Sexism board game, 1971

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Summary

Title:
Sexism board game
Dates:
1971
Creators:
Houger & McCaw, Houger, Carolyn, and McCaw, Martin
Containers:
Box: 1
Extent:
0.83 Linear Feet 1 box
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Sexism board game, Collection no. 6284, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Background

Scope and content:

A board game, titled Sexism, published in 1971 in Seattle, Washington, created by Houger & McCaw (Carolyn Houger and Martin McCaw), and sold by the National Organization of Women (NOW). According to the game's designer, Carolyn Houger, the game was meant to "bring out the humor in the Women's Liberation Movement and, at the same time, sensitize people so they realize what sexism means, for both men and women." The game's goal is to make it from the doll house at the start of the game to the White House at the end. If the woman wins, it's proclaimed: "You are now a person, and must be treated as such for 24 hours. Nonwinners may be treated as usual." Throughout, players draw both role and chance cards that place them in potentially sexist situations, while progressing along squares addressing everything from beauty pageants and typing pools to abortions and divorce. The game was originally sold for five dollars by NOW, mostly in the Seattle region. The board game is in its original box, which contains two folded game boards (one cardboard, one vinyl), six playing pieces, 36 Woman chance cards, 36 Man chance cards, 35 Woman role cards, 35 Man role cards, 18 voting cards ("sexist", "in-betweener", "liberationist"), a small plastic baby, and instructions for playing the game.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Kate Mitas, Bookseller, November 15, 2023.
Physical description:
Box: 18.5 x 27 cm. Board: 51 x 65 cm. Board game in original box, containing: two folded boards (one cardboard, one vinyl); six playing pieces; 36 Woman chance cards; 36 Man chance cards; 35 Women role cards; 35 Man role cards; 18 voting cards ("sexist", "in-betweener", "liberationist"); small plastic baby; directions (bifolium, 4pp.). INCOMPLETE. No list of items included, but one Woman chance card, one Man chance card, two Man role cards, and all six "liberationist" voting cards have been copied from a complete set. Light wear to box, pieces and cards otherwise in excellent condition.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Collection Guide Author:
Bo Doub -- with collection-level notes adapted from the seller, Kate Mitas, Bookseller
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-03-18 14:09:34 -0700 .

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection stored off-site. Advance notice required for access.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special Collections at specol@usc.edu. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

Finding aid description and metadata are licensed under an Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

Preferred citation:

[Box/folder no. or item name], Sexism board game, Collection no. 6284, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California

Location of this collection:
Special Collections
Doheny Memorial Library, Room 209
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0189, US
Contact:
(213) 740-5900
specol@usc.edu
Website