History Main / BreakingTheGlassCeiling

* In the ''Literature/TortallUniverse'', Alanna becomes the first female knight in centuries[[/note]The practice of women knights in Tortall was abolished by conservatives in the nobility who had the influence to enforce it[[note]], but this isn't publicly known until after she's done it because she [[SweetPollyOliver disguised herself as a boy]]. As a result of Alanna's achievement, Kel is then able to become the first girl to train ''openly'' (and she insists on wearing dresses at dinner to ensure people don't forget that she's a girl). While she lacks the burden of hiding however, Kel is heavily scrutinised both by her traditionalist training master and by the rest of high society (not helped by slander that alleged Alana used the Gift to make it easier to succeed), which drives her to only push harder; her success finally encourages a greater number of girls to apply.

* In the ''Literature/TortallUniverse'', Alanna becomes the first female knight, but this isn't publicly known until after she's done it, because she [[SweetPollyOliver disguised herself as a boy]]. As a result of Alanna's achievement, however, Kel is then able to become the first girl to train ''openly'' (and she insists on wearing dresses at dinner to ensure people don't forget that she's a girl).

* Episode 3 of ''VideoGame/TheLionsSong'' is all about Emma's trials and tribulations as a female mathematician. At the beginning of the episode she is laughed out of the Radius when she attempts to present her theory, forcing her to take on the identity of [[SweetPollyOliver Emil Schell]]. At the end, [[spoiler:she attains fame after debating Zahler, who is DrivenByEnvy over Emma/Emil's achievements, about her thesis and starts teaching at a university under her assigned gender at birth.]]

** A year later, Sasha Banks faced Charlotte in the first ever women's Hell in a Cell match, which also main evented the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.

** In a 2003 episode of 'Monday Night Raw', Wrestling/{{Lita}} faced [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] in the first ever women's steel cage match.

Many ranks, awards, or other achievements in life have traditionally been reserved for people of a privileged gender, race, or other such category. This trope is about characters from a non-favored group who break through such "ceilings" - for example, the first woman to join a previously all-male military unit, or the first black guy on the town council. If they've already achieved their feat, it can be used to characterise them as tough, determined, and/or ambitious (depending on what they achieved and how they did it). If they're still aspiring, it can be used to give them motivation and drive the plot.

Alternatively, they may bypass the Jackie Robinson route of proving themselves and find a different means to break the ceiling. People who find their advancement unjustly blocked may not care about the rules - they may try LoopholeAbuse, or they may be in a position to simply say "ScrewTheRulesIHaveConnections" (via {{Nepotism}} or SleepingTheirWayToTheTop) -- if so, NeverASelfMadeWoman may apply.

** ''Wrestling/{{Bayley}}'' and ''Wrestling/SashaBanks'' were the first women to compete in the main event of a WWE pay-per-view at NXT Takeover: Respect in 2015.
** A year later, Sasha Banks faced Charlotte in the first ever women's hell in a cell match, which also main evented the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view.
** ''[[Wrestling/PrimeTimePlayers Darren Young]]'' became the first openly gay WWE superstar to compete in the WWE.
** In 1998, Wrestling/{{Jacqueline}} became the first African-American female to win the WWE Women's Championship, and in 2016, she became the first African-American woman to be inducted to the WWE hall of fame.
** ''Wrestling/{{Chyna}}'' became the first woman to hold the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/ic.html Intercontinental Championship]] in October 1999. Months before, she was the first of three women in WWE history to compete in the Royal Rumble match. Beth Phoenix (in 2010) and Kharma (in 2012) were the second and third females respectively.
** In a 2003 episode of 'Monday Night Raw', ''Wrestling/{{Lita}}'' faced [[Wrestling/LisaMarieVaron Victoria]] in the first ever women's steel cage match.
** ''Wrestling/{{Carmella}}'' won the first ever women's Money in the Bank Ladder match, in which the winner is guaranteed a title shot for the Women's Championship anytime that she wants. [[spoiler: James Ellsworth actually won it for her]].
** The 2018 edition of the ''Wrestling/RoyalRumble'' featured the first ever Women's Royal Rumble Match.

* In ''WesternAnimation/JaneAndTheDragon'', the titlecharacter is in training to become the kingdom's first female knight (having won the right to train as a squire by rescuing a prince from a dragon).

