Question: Since first wives were generally to grant permission for sealings to subsequent wives, did Joseph's later sealing to Emma mean that Emma no longer held the role of "first wife"?

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Joseph hid polygamy from his first wife, Emma

Important introductory material on plural marriage available here

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Joseph Smith era: Joseph Smith & intro When did it start? Spiritual witnesses BoM & polygamy D&C vs. Jacob 2 1835 D&C denial Polyandry Children? Emma Smith Marriages to young women Lustful motives? Not Biblical? Wives already married? Early Christian attitudes Post-Joseph Smith: Required for exaltation? Brigham in JD 11:269 Difficulties? Hiding Brigham's history? Law of Adoption Manifesto & politics? Post-Manifesto–present Post-Manifesto marriages Modern Church
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Questions

• Since first wives were generally to grant permission for sealings to subsequent wives, did Joseph's later sealing to Emma (after some of his plural marriages) mean that Emma no longer held the role of "first wife"?

Answer

Joseph's revelation in D&C 132 explicitly states that if the wife of the person who holds the keys to plural marriage rejects plural marriage, her husband is to follow the commands of God to him without her permission.

For further information related to this topic

See also Brian Hales' discussion

Emma's path through plural marriage	Sometime in 1840 Joseph Smith first broached the topic of plural marriage privately to trusted friends. Most of the apostles were in England and thus were unavailable for an introduction to the practice.
Emma and Fanny Alger	Joseph's first foray into plural marriage was deeply painful for Emma, his first wife.
When did Emma learn?	It is impossible to definitively determine when Emma learned of Joseph’s plural marriages. However, many historical clues help to create a possible timeline.
Emma Accepts Plural Marriage and Participates in Four of Joseph’s Plural Sealings	The earliest documentable date for Emma’s awareness of time-and-eternity plural marriage is May of 1843, when she participated in four of her husband’s polygamous sealings.
Emma’s Resistance Prompts recording of D&C 132	Emma’s resistance to plural marriage prompted Hyrum to encourage Joseph to dictate a written revelation on the subject.
Joseph and Emma: Conflict and Agreement	Rather than generating Emma’s active support, the revelation [D&C 132] appears to have brought a smoldering crisis to flame. She and Joseph took serious counsel together with some sort of agreement being negotiated.

Notes

To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, [[../CriticalSources|click here]]