There are so many negative stereotypes surrounding Singaporean girls. I can’t even count the number of times people have come to me complaining about my fellow country-women, demanding an explanation from me as to why they just can’t seem to be satisfied. But is that really the case?
Sure, all stereotypes have a basis in fact, but I feel like some of them are just disgruntled broken hearts pushing blame for their pain. And while I can’t vouch for every Singaporean lady out there, these are 10 stereotypes about the Singaporean girl that are simply redonkulous.
The stereotype: Singaporean girls are cold and aloof, not to mention demanding and impossible to please.
The truth: Maybe what you’re offering just isn’t what she’s looking for.
We’re not hard to please – we know what we want. And sometimes, what we want isn’t all that easy to find. This tweet says it all.
The truth: Although “Singapore very boring nothing to do” is a very common complaint among Singaporeans, Singaporean girls are definitely not boring. Now, I have never dated one romantically, but as far as outings with my girlfriends go, it’s never been anything short of fun.
The stereotype: We think we’re perfect and as a result have impossibly high standards
The truth: We say-say only lah please. When it comes down to it, we just want someone who loves us. I remember about 4 years ago, when a group of us were sitting in a circle talking about our “ideal guy” – he has to have abs, be able to drive, own a car, have a nice smile etc.
But now our boyfriends don’t have abs, can’t drive, don’t own a car, and we still love them to bits.
Also, to be fair, ask any guy about his ideal girl and impossible standards will also spill out of their mouths. But none of us really mean it, because when love happens, it happens.
The stereotype: We’re obsessed with our weight
The truth: Um…no. And even if some of us are, we still love food.
Food is an integral part of Singaporean culture and you can’t separate a Singaporean, guy or girl, from good food. For some reason, it’s always the non-locals who think this of us local girls. We’re not a fan of calories, but definitely a fan of food. It’s not the same!
The stereotype: Singaporean girls only want grand and extravagant gestures of love that require a lot of money.
The truth: I don’t know how this stereotype came about, but we all think it’s the cutest thing when you kiss us when we’re half asleep, and we love the way you play with our hair and we appreciate it when you try to shield us from the rain.
To give you an idea of what I’m talking about, this is how easy it is to placate us after you’ve done something really stupid. This is really all we need to hear:
Sure, it’s nice to receive a little gift every now and then, but it’s definitely not a dealbreaker if you don’t.
The stereotype: For some reason, Singaporean girls are always said to be clingy and insecure.
The truth: I really hate that I’m admitting this on the Internet, but I am an extremely insecure person. While for the most part, I don’t like being restrained in a relationship and need my own space, I still need to know that the boy I love cares for me too. Just a simple “how’s your day going?” can make all the difference.
No, I don’t want to put you in a chokehold, I just need reassurance sometimes. If it gets overwhelming, you can talk to us. Relationships are all about compromise, and we’re more than willing to do so within reasonable limits.
The stereotype: We’re materialistic – we want men with the 5 Cs and nothing less.
The truth: But now that I think about it, companionship starts with C too. Well, then I guess we just need 1 C. The other 5 are bonuses.
While material comfort and money are important, what’s most important in a life partner these days is the emotional connection. Are you a good companion to her? Is she a good companion to you? I know I hate it when I feel like I’m not being a good enough person for my partner. He makes me want to be better. And I’m not alone in this – many of my friends think the same way too.
Likewise, we value a person who’s on the same level as us, someone we can connect with. What’s the point of being rich if you’re miserable?
The stereotype: Singaporean women are becoming increasingly undomestic, and as such have less to offer.
The truth: This is annoying because so many of my friends are incredibly domestic – not me, but there are plenty of Singaporean women who are. It’s even more annoying because women have more to offer than her baking/cleaning prowess.
If all you’re looking for is someone to cook and clean, you’re looking for a domestic helper, not a girlfriend.
The stereotype: Like other stereotypical Asian women, we’re just there like decorative ornaments and don’t require “upkeep” outside of monetary maintenance.
The truth: No no no! This is the 21st century calling, get with the times please. Singaporean or Asian or whatever, no one is a decorative ornament. We’re all people with wants and needs. And “monetary maintenance” is the least of our concerns.
We need someone who can connect with us emotionally, intellectually, as well as physically. Once these connections are there, there’s no difficulty that can’t be overcome.
The truth: Many people hold this view of Singaporeans in general, actually, and I guess I can see why. But the thing is, we’re ultimately still human. We all have our own unique things to offer in a relationship, and there’s not really such a thing as “factory made”.
If she’s shy about expressing her own opinions, a little encouragement and acceptance is really all it takes. You never know – she may just surprise you with her complexity and depth of thought.
The hunt for that special someone is never easy, and even when you find that person, relationships require a lot of maintenance, the perfect amount of give and take, and of course, love. The last thing you need is to hold on to bitter pasts.
I know that I can’t speak for all Singaporean girls, and I know that stereotypes stem from reality, but sometimes you just have to look beyond these stereotypes, or you’ll approach these girls with a negative mindset and that just isn’t going to work. Maybe if you released us from these negative prejudices, you’ll find yourself having a better time too.
Feel free to add to the discussion or break more stereotypes in the comments section below!
Special thanks to the girls of TSL for their pictures! @chaverry, @beatriceleesn, @tippytoess, @bellywellyjelly and @cherylsuah.
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