Ms. Monopoly

Ms. Monopoly
The box art for the original release
PublishersHasbro
Publication2019; 5 years ago (2019)
GenresBoard game
PlayersMinimum of 2, maximum of 6
Setup time2–5 minutes
Playing time30-180 minutes
ChanceHigh (dice rolling, card drawing)
Age range8+
Skills

Ms. Monopoly is a version of Monopoly that recognizes inventions that women created or contributed to and gives bonuses to female players. It was released by Hasbro in 2019. Upon release, the game was criticized for its gameplay mechanics of giving bonuses to female players, as well as ignoring the original Monopoly's creator.

Gameplay

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This is a variation of the game Monopoly, so only differences from standard gameplay will be listed.

Money bonuses are provided to female players in Ms. Monopoly. Women get $1,900 at the start of the game and receive $240 salary when passing “Go,” whereas men start with $1,500 and receive a $200 salary.[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 between genders, sometimes higher for either men or women.[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

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Reception towards Ms. Monopoly was mostly negative upon its announcement. Eric Thurm, the 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

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  1. ^ a b c Asmelash, Leah (10 September 2019). "In the new game of Monopoly, women make more than men". CNN. Archived from the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Nova, Annie (September 13, 2019). "Ms. Monopoly is supposed to enpower women. Critics say it does the opposite". CNBC. Archived from the original on November 13, 2019. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  3. ^ Lou, Michelle; Griggs, Brandon (March 26, 2019). "Women inventors, long overlooked, are churning out more patents than ever". CNN. Archived from the original on May 17, 2020. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  4. ^ a b 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. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  5. ^ Game Review | Ms. Monopoly from Hasbro, archived from the original on January 25, 2020, retrieved December 14, 2019
  6. ^ Roth, Jeremy; White, Jamie K. (4 August 2019). "Chocolate Chip Cookie Day and the accidental origin of this American staple". CNN. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  7. ^ Chappell, Carmin (September 10, 2019). "Hasbro takes on the gender pay gap with new Ms. Monopoly game". CNBC. Archived from the original on October 29, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  8. ^ "I Played Ms. Monopoly With My Family – Here's How It Went". Sweatpants & Coffee. 2019-12-28. Archived from the original on 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2020-04-05.
  9. ^ a b Thurm, Eric (October 24, 2019). "Ms. Monopoly Creates a World Where No One Wins". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 31, 2019. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  10. ^ Kearns, Madeleine (September 12, 2019). "Ms. Monopoly — the World's Dumbest Board Game". National Review. Archived from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  11. ^ Pilon, Mary (September 11, 2019). "The Misplaced Feminism of Ms. Monopoly". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
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