The BBC has been accused of sexism by the London Fire Brigade because one of its children’s TV shows called a squirrel a fireman instead of a firefighter.
A series of posts from a Twitter account run by fire crews in Greenwich, south London blasted the CBeebies show Hey Duggee.
The social media account slammed the BBC for using ‘outdated’ language and also described how a retired female firefighter was forced to explain this to her two-year-old grandson.
The anonymous ex-firefighter and her grandchild were watching a series two episode called ‘Dressing up Badge’ of the popular children’s programme.
A retired LFB officer blasted the BBC for calling a cartoon character a fireman instead of a firefighter in popular CBeebies show Hey Duggee
The social media account slammed the BBC for using ‘outdated’ language and described how they had to explain to their grandchild that this was the wrong phrase
Tweets posted from the account read: ‘Isn’t it sad when one of our longest serving firefighters, a woman who fought the King’s Cross fire 30 years ago, still has to watch TV with her two-year-old grandson and explain why the squirrel in Hey Duggee…is referred to as a ‘fireman’.
‘This term is VERY outdated and the term ‘firefighter’ is the preferred, respectful, inclusive, non-sexist, non-gendered term that should be widely used by all media but especially the BBC.’
A continuation of the thread read: ‘Women have been firefighting for over 40 years now…Non-sexist, all-inclusive terminology is important if we want to encourage girls, as well as boys, to be future firefighters.’
It then quoted the female firefighter and said: ‘I was one of the first few women firefighters in the LFB back in the 80s.
‘I did 30 years service and have been retired for nearly three years…It breaks my heart to still have to point this out – especially whilst viewing it with my grandchildren.’
The first ever female commissioner Dany Cotton wanted to ‘shake off outdated language’ when London Fire Brigade started its ‘Firefighting Sexism’ campaign in October last year.
She said: ‘The first woman firefighter joined London Fire Brigade in 1982 and it’s ridiculous that 36 years later people are still surprised to see women firefighters or calling them firemen.
‘London is a complex and challenging city and it takes a diverse selection of skills, strengths and specialisms to protect it – qualities that both men and women possess.
‘I want to shake off outdated language which we know is stopping young girls and women from considering this rewarding and professional career.
‘We owe it to tomorrow’s firefighters to challenge negative stereotypes today.’
The hit show, which first aired in 2015, is aimed at two-to-five-year-olds and has won BAFTA and Emmy Awards over the course of two series.