Characters like this may have to go through a JackieRobinsonStory in which they face hostility from people who don't believe they should be there. This might involve a DoubleStandard which requires them to work twice as hard to prove themselves, or they may have to conspicuously save the day in an AllOfTheOtherReindeer moment. Their talents may be squandered on menial jobs ("YouGetMeCoffee") and they'll often be EatingLunchAlone. Even if the people in charge actually ''want'' the ceiling broken, other people may still mutter that the ceiling-breaker only succeeded thanks to PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad.

* ''Film/CourageUnderFire'' is all about whether or not Captain Walden, an army helicopter pilot, should be the the first woman awarded the Medal of Honor ([[PosthumousCharacter posthumously, in this case]]). Surviving members of the unit paint very different pictures of her, ranging from heroic to cowardly - in the end, [[spoiler:the latter claim is revealed to be a cover-up of the accusers' own misdeeds and the medal is awarded]]. (In real life, Mary Walker had already became the first female recipient of the Medal of Honor in 1865, although she was a surgeon rather than a combatant.)

-->'''Yakko:''' (''singing'') [...][[UsefulNotes/BarackObama Obama]] brought hope/so [[UsefulNote/HillaryRodhamClinton Clinton]] thought "Dope!"/"2016 should be a real breeze!"\\

* Discussed and ultimately Deconstructed in ''WesternAnimation/SonicBoom'', when Knuckles, who is an admitted [[DumbMuscle "meathead"]], brings up the fact that acknowledging that there's even a glass ceiling in the first place undermines gender equality by saying the one who supposedly broke the ceiling is the exception and not the rule.

* In ''LightNovel/SaiunkokuMonogatari'', Shuurei wants to become a government administrator, but the required Imperial Examinations can only be taken by men. She has a roundabout route of achieving this goal, becoming a consort (and unofficial tutor and advisor) to the Emperor first.

* In Robyn Bennis's ''Signal Airship'' series, Josette Dupre becomes the first woman to command an airship in Garnia's Air Signal Corp. The army began accepting women mainly due to manpower shortages, but they're technically only auxiliary officers (so can't command "real" officers) and are supposed to be dropped off before their airships enter combat (which is almost never practical). Josette, contrary to regulations, took command of a damaged airship and did well enough to get appointed to full command of new one, but the general forced to appoint her is strongly hostile (since her heroics saved the day when his battle plans couldn't). He attempts to sabotage her career.

* Discussed to the frustration of the [[Film/WillyWonkaAndTheChocolateFactory Willy Wonka]] expy that Rekha is playing in the ''Website/CollegeHumor'' sketch [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IFR2ApwRR4 Stop Asking Women To Talk About Being A Woman]] as she just wants to answer some fun questions about how whimsical she is and how fun her products are, but the journalist will only ask her serious questions about her struggles as a woman who managed to suceed in a male-dominated industry, and trying to turn her every attempt to address how fun she is as something to do with gender or race.

--> ''Knuckles'': You know, Amy, anytime someone calls attention to the breaking of gender roles, it ultimately undermines the concept of gender equality by implying that this is an exception and not the status quo. (Sonic, Amy, Sticks and Tails are [[StunnedSilence stunned silent]]) What? Just because I'm a meathead doesn't mean I'm not a feminist.

* Discussed and ultimately Deconstructed in [[WesternAnimation/SonicBoom]], when Knuckles, who is an admitted [[DumbMuscle "meathead"]], brings up the fact that acknowledging that there's even a glass ceiling in the first place undermines gender equality by saying the one who supposedly broke the ceiling is the exception and not the rule.

May involve OverlyNarrowSuperlative. See also StayInTheKitchen, BillyElliotPlot, YouGoGirl, and TheSmurfettePrinciple. Not to be confused with breaking literal glass ceilings. If the plot is played as AnAesop, which it often is, see PrejudiceAesop.

* ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'': During a heated discussion with Commander Root, Holly accuses his endless complaints and dressing-downs of being solely based on the fact that she's female. He admits that this is so... but for an entirely opposite reason: As there are two females in the LEP Recon (and one is a bimbo limited to announcements who only got a job because she's descended from one of the fairies' kings), she has to be better than all others so more women will think of joining.

