Ms. Monopoly

Ms. Monopoly is a feminist–based version of Monopoly released by Hasbro in 2019.

Gameplay

This is a variation of the game Monopoly, so only differences from standard gameplay will be listed. Female players get $1,900 at the start of the game, and male players get $1,500. When passing "Go", female players get $240, while male players only get the standard $200 as in the normal game.[1][2] In addition, the game differs from regular Monopoly in that properties are replaced by inventions women created or contributed to, including Wi-Fi, to which Hedy Lamarr and Radia Perlman contributed;[3] modern shapewear by Spanx founder Sara Blakely;[4][5] and chocolate chip cookies, invented by Ruth Graves Wakefield.[6] Tokens have been replaced with new ones: a notebook and pen, a jet, a glass, a watch, a barbell, and Ms. Monopoly's white hat.[7] Chance and Community Chest cards also provide different payouts for men and women. Sometimes the payout is higher for women and sometimes for men.[8] Jail and luxury taxes are maintained from the regular game.[1]

The game replaces Rich Uncle Pennybags, the mascot on most Monopoly versions, with a young woman described as his niece. As part of the game's rollout, Hasbro sent three teenage girls a grant of $20,580 each to invest in their own inventions.[4] Hasbro promoted Ms. Monopoly as the first game "where women make more than men".[9] In a statement, Hasbro said that the game provides an environment in which "women have an advantage often enjoyed by men".[1]

Reception

Reception towards Ms. Monopoly was extremely negative upon its announcement. Eric Thurm, author of "Avidly Reads: Board Games", said the game created a "surface-level fantasy world" where women succeed simply because of their gender.[9] Madeleine Kearns of National Review called it "patronizing pointlessness".[10] Queens College's philosophy department head Christine Sypnowich said it was "unhelpful to portray women as needing special advantages." Jennifer Borda, an associate professor specializing in feminist studies at the University of New Hampshire, suggested that it would be more suitable if male players instead faced challenges women face in the workplace.[2] Mary Pilon, author of The Monopolists, criticized the game for failing to recognize Lizzie Magie, who invented The Landlord's Game, the precursor to Monopoly.[11]

References
  1. Asmelash, Leah. "In the new game of Monopoly, women make more than men". CNN. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  2. Nova, Annie (September 13, 2019). "Ms. Monopoly is supposed to empower women. Critics say it does the opposite". CNBC. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  3. Lou, Michelle; Griggs, Brandon (March 26, 2019). "Women inventors, long overlooked, are churning out more patents than ever". CNN. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  4. Ifeanyi, KC (September 13, 2019). "'Ms. Monopoly' is not as patronizing as Hasbro's version for millennials, but it's not empowering either". Fast Company. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  5. Game Review | Ms. Monopoly from Hasbro, retrieved December 14, 2019
  6. Roth, Jeremy; White, Jamie K. "Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and the accidental origin of this American staple". CNN. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  7. Chappell, Carmin (September 10, 2019). "Hasbro takes on the gender pay gap with new Ms. Monopoly game". CNBC. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  8. "I Played Ms. Monopoly With My Family – Here's How It Went". Sweatpants & Coffee. 2019-12-28. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  9. Thurm, Eric (October 24, 2019). "Ms. Monopoly Creates a World Where No One Wins". The New York Times. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  10. Kearns, Madeleine (September 12, 2019). "Ms. Monopoly — the World's Dumbest Board Game". National Review. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  11. Pilon, Mary (September 11, 2019). "The Misplaced Feminism of Ms. Monopoly". The New Yorker. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
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