where the pre-eminent female noble in some chieftaincy hierarchies, such as those of the Yoruba people, is often referred to by the title.