Since I’ve started following the transgender community a bit more, one particular plush shark has popped up repeatedly, and ultimately, I gave in and had to purchase my own!

Blåhaj has become something of an LGBTQ+ icon, following posts on social media, and IKEA’s same-sex marriage ad campaign.

In most places, I have seen Blåhaj referred to simply as Blåhaj, but I like to give even my stuffed animals names. I’ve chosen to call mine Cedar because the name symbolises strength and resilience, key attributes of the community for which they’ve come to represent (and of course, their pronouns are they/them).