2nd Grader Asks Orange County Mayor To Change 'Men Working' Sign To Gender Neutral 'Workers Present'
WARWICK, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A second grader from Warwick, New York is being heralded as a trailblazer.
The young girl spoke up after she noticed a road sign in her community that she found to be sexist, CBS2's Kiran Dhillon reported.
About a week ago, while being driven around her hometown, 7-year-old Brynn Hasbrouck saw a sign at a construction site that didn't sit well with her.
"I saw a sign that said, 'Men Working,' and I was like, 'Hmmm, but what if there are men and women working?'" Brynn said.
Frustrated, Brynn decided to do something about it. She wrote a letter to the village mayor - who just happens to be her neighbor - and walked it right over to his house.
She asked the signage to be changed to "Workers Present."
"If he can make change in our town, then why not send the note to him to see if he can do it," Brynn said.
The mayor said he was shocked and bewildered to come home to a handwritten letter from his young neighbor.
"Such an important observation from such a young person. She kind of hit to the heart of the matter as to being inclusive," said Mayor Michael Newhard.
The federal government has required traffic signs to be gender neutral since 1978. The state follows those guidelines, but officials said it's possible that old signs are still in use or that private companies use the old terminology.
Regardless, in Warwick, the mayor made a commitment to Brynn. Any signs that say "Men Working" will be replaced.
The mayor is also encouraging any young person with a suggestion for change to also speak out.
"The government is a tool for them to have their voices heard. So never hesitate to say, 'What do you think about this idea?'" said Mayor Newhard.
Brynn's father, a high school dean, agrees.
"This is something you teach high school kids, to be involved in their community and how to go about activism," said Aaron Hasbrouck. "So for her to do this on her own, unsolicited, was pretty impressive."
Hasbrouck's daughter doesn't consider herself a trailblazer. Dhillon asked Brynn if she knew what a feminist and an advocate are.
"No," Brynn said with a laugh.
But she does know that her voice matters.
"I feel really good because I'm a girl and we should be respected for who we are," Brynn said.
Down the road, Brynn said she isn't ruling out a run for mayor.
CBS2's Kiran Dhillon contributed to this report.