Swedish officials have imposed a strict ban on bananas in rooms where Gender Equality Minister Paulina Brandberg will be present, following her phobia of the fruit, according to reports by Sky News.
Leaked emails have revealed that her staff has instructed authorities to ensure that rooms remain completely free of bananas ahead of any meetings or official visits.
The email, published by Expressen, was sent to the Norwegian Judicial Agency prior to a VIP lunch. It requested, “She has a strong allergy to bananas, so it would be appreciated that there are no bananas in the areas where she will be staying.”
A similar message was sent to the County Administrative Board with the directive: “No bananas are allowed on the premises either.”
Brandberg, who reportedly referred to her fear of bananas as the “world’s weirdest phobia” in a 2020 post on X (formerly Twitter), told Expressen that she is receiving professional help to manage the condition. The post has since been deleted.
While it may seem peculiar, “bananaphobia” is a real condition that can cause symptoms such as anxiety and nausea, triggered by the sight or smell of bananas.
Brandberg’s case has attracted attention, raising questions about how personal phobias are managed within professional environments.
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Despite the controversy, the Minister’s team continues to enforce the strict guidelines to accommodate her condition.
Sweden’s prime minster, Ulf Kristersson, said on Thursday that Brandberg’s problem had not affected government work.
“I have all the respect for people who have different phobias,” he said. “I am disturbed when a hard-working cabinet minister is almost reduced to a phobia and people make fun of it. I think you should be too good for that.”
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