Female walk signs introduced in Sweden

Thursday, May 01, 2008 | 10:22 AM

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Gender-conscious Sweden plans to make room for women on its crosswalk signs.

The government has ordered the National Road Administration to design a female alternative to the walking-man signs found at pedestrian crossings. A government spokesman says the order will provide more gender balance.

The government was inspired by a campaign in one town to put up a walking woman sign created by a local artist. Unwilling to give the town (Mariestad) an exemption from the national standards on road signs, the government instead decided to introduce the new sign nationwide. They’re expected to go up next year.

(Copyright ©2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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I’m glad that this wasn’t a story about political correctness run a muck in my country. Though can’t you just see it happening here? We’ll just have to wait and see. I have to say, as a woman I never considered the walk signs, “walking man signs” but perhaps the signs in Sweden are more anatomically correct than ours. I’m looking forward to seeing the feminine version. Does this mean there will now be two signs at intersections? One telling men to cross and one for women? I’d say this isn’t going to help gender equality much.

Print Reading List

• Seattle Times, entire May 2nd edition (PRINT) with breakfast

Approximate print reading time: 45 minutes

Kindle Reading List

• Nothing yet

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Online Reading List

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May 1st
Print Reading List

• Seattle Times, entire May 1st edition (PRINT) with breakfast
• Drew University Alumni Magazine (PRINT) during evening TV commercials
• Flower Confidential (PRINT) after lunch

Approximate print reading time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Kindle Reading List

• I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert
• Various blogs I’m trying out on the Kindle

Approximate Kindle reading time: 1 hour

Online Reading List

• Nothing

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