Ban Of The Week (5)

Aside from sexual inequality you would have thought that a Gender Equality Minister would not have a downer on anything. But not in Sweden.

The current holder of the post in the Swedish government, Paulina Brandberg, has an extreme form of banana allergy. Her staff, according to a report in the Swedish daily, Expressen, had to send an email to the Norwegian Judicial Agency ahead of a VIP lunch saying that 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 email, reportedly sent to the County Administrative Board, said: “No bananas are allowed on the premises either.”

Brandberg told the newspaper that she was getting professional help with the affliction and I wish her well. On the positive side, the ban applies to all bananas, irrespective of gender!