STATUE OF MALES INCREDIBLY TRANSFORMED INTO FATHERS CARRYING BABIES
Male statues throughout Sweden were decked out with dolls, carriers, and baby slings on November 19, International Men's Day. Through the innovative #Kvantitetstidspappan campaign, which was created by the Swedish think tank Arena Idé, statues in several Swedish cities—from Malmö in the south to Umeå in the north—were transformed into fathers.
With 480 days of parental leave per child for both parents, Sweden has some of the strongest parental leave laws in the world. Swedish fathers only use 30.9% of parental leave days and 38% of sick leave days to care for their children, even though these days are meant to be shared by both parents. In a subversive celebration of International Men's Day, Kvantitetstidspappan, which roughly translates to "Quantity Time Dad," contested these inequalities.
Male statues, such as Standing Man in Umeå, Hjalmar Branting in Stockholm, and Det svenska tungsinnet in Malmö, were found by Arena Idé and fathers nationwide, who then wrapped baby accessories around them. By reimagining these statues as modern examples of fatherly engagement, the baby slings and carriers lessened their historical connotations of stoicism and masculine power.