UK: Cartoon Fireman Sam Mascot Fired for Being Male
A (male) cartoon fireman isn’t inclusive enough in current times.
Fireman Sam has been axed from being a fire department’s promotional material for failing the test of inclusivity–as many public services continue to be more politically correct.
The cartoon has been a children’s favorite for around 30 years.
Sam will be replaced by a gender neutral fire extinguishers–Freddy, Filbert, and Penelope.
Ironically, despite their gender neutrality, the gender neutral fire extinguishers have been christened with gendered names.
According to The Sun:
But baffled residents said it was a ridiculous decision, comparing the characters to coloured frogs and giant male contraceptives.
Advertisement - story continues belowGraphic designer Joe Carter, 44, from Lincoln, said: “Fireman Sam works for the fire service and is called Sam. What else do they need to include?
“You wonder if our fire chiefs are operating in the real world.”
Fireman Sam has been a fixture of children’s TV since being created in the 1980s by two London firefighters.
The show now includes disabled and ethnic minority characters, while Penny Morris has long been part of his team in the Welsh village of Pontypandy.
The Sun continues:
He will no longer feature in its ads and staff will be stopped from wearing Fireman Sam costumes. An email to stations read: “It does not reflect the inclusive nature of Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue.”
The county’s fire chief Les Britzman said firefighters and residents raised concerns Fireman Sam did not properly represent the service.
He said: “It’s important to us that our open days and community events don’t make anyone feel excluded and therefore we took this decision.”
And it was backed by Richard Wright, Fire Brigades Union secretary for Lincolnshire, who insisted: “We are firefighters, not firemen.”
People have mocked the politically correct replacements and haven’t fully understood the reasons behind the change.
The use of the outdated term Fireman ingrains especially in the young that it is a male only role. We’ve been called firefighters for 30 years & just ask everyone to call us our job title. And that will stop excluding our women firefighters & encourage more to join. https://t.co/GTzdko1KOG
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) September 11, 2019
The UK’s authorities and public services have received ample criticism for their devotion to politically correct ideals.
The move to withdraw Fireman Sam as the face of a fire department’s promotional material over concerns of his lack of inclusivity, when a very low proportion of firefighters are women.
News.Com.Au reports:
Piers Morgan blasted Lincolnshire fire chief Britzman on Good Morning Britain.
The vocal TV personality asked Britzman if he would give up his position to a woman if he felt so strongly about inclusivity.
Fans have called the choice ridiculous, comparing the new mascots to coloured frogs and giant male contraceptives and blaming the “woke brigade” and feminists.
It does appear as if the decision wasn’t backed by public demand, but kowtowing to small yet vocal group.
The culturally dominant politically correct narrative has monopolized language, altering words and meaning to change then control public consciousness.
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