Last September, Dawna Friesen became the anchor of Global’s national dinnertime newscast. She is one of the first women to anchor a major newscast in Canada.
I sort of pooh-poohed the hype surrounding her appointment. I was glad to see a successful woman, but wasn’t sure why her gender needed to be such a big deal. Really — how much would her gender affect her performance as a news anchor?
I was in no way prepared for my girls’ reaction.
They love, love, love Dawna Friesen. Every morning they beg to watch her newscast via the internet, and they can spot her face just about anywhere. Only Stephen Harper and Barak Obama are as recognizable for them as Dawna Friesen is. We regularly hear delighted squeals of, “IT’S DAWNA FRIESEN!” when they spot her.
It made me realize just how important it is for girls to have women role models in society at large. Seeing Dawna Friesen every morning has inspired them in some way.
Of course, anything that Dawna Friesen says now is just about law in our house. For example, the girls recently watched a segment on the flu virus and methods of preventing it. The next day I overheard Tasha reminding Charlotte, “You need to wash your hands before you eat. Remember what Dawna Friesen said?”
So thank you, Global, for inspiring two little girls with your choice of anchor.
And I wonder if you could do a segment on eating one’s vegetables without complaining?
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Photo Credit: Global News, Global National
