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.
https://twitter.com/hansummers/status/1086175502447140866
“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!”
https://twitter.com/WestMidsFire/status/1086247022229807104
Firefighters soon followed suit and used #FirefightingSexism to deliver inspiring messages to Esme.
https://twitter.com/CarrbridgeFire/status/1086564824631443456 https://twitter.com/roodyroodyroody/status/1086688256413106176 https://twitter.com/uwedobadka/status/1086333701242249217 https://twitter.com/FireChiefReid/status/1086696671986241536 https://twitter.com/RachaelG03/status/1088327428160794629
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.