** ''Literature/EqualRites'' features Eskarina, a girl who wants to be a [[UnEqualRites wizard and not a witch]]. Both witches and wizards would mostly prefer that this not occur, but she becomes the first female student at the wizards' [[TrainingTheGiftOfMagic Unseen University]] anyway. Based on her eventual reappearance in ''Literature/IShallWearMidnight'', she did well for herself - but Unseen University still seems to be a male institution despite having made an exception for her.
** ''Literature/MenAtArms'' sees the Night Watch admit three new officers, each of whom is a "first": Cuddy (first dwarf), Detritus (first troll), and Angua (first woman [[spoiler:and also first [[DiscriminateAndSwitch werewolf]]]]). They are explicitly added to the Watch in the name of diversity, since the city is itself increasingly diverse, but Commander Vimes doesn't approve (although his prejudices add up to [[HatesEveryoneEqually disliking everyone equally]], and he's also annoyed at having the decision pushed on him rather than being allowed to decide for himself).

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Mulan}}'', Mulan at the end is asked by [[spoiler:the Emperor to join his Council. It's downplayed because she refuses the offer because she wants to go home]], but even the job offer itself is groundbreaking because up until now the Council was reserved for men.

[[folder:Film - LiveAction]]

* ''Literature/TheGoblinEmperor'' : Kiru Athmaza is the first woman ever to become one of the Emperor's Nohecharei, his personal bodyguards.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Worf is the first Klingon in Starfleet (he was brought up by humans).

** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'': T'Pol is the first Vulcan to serve for any length of time on a human vessel (Jossing decades of {{Fanon}} that Spock was.) Another example is when Trip becomes, for lack of a better word, [[MrSeahorse pregnant]] by an alien, he becomes not only the first recorded man to get pregnant, but the first human to get pregnant by a non-human.

May involve OverlyNarrowSuperlative. See also StayInTheKitchen, BillyElliotPlot, YouGoGirl, and TheSmurfettePrinciple. Not to be confused with breaking literal glass ceilings.

** ''Discworld/EqualRites'' features Eskarina, a girl who wants to be a [[UnEqualRites wizard and not a witch]]. Both witches and wizards would mostly prefer that this not occur, but she becomes the first female student at the wizards' [[TrainingTheGiftOfMagic Unseen University]] anyway. Based on her eventual reappearance in ''Discworld/IShallWearMidnight'', she did well for herself - but Unseen University still seems to be a male institution despite having made an exception for her.
** ''Discworld/MenAtArms'' sees the Night Watch admit three new officers, each of whom is a "first": Cuddy (first dwarf), Detritus (first troll), and Angua (first woman [[spoiler:and also first [[DiscriminateAndSwitch werewolf]]]]). They are explicitly added to the Watch in the name of diversity, since the city is itself increasingly diverse, but Commander Vimes doesn't approve (although his prejudices add up to [[HatesEveryoneEqually disliking everyone equally]], and he's also annoyed at having the decision pushed on him rather than being allowed to decide for himself).
** In ''Discworld/FeetOfClay'', Dorfl is not only the first golem to join the Watch, he's also the first to be able to choose to do so, as Carrot freed him from his ServantRace status by including his bill of sale along with his chem. What is more important to the rest of the world is that he's the first ever golem to have a voice, as he was rebuilt with a mouth. The religious community are particularly unhappy with it, as [[BoltOfDivineRetribution their usual trump-card argument]] is entirely ineffective on a golem made of clay.
** In ''Discworld/{{Thud}}'', Sally is the first vampire in the watch, but she gets in due to the Temperance League and Vetinari forcing her on Vimes (despite his well-known aversion to vampires). When he discovers she's a spy for the Low King, he keeps her on the force because she ''is'' useful, but is happy that this means he won't have any more people forced on him).

* ''Disney/{{Zootopia}}'' has Judy Hopps, who's the first bunny to become a police officer in Zootopia (a force normally comprised of megafauna and/or predators). As a result, people initially don't take her seriously.
* In ''Disney/{{Mulan}}'', Mulan at the end is asked by [[spoiler:the Emperor to join his Council. It's downplayed because she refuses the offer because she wants to go home]], but even the job offer itself is groundbreaking because up until now the Council was reserved for men.