Second Ladies and Gentlemen of the United States
The Second Ladies and Gentlemen of the United States hold the titles for the spouses of the vice president, with the term "Second Lady" originating in the 1890s but gaining popularity in the 1980s. The title "Second Gentleman" was first used in 2020 when Doug Emhoff, husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, assumed the role, marking a significant moment in U.S. history as he became the first male spouse of a vice president. Traditionally, Second Ladies and Gentlemen participate in hosting official events and social functions, often stepping back from their prior professional careers to fulfill these duties. While their roles are generally less publicized compared to that of the First Lady or First Gentleman, many Second Spouses have actively engaged in advocacy for various social issues, reflecting their personal interests and commitments. Noteworthy historical figures in this role, such as Pat Nixon and Betty Ford, helped elevate the public profile of Second Ladies through their engagements and advocacy efforts. In modern times, it has become more common for Second Spouses to continue their professional careers alongside their official duties. Emhoff, for instance, focuses on issues like equality and support for fathers, while also teaching law at Georgetown University. The evolving role of Second Ladies and Gentlemen demonstrates a blend of traditional expectations and contemporary advocacy.
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Second Ladies and Gentlemen of the United States
Second Ladies and Gentlemen of the United States are the spouses of the vice president. The title Second Lady reportedly dates to the 1890s, but it was not widely used until the 1980s. The title Second Gentlemen was first bestowed in 2020 upon Douglas Emhoff, husband of the first woman elected vice president, Kamala Harris.
Like the spouses of modern presidents, spouses of vice presidents typically take on a range of hosting duties for official events and entertaining. Most have given up their careers if they worked. However, the role of the vice president is generally not as visible as that of the president's spouse, nor are the second couple’s social engagements as high-profile. In modern times, vice-presidential spouses have continued their careers and mounted public awareness campaigns about issues that are meaningful to them. With the election of the first female vice president in 2020, questions arose about the role of the second spouse and what it would mean to have a Second Gentleman.
Background
Early in the history of the United States, the role of vice president was filled by the runner-up in the presidential election. This led to animosity in leadership, since the candidates campaigned against one another and often had very different positions. Initially, the vice president had no real duties or power. Since the Twelfth Amendment was passed in 1804, the electors have cast one ballot for the president and a separate ballot for the vice president. Candidates for the positions campaign as running mates and are elected on the same ticket. Still, for much of the nation’s history, the vice-presidential family has lived and worked well out of the public spotlight.
While First Ladies had many hostess duties and welcomed guests to the White House, wives of the vice president typically attended to their own households and moved in the same circles as other wives of their social status. Wives of men in power were expected to know how to care for their families, run a household, organize social events, and set fashion trends. Their actions were reported in the newspapers. Although they were expected to be charitable, political issues were usually off-limits.
The first vice-presidential spouse to take a central role in White House events was Jennie Hobart, wife of Vice President Garret Hobart, during the administration of President William McKinley. Vice President Hobart and President McKinley had great respect for one another and a strong working relationship, which led McKinley to confide in Hobart and task him with more duties than previous vice presidents. Moreover, First Lady Ida McKinley had many chronic health conditions, including epilepsy, that prevented her from hosting receptions and other events. Jennie Hobart stepped in, calling herself the Second Lady as she met these obligations, often hosted at the home the Hobarts leased on Lafayette Square. Jennie Hobart also visited Ida McKinley every day, which further endeared her to the president. When McKinley had an evening event to attend, he asked Jennie Hobart to stay with his wife.
A number of Second Ladies have become First Ladies. In 2021 Jill Biden became the twelfth Second Lady to become First Lady when her husband, Joe Biden, was inaugurated as the forty-sixth president. Also on the Democratic ticket was Senator Kamala Harris, who became the forty-ninth Vice President of the United States. With her swearing in as the first female vice president in US history, her husband, attorney Doug Emhoff, became the nation’s first Second Gentleman.
