IKEA Singapore has found itself in the centre of a controversy for its support of a magic show by a pastor who is outspoken against homosexuality ("Ikea working on solution for magic show"; yesterday).
The controversy has been framed as a culture war between "pro-gay" and "anti-gay" camps.
Ikea has a long history of being "pro-gay".
In 1994, it became the first marketer to feature a gay couple in a mainstream TV commercial in the United States.
Since then, Ikea has included lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in many of its advertisements across the world.
Ikea needs to find a resolution that honours its brand promise on inclusion, tolerance and diversity. Supporting a magic show by an "anti-gay" pastor violates its own code of conduct.
Bryan Kwa Jie Wen
