Gay Monopoly is an unofficial version of the game that was released by “Parker Sisters” in 1983. Parker Brothers was not amused and sued the creators for copyright infringement.
As a result, few copies of Gay Monopoly were produced and it became a rare find. This is a very different version of Monopoly.
Gone are the “straight” lines of the standard Monopoly board. Instead, players follow a circular path where the properties represent Castro Street, Provincetown, Fire Island, the Russian River and other gay landmarks. Gay Monopoly provides unique player tokens: jeep, teddy bear, blow drier, leather cap, handcuffs, or a stiletto heel.
While the game follows the classic rules of Monopoly, there are a few additions such as Family Pride cards. If you land on a Family Pride space you pick up a card that has the description of a gay man on it. The player reads it out loud and the other players try to guess the name. Get it right and move to any space on the board.
Another addition is Hanky Code Cards. These ask the player the meaning of each hanky color and what it meant worn in left or right pockets.
More than just a game, it embodies a pivotal moment in gay culture at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic.
