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A fire service has sparked a global campaign after they shared images of their female firefighters. They were responding to a tweet from the mother of a 4-year-old girl interested in becoming a firefighter but who thought, because she was a girl, she couldn’t.
Also read: Disney encourages girls to dream big
My 4yr old came home yesterday saying she wished she was a boy so she could be a fireman. When I said girls can be firefighters too she said ‘but I’ve seen in books they are all boys and I don’t want to be the only girl.’ Any good vids/books I can show her? #FirefightingSexism
— Hannah Summers (@hansummers) January 18, 2019
“My 4yr old came home yesterday saying she wished she was a boy so she could be a fireman. When I said girls can be firefighters too she she said ‘but I’ve seen in books they are all boys and I don’t want to be the only girl.’ Any good vids/books I can show her?”
Hannah Summers ended off the quote with the hashtag: “#FirefightingSexism" – and that’s exactly what a group of firefighters did.
Also read: How the 11-year-old Meghan Markle fought the patriarchy
In response, West Midlands Fire service made a short video of their firemen AND firewomen.
.Esme, lots of our firefighters are girls and boys - some of them want to say hello to you! We would love to meet you and show you what we do. You can be a firefighter too! #firefightingsexism #thisgirlcan @NFCC_FireChiefs @StaffsFire @LondonFire Let's keep this going! pic.twitter.com/ZV1IdrGp3S
— West Midlands Fire (@WestMidsFire) January 18, 2019
“Hello... I’m a firefighter and I’m a girl,” said one woman, followed by several others responding to little Esme.
“My name’s Samantha, I’m a girl, and we’re all firefighters.”
“Hi Esme, we’re firefighters and we’re girls.”
Other fire services from around the world joined in too, posting images of the brave women that make up their fire department.
?@hansummers? greetings to Esme from 5 commanding officers and a hazmat officer from the Amsterdam fire dept in the Netherlands, 2 of them being women. Dear girl, follow your heart, wherever it may lead you! pic.twitter.com/4ujEZrizwX
— FF (@Tijgernest) January 19, 2019
Message for Esme ...be what ever you want to be...our granddaughter passed out as top firecadet...she may have been the smallest but she had buckets of determination @WestMidsFire #girlscandoanything @NFCC_FireChiefs pic.twitter.com/AzPmMqfZfA
— Dawn Whittaker (@CFOESFRS) January 19, 2019
Hi Hannah I’m also a firefighter in the London Fire Brigade, your daughter can be anything she wants. Don’t let gender stand in the way! #FirefightingSexism #firefighter #girlpower #girlscandoanything ?????? pic.twitter.com/KtgGzeUnqg
— Rebecca Rowe (@bexrower) January 18, 2019
Hannah!! Saying a big Hi to your little girl. I am one one of 339 women in the #LondonFireBrigade #ThisGirlCan pic.twitter.com/bFlfoD7Ktx
— pamela oparaocha (@PamPamo7) January 18, 2019
Good morning! I heard your four y/o #daughter was discouraged because she felt she had to be a boy to be a #firefighter.
— Fire Chief Darrell Reid (@FireChiefReid) January 19, 2019
In #Vancouver????, we have awesome firefighters who happen to be women!
& Nanaimo’s @Karen_Fry is a great Chief who happens to be a woman!
Pic @StraithDane pic.twitter.com/wAr7akTLwI
My daughter wants to be a firefighter too! The momma in me is scared of the profession but I love that she has the guts and doesn’t care if she’s the only girl. But, it looks like there a lot of girls!! pic.twitter.com/SwJ8u3VNbs
— Janna Tucker (@ArtsyChic72) January 21, 2019
Also read: Dear feminists, my girls won't be damsels in distress, but they can be princesses if they want to be
And once news reached Hannah she was happy to respond that Esme was more determined than ever to follow her dreams.
Update: @WestMidsFire - Esme has now watched the video - on repeat! And LOVES it. She now firmly believes 100% that she can be a girl AND a firefighter so thanks again - job done! She's also very excited about the invite to visit and would like to try on the yellow helmet! https://t.co/7oW5IKDgty
— Hannah Summers (@hansummers) January 18, 2019
“Esme has now watched the video – on repeat! And LOVES it. She now firmly believes 100% that she can be a girl AND a firefighter.”
Chat back
Do you know any female firefighters? Let us know by tweeting @Parent24 with the hashtag #FirefightingSexism or email your pictures and stories to us and we may publish your responses.
But strong male role models are welcome too! Do you have a hero in your life with a story worth mentioning? Pop us an email!
