Sangeetha Thanapal

Sangeetha Thanapal (born c. 1983)[1] is a Singaporean social critic and political activist.[1]

Political views

Thanapal has written prolifically on race relations in Singapore.[2][3] She uses the term "Chinese privilege" to describe perceived Chinese hegemony in Singapore, defining it "similarly to white privilege". According to Thanapal, "By virtue of being Chinese in Singapore, you start life at a higher place compared to minorities."[4]

In April 2015, she tweeted "Sometimes I can't help but hate Chinese pple [sic] just walking along the street, so clueless to my pain and suffering."[5][6]

In 2016, she described Chinese people as "super shitty"[7] and as "generally lacking self-awareness" on Twitter.[8]

In August 2015, she wrote on Facebook that Minister for Law and Foreign Affairs K. Shanmugam was an "Islamophobic bigot who thinks Malay-Muslims are a threat"; she later apologised to Shanmugam for her "unruly" remarks and took down her post.[9][10]

In April 2018, she wrote on Facebook that Singapore was a "terribly racist country" and a "Chinese supremacist shithole".[1]

In January 2019, the Singapore police issued her a stern warning for "promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion or race" under Section 298A of the country's penal code.[1]

In 2021, she tweeted that the Chinese are the "White people of Asia" and that she does not feel empathic over increased anti-Chinese sentiment and attacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11][12]

Personal life

Thanapal was raised in Singapore by a single mother of Indian Tamil ethnicity and attended the University of Sussex.[13] She moved to Melbourne, Australia in 2016.[3][14] She currently works at Emmanuel College Saint Paul’s campus teaching English.

References
  1. Yang, Calvin (29 January 2019). "Activist Sangeetha Thanapal issued stern warning for Facebook post that promotes ill will between races". The Straits Times. closed access
  2. Ives, Mike (16 August 2018). "For Some Viewers, 'Crazy Rich Asians' Is Not Asian Enough". The New York Times.
  3. Tan, Cher (8 October 2018). "Interview #75 — Sangeetha Thanapal". Liminal. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. Tan, Cher (8 January 2017). "What Privilege Looks Like in Singapore". Vice Media. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  5. "Twitter".
  6. "Twitter". Archived from the original on 2021-02-20. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  7. "Chinese pple are super shitty. They will insult u and then wonder why you're angry. Why don't u talk to me nicely?".
  8. "Chinese pple generally lack self-awareness of their dd to be treated special".
  9. "Law and Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam to make police report over 'inaccurate and seditious' Facebook post". The Straits Times. 28 August 2015.
  10. Philomin, Laura Elizabeth (29 August 2015). "Shanmugam meets with individual who made seditious remarks". Today.
  11. "Twitter". 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-02-20. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  12. "Twitter". 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-02-21. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  13. Wang, Beverley. "Who's on the team? Unpacking POC". ABC. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  14. Hajela, Deepti (13 August 2018). "'Crazy Rich Asians' spurs conversation over representation". Associated Press.
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