The forbidden fruit is messing with the Swedish government as a very peculiar mental condition afflicting one minister and causing controversy.
It has now arisen that the Swedish minister is actually seeking treatment for her phobia of bananas, and government staff has to sweep rooms before official visits on ‘health grounds.’
The Telegraph reported:
“Paulina Brandberg, the Swedish minister for gender equality, said that she was getting professional help after emails detailing her staff’s “banana-proofing” precautions were leaked to a tabloid newspaper.”
The minister has ´posted about suffering from the ‘world’s weirdest phobia of bananas’ in the past, but has since deleted the posts.
“Emails reportedly sent before official visits asked for “no bananas” to be allowed claiming that Ms. Brandberg had a ‘strong allergy.’”
In correspondence with then Speaker of Parliament, an aide insisted there should be ‘no traces of bananas’ in any place where Brandberg would visit.
She told the Expressen newspaper that she had ‘a banana phobia’, described its impact as ‘sort of an allergy’, and said she is getting professional help for it.
“A banana phobia can be triggered by seeing or smelling the fruit, and can cause anxiety and nausea. Some experts suggest that it can develop during childhood.”
As the demands for ‘banana-free zones’ made headlines, other politicians defended her.
Ulf Kristersson, Swedish prime minister, professed to have ‘great respect’ for people struggling with phobias.
“’It bothers me that a hard-working minister is now almost reduced to a phobia. That she is being ridiculed. I think people should rise above that’, he told the TT news agency.”
There was even an MP from an opposition Party revealing said she also suffered from ‘bananaphobia’. Apparently, that’s a thing in Sweden.
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