Why IKEA's shark toy Blahaj is a celebrated trans icon

Why IKEA's shark toy Blahaj is a celebrated trans icon

To most people, it’s a simple shark toy. But to trans people, IKEA’s Blahaj is a symbol and signifier of the transgender community. The polyester plushie, which is available online or in store for £22 ($28), has been a symbol of trans rights since about 2017. Its significance started on Tumblr, when users across the social media site began sharing memes of the shark. Initially, the memes were of the shark doing various things or being in odd p…