Don't Drop the Soap
Encyclopedia
Don't Drop the Soap is a controversial prison
-themed board game
, designed by art student John Sebelius as a class project at the Rhode Island School of Design
in 2006.
that consists of six levels. The game set comes with five tokens. Three of the tokens represent human figures: Sal "The Butcher", a muscular character called "Anferny", and "Wheelz", a token wheelchair user. The other two tokens are a bag of cocaine
and a handgun
. The game revolves around prison life with the ultimate goal of players being able to make parole
.
The title of the game refers to a phrase sometimes used in reference to rape in men's prisons. Within the game, if a player "drops the soap", that player is required to return to the beginning of the board. The game carries a warning label that it is intended for mature players only. The game went on sale in a Lawrence, Kansas
toy store on January 31, 2008 and is also sold on Sebelius' website.
. Sebelius is the son of former Kansas Governor and current Secretary of Health and Human Services
Kathleen Sebelius
and U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Gary Sebelius
.
, a U.S.
bipartisan panel aimed at curbing prison rape, condemned the game. They stated, in part, ". . . the title of the game and its website’s reference to 'being cornered by the Aryans in the Shower Room
' are course popular references to rape in prisons, making light of a serious and all-too-pervasive violent sex crime." Sebelius and the game were also criticized in the media.
Sebelius stated he did not condone prison rape
, that the game was meant as a lighthearted spoof and for entertainment purposes only. As media reports surfaced of the game, Governor Sebelius’ office stated that both parents "are very proud of their son John's creativity and talent.
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
-themed board game
Board game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
, designed by art student John Sebelius as a class project at the Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
in 2006.
Game
Don’t Drop the Soap is a board gameBoard game
A board game is a game which involves counters or pieces being moved on a pre-marked surface or "board", according to a set of rules. Games may be based on pure strategy, chance or a mixture of the two, and usually have a goal which a player aims to achieve...
that consists of six levels. The game set comes with five tokens. Three of the tokens represent human figures: Sal "The Butcher", a muscular character called "Anferny", and "Wheelz", a token wheelchair user. The other two tokens are a bag of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and a handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
. The game revolves around prison life with the ultimate goal of players being able to make parole
Parole
Parole may have different meanings depending on the field and judiciary system. All of the meanings originated from the French parole . Following its use in late-resurrected Anglo-French chivalric practice, the term became associated with the release of prisoners based on prisoners giving their...
.
The title of the game refers to a phrase sometimes used in reference to rape in men's prisons. Within the game, if a player "drops the soap", that player is required to return to the beginning of the board. The game carries a warning label that it is intended for mature players only. The game went on sale in a Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
toy store on January 31, 2008 and is also sold on Sebelius' website.
Artist
The game was created by John Sebelius as a class project at the Rhode Island School of DesignRhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
. Sebelius is the son of former Kansas Governor and current Secretary of Health and Human Services
United States Secretary of Health and Human Services
The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services is the head of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, concerned with health matters. The Secretary is a member of the President's Cabinet...
Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius
Kathleen Sebelius is an American politician currently serving as the 21st Secretary of Health and Human Services. She was the second female Governor of Kansas from 2003 to 2009, the Democratic respondent to the 2008 State of the Union address, and chair-emerita of the Democratic Governors...
and U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Gary Sebelius
K. Gary Sebelius
Keith Gary Sebelius , known professionally as K. Gary Sebelius or Gary Sebelius, is a United States magistrate judge and a former federal judicial nominee to the United States District Court for the District of Kansas...
.
Reaction
The game was almost immediately criticized for its content. The National Prison Rape Elimination CommissionNational Prison Rape Elimination Commission
The National Prison Rape Elimination Commission was a U.S. bipartisan panel established by the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act. The commission was charged with studying sexual assaults in U.S. jails and prisons and presenting a report based on its findings. The report was released in June 2009...
, a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
bipartisan panel aimed at curbing prison rape, condemned the game. They stated, in part, ". . . the title of the game and its website’s reference to 'being cornered by the Aryans in the Shower Room
American History X
American History X is a 1998 American drama film directed by Tony Kaye and starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. It was distributed by New Line Cinema....
' are course popular references to rape in prisons, making light of a serious and all-too-pervasive violent sex crime." Sebelius and the game were also criticized in the media.
Sebelius stated he did not condone prison rape
Prison rape
Prison rape commonly refers to the rape of inmates in prison by other inmates or prison staff.In 2001, Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 140,000 inmates had been raped while incarcerated. and there is a significant variation in the rates of prison rape by race...
, that the game was meant as a lighthearted spoof and for entertainment purposes only. As media reports surfaced of the game, Governor Sebelius’ office stated that both parents "are very proud of their son John's creativity and talent.
External links
- Gillius, Inc., Don’t Drop the Soap official site