In a peculiar revelation that has captured the attention of the Swedish public, a female minister in Sweden has a fear of bananas to the extent that she cannot bear to be around them. This unique phobia has prompted her staff to take measures to ensure that bananas are kept out of her sight wherever she goes.
According to a report by the British newspaper “The Guardian,” Sweden’s Minister for Gender Equality, Paulina Brandberg, had previously mentioned her fear of bananas, labeling it as the “most bizarre phobia in the world.”
Leaked emails this month have shown that Brandberg’s staff has taken strong measures to ensure that she does not come into contact with bananas.
Swedish newspaper “Expressen” reported on an email received by the Speaker’s Office in Sweden back in September. The email requested that due to a “severe allergy” to bananas, Brandberg should not be exposed to any traces of bananas in the room before she attends a meeting with a colleague.
Another email revealed that Brandberg’s staff requested that no bananas be present in any space during events she attended. The reply to this email stated, “We will ensure that the meeting proceeds smoothly to avoid any banana-related issues.”
Regarding Brandberg’s fear of bananas, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson stated on November 14 that her issue has not affected government work.
Kristersson said, “I have great respect for people with different phobias. It makes me uncomfortable when a hardworking cabinet minister almost falls into a phobia and becomes the subject of mockery.”
Brandberg informed “Expressen” that she is “seeking professional help” for her fear of bananas.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Swedish politician Teresa Carvalho once shared on the social media platform Twitter that she also suffers from a fear of bananas.
Although extremely rare, banana phobia is a real condition, with patients experiencing severe symptoms of anxiety or nausea when exposed to the sight or smell of bananas.
Like many uncommon phobias, the root cause of banana phobia is difficult to pinpoint. However, experts suggest that it often originates from childhood experiences.