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So yes, I'm with you, I think we desperately need to be talking about privilege in our discussions about race in Singapore. All forms of privilege, be it gender-based, race-based, heterosexuality-based, class-based. (Oh, especially class-based! Class privilege is becoming increasingly problematic in Singapore.) Not just so we can examine our various privileges, but also because doing so will change the whole conversation about race in Singapore. I know how empowered I, personally, felt when I was able to frame my own experiences in the broader framework of privilege and entitlement as tools of oppression, and I think Singaporeans desperately. I think this is all the more true in Singapore, where it is even harder for the various oppressed classes to make their grievances heard. Take for example, public conversations about race. The authorities seem to think that a honest, open discussion about race will automatically spiral into race riots. Mind you, this isn't a complete indictment of the official policies of racial integration and tolerance that we've had in Singapore. I've never had to worry about racially-motivated violence or anything, and it's true, in terms of racial tolerance, we are doing so much better than many other societies. But that's all it is - racial tolerance. If we want to move from racial tolerance (which we do so well!) to true racial harmony, then we need to start having honest, open, and often uncomfortable discussions, starting with privilege.

And I've seen many instances of the resentment brewing under the calm waters of racial tolerance (in terms of racism) and meritocracy (in terms of class stratification) and the only way we can deal with these tensions is to acknowledge privilege.



Btw, re: your relationship with British man, yes, we do not operate in a vacuum and everything we do has implications but I don't think anyone could accuse you of being a bad feminist or a bad Asian woman for being in this relationship! It's one thing if your relationship with each other was in fact racialised but it's not. He's not with you because you're Chinese and you're not with him because he's white. And you're not reinforcing the stereotype that Asian women like white men, because in truth, Asian women do like white men, just like Asian women like East Asian men and South Asian men and black men and brown men. Asian women like men (and women) all across the board and if people have difficulty understanding that, that's their problem and not yours. Stereotypes are not your cross to bear.