Overview
In the modern era, the events in Washington, DC, are regularly broadcast on television and distributed across the Internet and social media. This has raised the profile of vice presidents and their spouses considerably.
Pat Nixon was the first person to expand the role of Second Lady. She became Second Lady in 1953, after her husband, Richard Nixon, was elected Dwight Eisenhower’s vice president. Her only official duty was to host an annual Senate Ladies Luncheon. However, she decided her husband’s office provided an opportunity for her to draw attention to issues she felt were important. During her first year, she spent two months in Asia, and over the course of her husband’s time as vice president, she visited fifty-three countries. Pat Nixon, who had lost both of her parents before she was eighteen, insisted the itinerary of her trips include visits to orphanages and hospitals. She visited a leper colony in Panama.
In 1973 and 1974, Betty Ford further raised the public profile of Second Lady of the United States, informally known as SLOTUS. In interviews, she offered her opinions on pertinent and sometimes-controversial issues, including abortion.
Joan Mondale, wife of Vice President Walter Mondale, was the first Second Lady to have a quasi-official role in the administration of President Jimmy Carter. In 1977, Carter named her the honorary chairperson of the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities. She also added contemporary art to the vice president’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington.
In modern times, working women have continued their careers while fulfilling their roles as Second Lady. Lynne Cheney was the first Second Lady to hold a doctorate. She continued her work as a research fellow at a think tank in Washington, DC. Jill Biden continued to work, teaching English at Northern Virginia Community College. Karen Pence also continued to teach as Second Lady.
Many modern second spouses have championed causes. Barbara Bush, who was Second Lady for most of the 1980s, championed the cause of literacy. Jill Biden supported military families with First Lady Michelle Obama through the Joining Forces program. She also raised awareness of breast cancer. Karen Pence promoted the use of art therapy in the field of mental health care.
The first Second Gentleman of the United States, or SGOTUS, is Doug Emhoff. As an entertainment attorney for almost thirty years, he focused on equality, human rights, and justice issues. Emhoff is also the first Jewish spouse of a vice-president and focused on issues surrounding anti-Semitism, which were especially pertinent with the outbreak of the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. Emhoff has also focused on issues surrounding the support of fathers and athletic events for people with disabilities. While he announced he would not practice law while Second Gentleman, he began teaching law at Georgetown University in 2021.
Bibliography
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“Category: U.S. Second Lady.” Iowa State University Archives of Women’s Political Communication, awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/role/second-lady. Accessed 17 May 2024.
Daniels, Eugene. “First ‘Second Gentleman’ Will Teach at Georgetown Law Next Spring.” Politico, 10 Dec. 2020, www.politico.com/news/2020/12/10/second-gentleman-doug-emhoff-georgetown-law-444333. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.
“Douglas Emhoff: Second Gentleman.” The White House, www.whitehouse.gov/administration/douglas-emhoff. Accessed 17 May 2024.
Fuchs, Hailey. “An Old Role with a New Gender: Emhoff Becomes the First Second Gentleman.” The New York Times, 20 Jan. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/01/20/us/politics/doug-emhoff-kamala-harris-second-gentleman.html. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.
Shogan, Colleen. “Second Spouses: Historical Development of an Official Role.” White House Historical Society, www.whitehousehistory.org/second-spouses. Accessed 17 May 2024.
Superville, Darlene. “Jill Biden Names Director for Military Families Program Joining Forces.” Military Times, 14 Jan. 2021, www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2021/01/15/jill-biden-names-director-for-military-families-program-joining-forces/. Accessed 22 Apr. 2021.
Thompson, Alex, Theodoric Meyer, and Ruby Cramer. “Doug Emhoff Rebrands as Second Gentleman Douglas.” Politico, 21 Apr. 2021, www.politico.com/newsletters/transition-playbook/2021/04/21/teach-me-how-to-douglas-492555. Accessed 17 May 2024.