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Ikea accused of sexism for only showing men assembling furniture.

By Steve Ivie, 10/03/2005. :exzibit

Norway’s Prime Minister has accused Ikea of sexism because only men are shown assembling furniture in its instruction manuals.
The daily Verdens Gang quoted an IKEA spokeswoman as saying, “We have to take account of cultural factors. In Muslim countries it’s problematic to use women in instruction manuals.” However, despite an attempt at political correctness Ikea have instead flared a gender equality row.

“This isn’t good enough,” Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik was quoted by the Verdens Gang. “It’s important to promote attitudes for sexual equality, not least in Muslim nations. They should change this,” he said. “There's no justification for it.”

So should they have a woman do it then? What would feminists have to say about that?

Unbelievable

they're going to have women depicted in instruction manuals? well, for a start they'd have to replace the hammer with a stilletto shoe and a screwdriver with a nailfile.

Oi I resent that tasty! I'm a dab hand with flatpack NOT I will give it a go tho.

I can do flatpack furniture because I look at the instructions unlike men. But it has to be on a sunny day out in the garden with refreshment in hand.

Only WIMPS read the instructions little sheep, too much trouble to learn whatever language they are written in

I must admit the English-translated-from-Japanese is sometimes difficult to understand. But I don't mind being called a wimp and admitting that I don't know EVERYTHING.

I have been knocking together 'Flatpack' for years and only read the instructions after I have finished and higher authority says "Are you sure that is how it should look"

I love putting together flatpack...You get this little tool now that make it easier. I always save all the spares...have quite a collection

My partner and I put a computer table together and nearly killed each other in the process

What we're you using as tools then? Or did you have a difference of oppinion as to how it should be done and start to wave the tools dangerously around while screaming?

Cause that's what happened when we were putting wallpapers up with my husband

I've put together a computer desk using a shoe and some dodgy glue - but I've also helped build my bookshelves. Flatpacks are a doddle as long as you set everything out and re-read the instructions (and have your dad on the other end of the phone)

[quote="Liisi"

What we're you using as tools then? Or did you have a difference of oppinion as to how it should be done and start to wave the tools dangerously around while screaming? :[/quote]


What are tools? As far as my partner is concerned when we do anything together only his opinion counts.....that is where the possabilty of someone, ie, my partner being murdered takes place.

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STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Swedish furniture giant Ikea promised to include more illustrations of women in its instruction manuals for putting together furniture, after receiving a complaint from Norway's Prime Minister.

"Presently Ikea is revising the illustrations of females and males in the assembly instructions to reach equal shares," company spokesman Fredrik Wahrolen told AFP.

The move came after the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (VG) found that Ikea's manuals show almost exclusively men poring over bits of wood and screws in the quest to make them into usable furniture.

In its 202 stores worldwide, Ikea sells furniture kits which then have to be assembled by the customers at home.

The paper then asked Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik for a reaction.

"This isn't good enough. They should quite simply change this. It's completely unsatisfactory," the head of government replied.

The Swedish group was piqued by allegations that it put more men in its manuals to please customers in Muslim countries.

"The assembly instructions are the same for all markets. They are not country-adapted," Ikea said. "Ikea has illustrated females in its assembly instructions at least since 1987," it added.

In any case headaches from unsuccessful attempts at following the sometimes complex instructions do not seem to be gender-specific.

Prime Minister Bondevik said he himself had "large problems" putting together Ikea furniture.

Saddo that I am, I actually think it's a good idea to ensure that both sexes are represented doing everything (though maybe not together!) in publications.

Just like men should be depicted doing cooking/laundry in children's schoolbooks, so should women be seen to make a mess of attempting to assemble flatpack furniture.