It occurred to me that Captain Phasma in The Force Awakens is the first time we see a female Stormtrooper in any of the main films.
The original Republic (and later Empire) clone-troopers are all clones of Jango Fett, and therefore male.
During the time of Palpatine's Empire (roughly, between the end of Episode III to the end of VI), were women permitted to become Imperial Stormtroopers? Did any actually do so?