The Fulsome Game was inspired by three vintage game boards, one of which my own daughter played! Vintage game boards oriented towards younger female audiences present statements and sentiments tied to beauty and offer only a handful of possible career options, most of which were stereotypically feminine, suggesting young girls that their appearance is of significant value while simultaneously limiting their ability to imagine themselves in roles beyond those typically considered “feminine.” Further, magazines marketed to young girls are filled with underwear, make-up, nail polish, and articles are about “how to look good” or “what do boys want in girls”. It is through magazines, game boards, media, etc., that our culture and society both consciously and subconsciously sell this fulsome game to women, and thus hinder women from considering alternative careers and futures and condition them to view their appearance as more valuable than substance. When will women be unshackled from the limitations of these formulaic and limited roles? Roll the dice…
The Definition of The Fulsome Game
1. offensive to good taste, especially as being excessive; overdone: fulsome décor.
2. disgusting; sickening; repulsive: fulsome mounds of advertising.
3. excessively or insincerely lavish.
4. encompassing all aspects; comprehensive: a fulsome survey of teenage magazines.
5. abundant or copious.
Sterling silver charm bracelet held in display by pink powder-coated steel handcuffs. Game board collage made of magazine images covered with frosted Plexiglas and framed by steel vintage dollhouses and recycled tin containers.
Dimensions: 21.75" H x 21.75" W x 1.75" D
Available for purchase or exhibition ( Wall frame hangs on the wall. The sterling silver charm bracelet should be tied on with monofilament in a public exhibition to prevent theft.)
Game Board Inspiration
“What Shall I be, The exciting game of Career Girls” © 1966.
This game offered six possible careers to young girls playing the game: ballerina, model, actress, flight attendant, nurse, and school teacher. Game cards in the box make a range of comments like: “YOU ARE A QUICK THINKER, Good for: Airline Hostess and Nurse” to harsh, “YOU ARE OVERWEIGHT, Bad for: Airline Hostess, Ballet Dancer and Model.
“Campus Queen” lunch box (shown below) © 1967 steel, metal lunch box. The lunch box came complete with a thermos, two magnetic game pieces, and a spinner. The game board had spaces with statements like,” YOU NEED A HAIRDO FOR THE PROM GO BACK TO THE BEAUTY PARLOR” and “YOUR HEM IS DOWN! WAIT 1 TURN TO FIX IT!”
“’We Girls Can Do Anything’ Game, Travel the Path that Leads to the Career of Your Dreams” © 1996.
In 1997, my eight-year-old daughter was given a Barbie game called, “’We Girls Can Do Anything’ Game, Travel the Path that Leads to the Career of Your Dreams” © 1996. Thirty years since the previously mentioned games, the career options improved only slightly (didn’t the feminist movement have any impact?). Now, the career options are: ballerina, fashion designer, actress, musician, pilot, and doctor. Note that every character is dressed in Barbie pink, including the pilot and doctor.
Download Artist Statement with gameboard graphics
(This is a large PDF file and may take a minute or more to download, be patient, it's worth it!)
The gameboard looks out of focus. The photo is in focus, but the game board was covered with a diffuse Plexiglas sheet to give this frosty out-of-focus appearance. This is a commentary about hyper-focused advertising in teenage magazines.
The frame is constructed from steel from vintage dollhouses and recycled tin containers with 10k. gold and aluminum rivets. (A close up of the frame is shown below.)
Look closely at the photo below. You can see my iron maker’s mark stamped in sterling and cut out like a charm.
© Harriete Estel Berman, 2003, 2021