Firefighters around the world show young girl she can be one too
After Hannah Summers said on Twitter that her daughter didn’t think girls could be firefighters, first responders replied with encouraging messages
By FireRescue1 Staff
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom — A mother’s tweet about her young daughter’s belief that she could not become a firefighter prompted female firefighters around the world to let her know she can be one too.
The inspiring thread began when Twitter user Hannah Summers tweeted that her 4-year-old daughter Esme thought she had to be a boy to be a firefighter, ITV reported.
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 4 year old came home yesterday saying she wished she was a boy so she could be a fireman,” the tweet read. “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?”
Summers ended the tweet with the hashtag #FirefightingSexism, and West Midlands Fire Service was the first to respond with a short video letting Esme know that both boys and girls can be firefighters.
“Esme, lots of firefighters are girls and boys – some of them want to say hello to you!” The tweet read. “We would love to meet you and show you what we do. You can be a firefighter too!”
.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
Firefighters soon followed suit and used #FirefightingSexism to deliver inspiring messages to Esme.
Sad to see gender stereotyping persisting.
— Carrbridge Fire Station (@CarrbridgeFire) January 19, 2019
We have 4 women out of @SFRS unit of 11. We are all firefighters. Get over it.
To girls/women everywhere: Be proud, dream big, follow your dreams, be brave, be what you want to be.
Gender is not a barrier.#FirefightingSexism #ican pic.twitter.com/7uBhpATHtV
22 years as a firefighter... no matter what your gender there is a place for everyone as a firefighter #firefightingsexism #femalefirefighters pic.twitter.com/yZDtAmlmmj
— Roody (@roodyroodyroody) January 19, 2019
Hello @hansummers please tell your little girl that it's possible for girls to be a firefighter everywhere???
— Uwe Dobadka (@uwedobadka) January 18, 2019
The right "snowman"is my daughter:
Firefighter in Germany#girlscandoanything #firefightingsexism pic.twitter.com/pWhCxmfkY9
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
@hanssummer girls can be anything! Keep dreaming big! ????#imagirl #firefightingsexism #firefighting #aviationfirefighter #girlscandoanything pic.twitter.com/PhMDZ38TCX
— Rachael Garrett (@RachaelG03) January 24, 2019
Summers responded to all of the tweets with a picture Esme drew of “herself as a firefighter to say thank you.”
“Incredibly touched by all the responses to my tweet … Thanks for all the fantastic photos of women firefighters - you all totally rock. Esme has drawn a pic of herself as a firefighter to say thank you,” the tweet read.
Incredibly touched by all the responses to my tweet re my daughter wanting to be a firefighter and the awesome vid by @WestMidsFire Thanks for all the fantastic photos of women firefighters - you all totally rock. Esme has drawn a pic of herself as a firefighter to say thank you pic.twitter.com/q4qTdU9d9I
— Hannah Summers (@hansummers) January 19, 2019
