Vigdís Finnbogadóttir – The World’s First Democratically Elected Woman President
In 1980, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir made history as the first woman in the world to be democratically elected as head of state. She has often said that the Women’s Strike of 1975 (Kvennafrídagurinn) paved the way for her election. After that day of nationwide solidarity, women began openly discussing the importance of having a woman as Iceland’s next president — and soon, all eyes turned to Vigdís.
Her campaign and election grew out of the vibrant feminist energy of the 1970s. In addition to being a woman, Vigdís was also a single mother, and the public reactions reflected that. During the campaign, she faced deeply personal and sometimes absurd questions: How could she manage the presidency as a single parent? Was she, as one journalist dared to ask, a virgin? And would having only one breast — after undergoing a mastectomy due to cancer — affect her ability to serve as president?
Her now-legendary reply still resonates:
“It was never my intention to breastfeed the nation.”
Vigdís’s presidency — and the decades of cultural and educational work that followed — made her a role model for Icelanders and women around the world. Her courage, humor, and dignity continue to inspire the ongoing struggle for gender equality.