Where will women serve in Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's Cabinet?

Since the modern Cabinet came into being in the 1970s, it's not been unusual for women to be appointed, but there remains a glass ceiling in five of the 10 jobs.

There have been no female secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources, Transportation, Crime Control, Correction or Juvenile Justice (in fairness, that last post was created in 2000).

Is that evidence of sexism? Environment, Correction and Transportation tend to have the biggest staffs and largest budgets among Cabinet posts, while Crime Control, Correction and Juvenile Justice all deal with public safety.

Women have held two other important posts, however.

There have been two female Health and Human Services secretaries: Dr. Sarah Morrow in the 1970s and Carmen Hooker Buell (later Odom) in the 2000s.

And there's been one female Commerce secretary: Estell Lee, who served from 1989 to 1991.

Still, women have fared better in posts that don't have as much power or visibility, although they are important in keeping the state running.

Jane S. Patterson was appointed the first female secretary of Administration in 1979. In 1993, Katie Dorsett became the first black woman to hold any Cabinet post, and in 2000, Gwynn Swinson became the second.

And Betsy Justus, Janice Faulkner and Muriel Offerman served as Revenue secretaries in the 1990s.

But the most female-friendly Cabinet post also has the least power. Since the job was created in 1971, five of the six secretaries of Cultural Resources have been women, but the department has the smallest budget and staff.

Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue will be the state's first female governor.

But it won't be the only first for women in North Carolina. Below, a list of other female firsts compiled by N&O researcher Brooke Cain.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE: In 1920, Lillian Exum Clement of Buncombe County was the first woman elected to the state House and first female Southern legislator.

DEPARTMENT HEAD: In 1921, Kate Burr Johnson of Morganton was the first woman in the country to serve as state commissioner of public welfare and the first woman to head a major department.

STATE SENATOR: Gertrude Dills McKee was elected the first female state senator in 1931.

CONGRESSWOMAN: In 1946, Eliza Jane Pratt became the first woman to represent North Carolina in Congress.

SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE: In 1949, Susie Sharp became the state's first female Superior Court judge.

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE: In 1962, Sharp became the first woman to serve on the N.C. Supreme Court.

BIG CITY MAYOR: In 1977, Isabella Cannon was elected the mayor of Raleigh, the first female mayor of a major North Carolina city.

ELECTED PROSECUTOR: In the late 1980s, Jean Powell became the state's first elected district attorney, winning in Hoke and Scotland counties' District 16A.

BLACK CONGRESSWOMAN: In 1992, Eva Clayton was elected the first African-American Congresswoman from North Carolina.

SHERIFF: In 1994, Barbara Pickens was elected sheriff of Lincoln County, the state's first female sheriff.

COUNCIL OF STATE (APPOINTED): In March of 1996, Gov. Jim Hunt appointed Janice Faulkner the first female secretary of state and the first woman on the Council of State.

COUNCIL OF STATE (ELECTED): In the fall of 1996, Elaine Marshall became the first elected female secretary of state and the first woman elected to the Council of State.

LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR: In 2000, Perdue was elected the state's first female lieutenant governor.

LABOR COMMISSIONER: In 2000, Cherie Berry was elected the first female labor commissioner.

AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER: In 2000, Meg Scott Phipps was elected the first female agriculture commissioner.

U.S. SENATOR: In 2002, Elizabeth Dole was elected the first female U.S. senator in North Carolina.

SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT: In 2005, June St. Clair Atkinson became the first female superintendent of public instruction.

STATE TREASURER: In 2008, state Sen. Janet Cowell was elected the first female state treasurer in North Carolina.

STATE AUDITOR: In 2008, Beth Wood was elected the first female state auditor.

COUNCIL OF STATE MAJORITY: In 2008, six women — Marshall, Berry, Atkinson, Perdue, Cowell and Wood — made up the first female majority of the 10-member Council of State.

Are we missing anybody? Let us know in the comment thread.