women and children first

women and children first

cliché The maxim that women and children should be put out of harm's way before men. Used especially in reference to ships sinking, most famously associated with the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912. Begin loading passengers onto the lifeboats, women and children first!
See also: and, children, first, women
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
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