Ms. Monopoly’s ‘Woke’ Rules Are Bad for Girls, Devalue Women

I have three girls and three boys. Some of them have recently gotten into Monopoly, the classic board game.

But my kids won’t be playing Hasbro’s new version, Ms. Monopoly, which gives women 20% more than men when they pass go.

As an economist, I love classic Monopoly and its real-world financial lessons.

As a person, I like the message conveyed by the new Ms. Monopoly cover — that young, hip women can be as successful, if not more, than old white men in stuffy suits and top hats.

The problem is what’s inside the box.

Ms. Monopoly’s unequal rules not only distort real-world realities; they would surely incite conflict between my boys and girls.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m a woman. I have three sisters. I have three daughters. I fully embrace the contributions women make to society and their families, and I celebrate the substantial gains and accomplishments women have made in education, earnings and career advancements over the last half-century.

But I do not see how a game that gives women a head start supports or encourages either women or men. Instead, it just embeds inequity and incites resentment.

If my children played this game, I’m sure my girls would be thrilled — at first — over the advantages it offers. No doubt they’d gloat as they passed go and pocketed 20% more than their brothers. And I’m equally sure these things would upset my boys, leading them to retaliate with...

Read More HERE