Watch the incredible moment a Swedish woman transforms into a man... to highlight gender inequality in the workplace

  • Annelie Nordstrom underwent radical makeover to make serious point
  • Chairwoman of Sweden's largest union Nordstrom transformed into a man
  • Women in the country earn 250,000 euros less than male colleagues
  • Stunt aimed to show the only way women can get paid more faster

By Lizzie Parry

PUBLISHED: 06:55 EST, 8 March 2014 | UPDATED: 08:19 EST, 8 March 2014


Women in Sweden can expect to earn 250,000 euros less than their male colleagues, over the course of their careers.

And to highlight the global issue of gender equality in the workplace, the chairwoman of the Scandinavian nation's largest union decided to undergo a dramatic transformation.

Annelie Nordstrom, chair of Kommunal, was given the drastic makeover, which sees her evolve into a man, thanks to clever makeup, a new wardrobe and a wig.

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How to get a pay rise in seconds: Annelie Nordstrom, chairwoman of Sweden's largest union, underwent a radical transformation to highlight the issue of gender equality in the workplace

How to get a pay rise in seconds: Annelie Nordstrom, chairwoman of Sweden's largest union, underwent a radical transformation to highlight the issue of gender equality in the workplace

Unrecognisable: Ms Nordstrom as a man. The stunt was designed to show the only way a woman can expect to be paid more faster is to dress as a man

Unrecognisable: Ms Nordstrom as a man. The stunt was designed to show the only way a woman can expect to be paid more faster is to dress as a man

But the fun stunt - The Easiest Way To Get A Raise: Be A Man - was designed to come with a hard-hitting message.

Agency Volontaire, who came up with the idea, said it was designed to show the best way for a woman to get equal pay faster.

At the current pace it will take more than a century for women's salaries in Sweden to equal that of men.

According to some studies, women in the U.S. are still paid just 77 cents for every dollar their male colleagues make.

Meanwhile just 4.2 per cent of Fortune 500 CEOs are women.

 
Point: Ms Nordstrom took part after it emerged women in Sweden can expect to be paid 250,000 euros less than their male colleagues over the course of their career

Point: Ms Nordstrom took part after it emerged women in Sweden can expect to be paid 250,000 euros less than their male colleagues over the course of their career

Clever trick: With the help of some clever makeup, a wig and a man's suit, Ms Nordstrom was transformed into a male version of herself

Clever trick: With the help of some clever makeup, a wig and a man's suit, Ms Nordstrom was transformed into a male version of herself

Long struggle: At the current pace it will take more than a century for women's salaries in Sweden to equal that of men

Long struggle: At the current pace it will take more than a century for women's salaries in Sweden to equal that of men

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It's only because women don't work as hard.

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Until companies who flout the laws on equal pay start getting prosecuted and fined, instead of getting off with a slapped wrist, women will continue to get ripped off by dodgy employers.

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Considering they spend a good chunk of that time having babies that they then get other woman to look after,It's no surprise that they earn slightly less.Anyway woman are less productive,they keep thinking about important things like ,shoes, hair styles,makeup,fashion and soap operas.

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perhaps she should shave more often too.

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Scary which ever way you look at it.

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This is an abuse of statistics. It is true there is a pay differential between men and women averaged over all jobs because men and women do not share the same job profiles. Indeed there are many more women in part-time positions than men are. If you look at men and women in the comparable jobs with the same ratio full-time to part-time, then these differentials vanish! Let's face it, if women were systematically cheaper to hire than men then every employer in the world would be snapping them up in preference to men!

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Look i start work at 6am .. I work outside in all weathers and i have to lift heavy bricks, shovel rubble and mix cement ..its hard tiring work .. in my 40 years on building sites, i never seen one female laborer .. I deserve whatever extra pay i get over the young girl .. who does the office work .. in her sunday best clothes ..

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Fair comment equal pay for equal work but let's stop things like maternity pay while we are at it just so that it's equal. And no family friendly policies either. Pay everyone the same as long as they all work the same.

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There is no gender pay gap. It has been debunked many times.

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Looks like Sven Goran Eriksson without glasses!

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