Have you heard of this thing called "Chinese Privilege" in Singapore?

It is this thing that somehow makes 70 percent of the population of Singapore, who are Chinese, very comfortable in their own skin but somehow they never questioned why that is the case?

Well, now you have.

The following 6 points about Chinese Privilege that have eluded you until now, are distilled from a 657-word essay, "To My Dear Fellow Singapore Chinese: Shut Up When a Minority is Talking about Race", by Adeline Koh on Medium:

1. Chinese Privilege is pervasive.

This is the counter-intuitive part: You are probably not aware of Chinese Privilege because it is so pervasive it becomes invisible and so normal.

2. Yet, Chinese Privilege is elusive.

Yet, despite its pervasiveness, there is little or no recognition of this concept within the national public sphere and discussions of race.

3. Chinese Privilege is deeply ironic.

Singaporean Chinese complain about experiencing racism, especially when overseas. But Singaporean Chinese are not averse to being racist themselves, especially towards the marginalised races.

4. Chinese Privilege has its fair share of deniers.

When Chinese Privilege is pointed out to Singaporean Chinese, they will put up defensive mechanisms to deflect it or plead ignorance about it.

5. Chinese Privilege naturally has the power to suppress.

Racially marginalised groups in Singapore are a reality, but Chinese Privilege prevents seeing these groups as such, or from their perspective.

6. However, Chinese Privilege has its saving grace.

Chinese Singaporeans cannot experience what it is like to be of a marginalised race. But that is no excuse not to be educated about the conditions of why this is so.

Top photo from Medium

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