“As a Brown female plus size content creator in Singapore, I break biases just by existing in the space/industry that I’m in. In my work, I try my best to use comedy and satire on my platform to speak up for marginalised voices in Singapore and highlight issues like the lack of minority representation and racial injustice in SG.” – Preetipls
Preetipls x Vogue
https://twitter.com/plspreeti/status/1501030606230097924
Singapore Top Model Everything Preeti Nair, who is more famously known as Preetipls, was recently featured on Vogue alongside 10 other women in a piece that celebrates body-positivity and and self-care. In the piece, she penned a moving letter to herself:
The photos were first published 2 days ago on Vogue Taiwan’s Instagram page, before being picked up by Vogue Singapore on 7 March 2022.
A translated version of the caption that accompanied the post is appended:
“Aesthetic standards really have to go out. Whenever I post on social media, wear tighter, expose more skin, or wear different makeup, it is a “brave moment” for me. Every time I post, I feel a small part of me dying because I may be criticized or judged unkindly for it. When a slim white person does the same thing, they don’t usually receive much backlash, that’s normal. This is also why I think people of my skin color and body type should be “normalised”. I’m tired of all the problematic stereotypes in Singapore, I hope to continue using my platform to ridicule outdated concepts, and continue breaking all kinds of aesthetic standards and stereotypes.“
The Instagram post by Vogue Singapore featuring 2 photographs she took for Vogue garnered thousands of likes within the span of a few hours of publication.
The beautiful photos from Vogue Singapore were credited as follows:
Photography @alvinztang
Beauty direction @alli.teal
Beauty editor @danaonduty
Make-up and hair @marc_teng
Make-up and hair assistant @jiayulau
Production assistant @rexteo_
Featuring @preetipls in @cartier
Many Instagram users expressed their support for Preetipls in the comments section of the post.
Aashna, a make-up artist, thanked Preeti for always being the voice of brown women.
Vogue’s caption for the post featured a quote from Preetipls that touched on racism:
Everyone deserves to be comfortable in their own homes and by this, I mean a brown person should never be made to feel ashamed of their skin tone and it should not be second nature for them to be prepared to be mocked for the colour of their skin or how they look in their skin. The way I try to shift perspectives is simple—I do it by living my best life and being unapologetically myself and hopefully give space to everyone else to do the same
Preeti also thanked Vogue for the feature, and wished them a happy International Women’s Day.
At 11.00am on 8 March 2022, Preeti shared the photos on her own Instagram page and wished everyone a Happy International Women’s Day. Many familiar faces, including the actor Paul Foster and the singer Riley, expressed their awe and admiration for Preeti.
With her feature on Vogue, some quipped that it would only be a matter of time before the Government claims credit for this too.
@plspreeti making it to vogue 🔥
Waiting for Singapore government to claim this credit 🥲🤣— Я. (@raguugar) March 7, 2022
#BreakingTheBias
The theme for International Women’s Day in 2022 is “Breaking the Bias”. The campaign theme rallies women and men around the world to forge women’s equality and #BreakTheBias. Preetipls took some time off her busy schedule for a short interview with Wake Up Singapore on #BreakTheBias:
Q: What does empowering mean to you?
A: Empowering to me means speaking your truth and living your best life — in turn inspiring and giving space to others do to the same.
Q: Who are some women who have empowered and inspired you?
A: Myself! I think more women need to look inward and acknowledge everything they’ve accomplished in their own lives. We really don’t need to look too far for inspiration.
Q: The theme for IWD this year is breaking the bias, could you share some things on the biases that you had to experience and break?
A: As a Brown female plus size content creator in Singapore, I break biases just by existing in the space/industry that I’m in. In my work, I try my best to use comedy and satire on my platform to speak up for marginalised voices in Singapore and highlight issues like the lack of minority representation and racial injustice in SG.
Q: What advice would you give to young women growing up who do face discrimination?
A: Speak your truth and live your best life and know that the negative words of others have no power over you. Be kind to yourself, especially when the world isn’t.
Q: In your own words, what would an ideal Singapore be like for women?
A: An ideal Singapore is where women are empowered to speak their minds, safe to exist alone in public spaces, and where respect doesn’t have to be demanded or negotiated.
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