My point is, if Amelai Earhart had been the first person to cross the Atlantic, then that would have made her achievement all the greater; as it was, she just did something that a man had done before her. To be the first person to do something is more of an achievement than to be the first woman, the first gay, the first black, the first ....
Granted, in the age and time at which she did she would have fought more prejudice from society than women now, but, sooner or later, a woman would have made the same achievement.
Your anaolgy with Neil Armstrong fails because Neil Armstrong's achievement was down to hundreds of scientists and engineers and major Governemt funding in order to get mankind on the moon. Yes, if Neil Armstrong hadn't been the first, then someone else would have been as the NASA would have made sure of it!
Cheers
Whirls