Venice has had gondolas for more than a thousand years, but never a female gondolier.

In 2007, the Locanda Art Deco Hotel did hire a woman to steer their private gondola,
but she is not recognized by the gondolier's association, cannot officially call
herself a gondolier, and, by law, is only allowed to paddle guests from that hotel.

A proposito. Than one woman gondolier in Venice is not Italian ma German.

First Female Gondolier Has Venice Talking. It took more than a thousand years for a woman
to break into the all male ranks of Venetian gondoliers. ...
http://www.amoretravelguides.com/blo...ce-talking.php