People should feel welcome in their own homes, but that isn’t always the case for members of the LGBTQ+ community. IKEA is now striving to bring conversations about acceptance to get-togethers, when everyone is seated around the television, with one-of-a-kind ‘Love Seats’.
Apart from rolling out rainbow bags and speakers, IKEA Canada is celebrating the broad 2SLGBTQ+ spectrum by channeling 10 different Pride flags—namely the two-spirit, asexual, transgender, bisexual, lesbian, progress, pansexual, transgender, nonbinary, and genderfluid—into 10 different couch slipcovers.
For the uninitiated, “two-spirit” is an umbrella term for Indigenous North Americans who fill in a traditional third-gender role, while the Progress Pride flag adds a five-colored chevron to the iconic Gilbert Baker flag to represent marginalized LGBTQ+ people of color and transgender individuals.
The vivid, interactive artworks were created by designers present in the 2SLGBTQ+ cause: Bianca Daniela Nachtman; Madison van Rijn; Charlotte Carbone; and Ali Haider. Each Love Seat tells a story of love experienced by a person in the community.
“The Love Seats serve as a platform upon which members and allies of the 2SLGBTQ+ community can feel safe to share their love stories with the world—whether those stories are about self-love, romantic love, family love, chosen love, or community love,” explains IKEA Canada.
John Williams, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Leader at IKEA Canada, describes, “At IKEA, celebrating IDAHOT [International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia] and Pride means advocating for a more fair and equal world free from homophobia, transphobia and biphobia. We want people of all sexual orientations and gender identities to feel at home at IKEA and everywhere. This year’s Love Seats collaboration aligns with our commitment to create community for, and uplift the voices of, our 2SLGBTQ+ co-workers and customers, so that they feel welcomed, respected and appreciated for who they are.”
The vibrant couches will be installed at IKEA stores across Canada through summer.
Click to view enlarged version
Click to view enlarged version. Image via CNW Group/IKEA Canada
Two-spirit flag
Image via IKEA Canada
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