Only in a world where sticks and stones break no bones but words hurt like hell can a story this stupid arise. IKEA, the Swedish furniture behemoth, has been targeted for allegations of gender bias because the manuals for their furniture show no women assembling them. IKEA defends itself by claiming it wants to protect Muslim sensibilities by avoiding showing women at work.

No, I'm not kidding:

Swedish home furnishings giant IKEA is guilty of sex discrimination by showing only men putting together furniture in its instruction manuals, Norway's prime minister says.

IKEA, which has more than 200 stores in 32 nations, fears it might offend Muslims by depicting women assembling everything from cupboards to beds. Its manuals show only men or cartoon figures whose sex is unclear.

The madness of political correctness has, at least in this case, victimized itself. Does anyone truly care that the drawings in a furniture assembly manual depict only men, other than the ever-unhappy scolds that only seek publicity for themselves? I'm more interested in the actual instructions than in the pretty pictures provided by IKEA and other such manufacturers. However, IKEA manages to out-stupid the scolds by admitting to an overwrought concern over Muslim customers.

What a collection of idiots. If I ever needed a reason to avoid IKEA, this would be it.

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin explains why IKEA doesn't include women in their instructions ... apparently, women are too smart to buy IKEA products in the first place.

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» IKEA Political Correctness In Norway from Secure Liberty
I saw this on FoxNews this morning, on the news ticker. IKEA, the Swedish furniture maker and retailer (some pretty ugly furniture at that) now faces allegations of allegations of bias against women, because it dosn't feature women in its instruction ... [Read More]

Tracked on March 10, 2005 9:10 AM

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From the damned if you do, damned if you don't department (h/t Captain Ed):Swedish home furnishings giant IKEA is guilty of sex discrimination by showing only men putting together furniture in its instruction manuals, Norway's prime minister says. IKEA... [Read More]

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source Apparently, someone has found the time in their busy life to complain about the gender of the people drawn in the IKEA instruction manuals (always men or ambiguous). It even reached Norw... [Read More]

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