In an unusual turn of events, staff for Sweden’s Gender Equality Minister, Paulina Brandberg, have taken precautionary measures to ensure government spaces are free of bananas, due to the minister's reported phobia of the fruit. The local media outlet Expressen disclosed emails suggesting that officials have been instructed to remove any trace of bananas prior to official engagements.
Brandberg, who previously discussed her unusual fear on social media, has characterized it as "the world’s weirdest phobia." Although her earlier posts have been deleted, the severity of her bananaphobia—triggered by the sight or smell of bananas—has compelled her staff to request that venues, even for VIP lunches, remain entirely devoid of the fruit.
In her communication with Expressen, Brandberg confirmed her condition, framing it as "sort of an allergy" and noted that she is actively seeking professional assistance to cope with it. In a display of solidarity, fellow politician Teresa Carvalho declared that she also suffers from the same phobia, asserting a united front despite their political differences.
Though rare, this phobia can stem from various psychological underpinnings, often rooted in past trauma related to bananas, according to experts. The precaution of creating "no banana" zones within government offices raises questions about how personal phobias can influence professional environments—especially in the public sector—while highlighting a curious aspect of psychological health that affects influential figures.
