For those who really do not think IKEA's sponsorship is a big deal, let me change the situation a little for you to understand it better:
If my store, which has 50% women in my workforce, decided to sponsor a person who is infamously known for his:
a. Denial of accurate public information on *women* health issues.
b. Call for no workplace rights for *women*
c. Promote some organisations that use unscientifically proven therapies on *women*.
Replace the three points with other *labels* such as any race or religion. I am very sure you will think differently.
But look, I am not giving him any chair or table or clothes hanger. I shall explain to my staff, customers, suppliers, business partners that I am merely giving him an online space to advertise his show, his words against your gender, religion or race do not hurt you at all right? Do not worry, you are safe in my store.
There are some LGBTQ people really think this is no big deal, some say we are a small insignificant number, some say we are just picking on IKEA. Some say we need to show tolerance, because the anti LGBTQ people will say that we are not kind people.
By all these arguments, we should all sit down and shut our mouths. Because by default, we are always a small insignificant number, there are numerous corporations and companies which did worst things, and no matter what we say or act, we will be seen as an intolerant and unkind bunch of people.
Some people even mixed the whole thing with "are we denying him of means to make money" or "are we going to boycott a restaurant when he dined there". I cannot even imagine more unintelligent statements.
Olivia Tan explained most eloquently in her blog:
We are not asking for the show to be cancelled.
We are not asking for the other sponsors to drop their support.
We are not asking IKEA to be boycotted.
We are asking IKEA to explain how on earth it think that as a publicly known LGBTQ friendly corporation, it is all right to sponsor someone so notoriously known for his hideous actions actions against the LGBTQ people. So we know now, its lovely same sex couples posters are nothing more than asking you to buy their stuff.
This episode reminds me of one thing: Oppression really start when you are told you have no rights to be angry.
Bryan Choong
*Article first appeared on https://www.facebook.com/bryan.choong/posts/10152847355081033?pnref=story