World - Monopoly is
turning the gender pay gap upside down with a new version of the
board game where women earn more than men, its creators -
inspired by female trailblazers - said on Tuesday.
Ms Monopoly replaces the game's familiar mustachioed
real-estate mogul on the box with his female investor niece, as
players compete to collect inventions made by women, including
bullet proof vests and wifi, rather than properties.
But perhaps the biggest change is that women players will
get higher payouts of Monopoly money than men, said its makers
Hasbro toy firm - though men can still win if they play their
cards right.
"We want to recognise and celebrate the many contributions
women have made to our society and continue to make on a daily
basis," said Hasbro spokeswoman Jen Boswinkel.
The game will give female payers a boost with a higher
payout to start investing at the beginning of the game, plus a
higher payout every time they pass Go, according to stockists at
Walmart chain store.
It's a far cry from real life, with women working full-time
in the United States last year earning 80% of what men take home
on average, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The game is intended to highlight women who have challenged
the status quo, said Hasbro, adding that women held only about
10% of all patented inventions.
Hasbro marked the launch by handing out thousands of dollars
to young women working on innovations including a device that
helps detect lead in drinking water and an invention to detect
sinkholes before they occur.
It comes after a Polish designer created an all-female
version of the board game "Who's She?" with the aim of
encouraging children to learn more about famous women.
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