A new Ms. Monopoly game is here to address the gender pay gap
As if regular Monopoly doesn’t get the general public riled up enough, Hasbro has launched a Ms. Monopoly board game that draws attention to the gender wage gap. And, as you can imagine, the idea of women doing better than men in a capitalist environment is ruffling a few feathers.
According to USA Today, which spoke with Hasbro, the aim of Ms. Monopoly is to draw attention to female trailblazers, and it’s the first version of the board game designed in a way in which “women make more than men.”
The game, which is currently for sale at Walmart ($19.99), is marketed to children who may not yet be aware of the gender inequality crisis.
"With all of the things surrounding female empowerment, it felt right to bring this to Monopoly in a fresh new way," Jen Boswinkel, senior director of global brand strategy and marketing for Hasbro Gaming, told USA Today. "It’s giving the topic some relevancy to everyone playing it that everybody gets a turn, and this time women get an advantage at the start."
At the top of the game, female players are given $1,900 in Monopoly Money whereas male players are given $1,500. And female players get $240 every time they pass “Go,” while men only receive $200. Then, rather than investing in real estate like in the classic Monopoly game, players invest in women-led inventions and companies like solar heating, shapewear, and bulletproof vests.
Instead of investing in real estate properties like the classic game, players invest in inventions and innovations made by women, including chocolate chip cookies and bulletproof vests. https://t.co/YmJyNqVMql
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 10, 2019
The game is meant to teach children about gender inequality and its presence in the current U.S. capitalist system. It’s in no way meant to freeze out male players, and, as Boswinkel told USA Today, it’s totally possible that a male player could win.
"[The game is] a way that families can talk about what is happening around them, and it’s an easy way to explain to their kids, boys or girls, what has maybe happened to them over the years and what they’ve been experiencing, she said.
But because Ms. Monopoly has “feminism” written all over it, some people are coming for Hasbro’s neck. Oh, no. We’ve angered the men. Whatever shall we do?
Ms. Monopoly 🤦🏻♂️
Did monopoly ever have to do with men making more money than women? Bcuz I don’t ever remember that being the reason for the game or a point of view on it.
— Chris Beniquez (@CGBenz) September 10, 2019
People who've been bottling up their emotions are finally releasing them over Ms. Monopoly, and it's as weird as you would expect. pic.twitter.com/K3NSHPbDrh
— Low Quality Facts (@lqfacts) September 10, 2019
When has ANY version of Monopoly ever made it so that women made less than men? Didn't the original games support equality amongst starting players, and both luck and strategy determined how successful a player is by the end, regardless of gender?
Ms. Monopoly is gonna flop. pic.twitter.com/CIO4KBBVQC— Patbacknitro (@NitroRev1ews) September 10, 2019
I get what @Hasbro were going for with Ms. Monopoly. It’s supposed to be a teaching tool about income inequality like how the original was intended. The problem is people didn’t pick up on the subtext of the board game back then and they won’t with this version either. pic.twitter.com/0oPxN6uO6O
— Floornine (@Frankenfarts) September 10, 2019
Men every time a woman pass go and receive $240 instead of $200 in the Ms. Monopoly game pic.twitter.com/2TRqiLJ4mP
— Joshua Chenault (@joshuachenault1) September 10, 2019
So women make more money in ms. monopoly just for being women?
So in other words, the game is about female privilege, whereas every other version of monopoly was completely equal?
— She Calls Me Daddy Too (@YourLocalJacob) September 10, 2019
Ms. Monopoly even has some women upset. Huh.
As a woman, I find #MsMonopoly sexist. Equality doesn't mean women make more than men. #EpicFail way to go @Hasbro
— LeeAnn Imel-Hartford (@LeeAnn_Hartford) September 10, 2019
Wow.
Hasbro is perpetuating victimhood through a board game.
They’re instilling in young girls that society views them ‘less than’.
The pay gap comes from PERSONAL CHOICES made by women.
…… and they’re calling this game ‘female empowerment’ https://t.co/Tzaqaf0n2t
— Lisa Britton (@LisaBritton) September 10, 2019
Personal…choices? Um…
Monopoly causes enough stress, imagine adding this new rule for 7 year olds 🤣 #NoThanks “At the start, the banker gives $1,900 to each female player & $1,500 to each male. The gap continues when a player passes Go w/ women collecting $240 & men $200.” https://t.co/bXapsv3eTD
— LINDSAY GLAZER (@LindsayGlazer) September 10, 2019
People seem to be missing the point of Ms. Monopoly. It’s not here to replace the OG Monopoly, which was originally created by Elizabeth Magie to teach people about the evils of capitalist monopolies.
Like Magie’s original version of the game, Ms. Monopoly is supposed to be used as a teaching tool. But this time, it’s being used to point out the inequality that exists in real life by flipping that notion on its head within the gameplay.
It’s not talking about the game. it’s talking about how in real life men have the upperhand. so it’s creating a space where women do. men make more money than women in the same roles in real life so they created a world where women have the upperhand for once
— rose (@roseskillman) September 10, 2019
The game was made to educate people on the harmful role of monopolies on our economy. Now it is teaching about the harmful role of sexism. Checks out.
— Nyneave al’Meara (@KaitlinGulstad) September 10, 2019
And tbh, Monopoly hasn’t always been used as a teaching tool, but rather a good opportunity to market some weird stuff and make Hasbro money…
I was gonna make fun of Ms. Monopoly but then I remembered Raisins Monopoly exists pic.twitter.com/TZaIxJbGRP
— Corey Miller (@StopEatingBees) September 10, 2019
The company is now circling back to Magie’s intended goal for the board game, but adding a twist to it to teach the younger generation about another flaw in the system. (And sure, it is making some money along the way. Obvi.)
https://twitter.com/udfredirect/status/1171413862605905922
For those of you who are upset by Ms. Monopoly, there’s a simple solution: don’t buy the game. But if feminist families want to teach their kids about the wage gap in a fun, interactive way, then we support them in doing so.
