Mahjong Set for the 'Stylish Masses' Accused of Cultural Appropriation
The Mahjong Line, a company created by three women from Dallas, Texas, has stirred online controversy for its products that give Mahjong "a modern makeover as playable works of art." Background of the company: According to Paper City, Kate LaGere first learned how to play Mahjong in Dallas in 2018. LeGere wanted to own a unique set of tiles but could not find anything beyond those with traditional designs. She eventually teamed up with friends and fellow Mahjong players Annie O'Grady and Bianca Watson to create The Mahjong Line.
According to the company's About Us page, LaGere decided Mahjong "needed a respectful refresh." LeGere, O'Grady and Watson "hatched a plan to bring Mahjong to the stylish masses."
The company's website currently offers five different collections ranging from $325 to $425.
The Mahjong Line also offers accessories, such as a playing mat priced at $50.
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Facing backlash: Several Facebook users expressed outrage over the products by commenting on The Mahjong Line's Facebook posts. Users accused the company of not having any employees of Asian descent and profiting off the whitewashing of a game with Chinese origins.
Several Twitter users also shared their opinions on The Mahjong Line:
This is extremely disrespectful and racist to my culture. Profiting off of 400+ years of Chinese history that dates all the way back to the Qing dynasty is WRONG. It doesn’t need a “respectful refresh” and it certainly doesn’t need your ugly ass designs. #themahjongline pic.twitter.com/ocqDMu3PtG
— 💎 (@sncerxlyknj) January 5, 2021
My culture is one of the oldest civilizations in the world. It is a product of thousands of years of tradition and history. My culture not some cheap coloring book that can be filled-in and be “made pretty” by the standards of privileged teenyboppers. #themahjongline pic.twitter.com/cbElPnzCcv
— Jeremy Lee (@JeremyLeeSF) January 5, 2021
What's happening? Colonizers Annie, Bianca and Kate have discovered a new and improved tile game, once known as mahjong but now is a reflection of their individual style and fun. This is a textbook example of #culturalappropriation so happy 2021 everyone. pic.twitter.com/EYNpwmeRFR
— “it’s allergies not Covid19, dear Caucasian” (@mskathykhang) January 4, 2021
Response to outrage: The Mahjong Line has yet to release a statement addressing the allegations of cultural appropriation, and the company has disabled comments on their Instagram posts. Their Facebook page is still currently active. NextShark has reached out to The Mahjong Line for comment via email, their Facebook page, and their Instagram account. No responses have been received yet. Featured Image via themahjongline.com
