Not all fruit is equal for the Swedish Minister for Equality.

Paulina Brandberg, Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality and Working Life, is at the center of national rumors due to an unusual fear: bananas.

According to the Swedish tabloid ExpressEmails leaked this week reveal the extent of her banana phobia, so severe that her staff meticulously cleans any traces of the yellow fruit from rooms before she enters.

Brandberg has previously admitted to this bizarre fear, calling it “the world’s strangest phobia.” Yet the revelation of his team’s efforts to maintain its “banana-free” environment has made this curious phobia a topic of discussion in the Nordic country.

Here’s what we know.

The great fear of the banana

In a series of emails reviewed by ExpressPaulina Brandberg’s staff has gone to great lengths to ensure the minister doesn’t encounter bananas in any rooms or locations she visits.

“Paulina Brandberg has a strong allergy to bananas, so it would be appreciated if there were no bananas in the areas where she will be staying,” says an email sent by the ministry to the Norwegian judicial agency before a lunch VIP.

Brandberg’s aversion to bananas, however, is not a true allergy, but a specific phobia. In response to Expressen, she described it as a “kind of allergy” and revealed it was “something I get professional help for.”

Another email sent by his team to a county administrative board clearly stated that “no bananas were allowed on the premises.”

In a separate message to Swedish Parliament Speaker Andreas Norlén, Brandberg’s aides requested that “no trace of bananas” be present in areas where she would be present during a meeting.

“It would be fantastic if you could remove (fruit bowls containing bananas) in the morning before his visit,” read an email from Brandberg’s assistant.

Brandberg has previously said that this great fear is having an impact on his well-being. “The problem is something that affects me as a person, and I think it can stay that way,” she admitted in a now-deleted post on X, acknowledging her banana phobia.

Why do people have strange phobias?

Although banana phobia may seem made up, it is a real and rare illness that can affect a person’s physiological, emotional, and behavioral well-being when exposed to bananas.

Dr. Martin Antony, a clinical psychologist, suggests in the American Psychological Association that phobias are the result of a “fight or flight” response of the brain, where harmless triggers are misinterpreted as threats, leading to exaggerated fears.

Experts said such phobias often develop during childhood. However, in many cases the exact cause remains unclear, with the phobia developing for reasons that are deeply individual or difficult to identify scientifically.

According to Klarity HealthA person may experience intense anxiety, nausea, sweating, dizziness, and in some extreme cases, panic attacks if they have a phobia.

Taking medical advice and support can help manage the condition.

“A low point”

Following the revelation of Paulina Brandberg’s phobia, opposition MP Teresa Carvalho, the Social Democrats’ legal policy spokesperson, revealed that she also shared her fear of bananas.

In an article on X, Carvalho expressed solidarity with Brandberg, calling their shared fear a “common enemy.” “We may have had many difficult debates about working conditions, but on this issue we are united. »

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson intervened in the discussion, clarifying that Brandberg’s phobia had not interfered with government functions. He also criticized those who mocked the minister’s fear.

“I have all the respect for people who have different phobias,” he said. “I am disturbed when a hard-working minister is almost reduced to a phobia and people make fun of him. I think you might be too good for that,” he said. The Guardian.

Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson also expressed support for Brandberg on X, calling Expressen’s coverage of the issue a “real low point.”

“Like everyone, politicians can also struggle with fears, phobias and anxiety,” she said. “If it doesn’t affect their work, is it really a matter of public interest?”

With the contribution of agencies