Today I'll be reviewing an old classic: Monopoly. This business-oriented money-centered game has been a family favorite for generations. On the official monopoly website, there are 41 varieties listed that span from electronic banking, to Disney, to express gaming, and so on and so forth. The pricing ranges from absolutely free to $49.99 for the onyx edition, which claims to give the game a "stylish and modern makeover." As far
as gender bias goes, the site seems pretty lacking of it at first glance, but one doesn't have to look to far to find the "boys" and "girls" categorical search. Granted, there is only one in each and there are 39 others listed in the both category, but each edition listed in either one is certainly food for thought: Spider-Man 3 for boys and the Junior Disney Princess edition for girls. If this doesn't further existing views of gender norm and what culture dictates them to be, I don't know what does.
Today I'll be reviewing an old classic: Monopoly. This business-oriented money-centered game has been a family favorite for generations. On the official monopoly website, there are 41 varieties listed that span from electronic banking, to Disney, to express gaming, and so on and so forth. The pricing ranges from absolutely free to $49.99 for the onyx edition, which claims to give the game a "stylish and modern makeover." As far
as gender bias goes, the site seems pretty lacking of it at first glance, but one doesn't have to look to far to find the "boys" and "girls" categorical search. Granted, there is only one in each and there are 39 others listed in the both category, but each edition listed in either one is certainly food for thought: Spider-Man 3 for boys and the Junior Disney Princess edition for girls. If this doesn't further existing views of gender norm and what culture dictates them to be, I don't know what does.
You're certainly right that the Monopoly board game franchise is ubiquitous and that there seems to be a variant for every hobby, interest, subculture, and niche. Indeed my household probably has about five: two Star Wars ones (one of them has a "3-D board," one NASCAR themed one, a Simpson's themed board, and an original one from around 1954.
ReplyDeleteAnd those two examples are especially gender specific and set up strict gender guidelines of behavior. I suppose then, it would be completely inappropriate for my son to desire one of the Disney Princess editions.
Not to mention that there is tremendous controversy over the Disney Princesses to begin with: they're too weak and wait for men to come along; that their qualities are something to idealize and embody; that the vast majority of the princesses are white, and even those princesses that are racial/ethnic/cultural minorities, their features are largely European and Anglo; that Mulan is not considered a Princess, but a Mermaid is; that the first African-American Princess will spend most of the film as a frog; etc.