Three white women are being accused of appropriating Chinese culture and 'colonizing' Mahjong by redesigning the tiles to be more 'stylish' and selling them for up to $425 a pop.  The Mahjong Line is a Dallas-based company that sells colorful Mahjong sets with reimagined designs — which the founders claim give it a 'refresh' to 'elevate your game' and will 'bring Mahjong to the stylish masses.' But critics on social media say it's just another egregious example of white people 'colonizing BIPOC's cultural heritage' and that their 'gentrification' of a centuries-old game is offensive and unwelcome.

Uproar: Three white women are being accused of appropriating Chinese culture and 'colonizing' Mahjong by redesigning the tiles to be more 'stylish' and selling them for $425 New look: The Mahjong Line is a Dallas-based company that sells colorful Mahjong sets with reimagined designs — which the founders claim give it a 'refresh' to 'elevate your game' Founders: Kate LaGere, Annie O'Grady, and Bianca Watson launched The Mahjong Line in Dallas in November The Mahjong line launched on November 5, 2020 selling several sets of Mahjong tiles priced between $325 and $425.  According to screengrabs from the brand's website — which has since been deleted — the company was founded by Kate LaGere, who likes the game but said the traditional tiles 'did not reflect the fun that was had when playing with her friends.' 'And nothing came close to mirroring her style or personality,' the site went on.  She teamed up with her friends and Mahjong partners Annie O'Grady and Bianca Watson, and together the three 'hatched a plan to bring Mahjong to the stylish masses.' The women say their line gives Mahjong a 'modern makeover' and is 'not your mama's Mahjong.'  They claim their tiles, which feature original artwork, can 'elevate your game to a new level of giddiness,' and are also easier to identify.

RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next 'It's an awkward and embarrassing time for her': go.id Hilaria... Why China WILL back down on trade war with Australia: Expert... Share this article Share Bored! Kate likes the game but said the traditional tiles (pictured) 'did not reflect the fun that was had when playing with her friends' Inappropriate? The website also explained that Katie couldn't find anything that 'came close to mirroring her style or personality' They're on it!

The three women 'hatched a plan to bring Mahjong to the stylish masses' But when social media users became aware of the company, many were not impressed.  The women of The Mahjong Line have been accused of cultural appropriation for taking license with the game, bad taste for the redesigns, gentrification for charging so much per set, and ignorance for mahjong whitewashing the history of the game. Fashion watchdog Diet Prada shared a lengthy post about the controversy, writing: 'It never ceases to amaze how white people can find new ways to colonize BIPOC's cultural heritage.

'They invite you to "celebrate the joie de vivre of mahjong" for no reason beyond white women loving French phrases?' Diet Prada's post went on.   'Meanwhile, references to Mahjong's origins are scant, a mere three links under "history" and lines in the FAQ that do more to justify the whitewashing of the game than provide any history. ' Twitter users have piled on the criticism as well.  In trouble: The women of The Mahjong Line have been accused of cultural appropriation for taking license with the game Not into it: Others have slammed them for bad taste for the new designs Though the women claim the new design improves legibility, critics point out that they make it harder because all the sets are different and unrecognizable 'American'?