This year, National Day is going to be a little quieter. The streets won’t be crowded with people sporting red and white, and no one has plans for big National Day Celebration watch parties.
But while you’re wallowing in sadness from the lack of festivities, it’s important to remember your significance as a Singaporean woman. Being a woman in Singapore gives you rights that are not common in some countries.
We speak to the women of Her World Tribe to find out their favourite Singaporean dish, what they love about home and, most importantly, their thoughts on being a woman in Singapore.
What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
During National Day Weekend, I love to see flags hanging off HDB blocks. But what fills my heart with pride is the buzz we see on the streets on 9 August: The sight of people dressed in red and white as they enjoy the day with their families and the sound of the national day parade playing as everyone is watching it on television.
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What does it mean to you to be a woman in Singapore today?
As a woman in Singapore, I feel proud that fellow Singapore women are so enterprising and work hard to earn their bread and butter in a competitive market like Singapore.
I love how we work hard and play hard too.
My future wish for Singapore women is that they should feel safer in Singapore where it concerns punishment of harassment and rape cases in our judiciary system.
I wish to see more women to be business leaders, CEOs and directors of companies and I also wish for equal pay for women and men.
Of course, there are more women in parliament now but I would love to see a ratio of 50-50 in parliament.
The women who inspire me are:
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
She was a professor at Rutgers Law School and Columbia Law School, teaching civil procedure as one of the few women in her field.
Ginsburg spent a considerable part of her legal career as an advocate for the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights, winning multiple arguments before the Supreme Court.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was nominated by President Bill Clinton on June 14, 1993 and has served since August 10, 1993.
- Beyonce
She is such an inspiring woman, having a successful career in music, managing her 3 children and being such a big supporter of women in general!
Her documentary, Homecoming, which was featured on Netflix was such an inspiration to watch!
How she led a whole team by supporting them, got back to performing after giving birth and being such an A-class performer all at once!
- My mother
My mother has brought up 3 strong daughters in a country like Singapore by working hard as a Hindi School teacher for 35 years, managing the kitchen and being such a big supporter to my father.
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
I am vegetarian so the endless supply of Veg Chicken Rice from Gokul restaurant, and basically all of the vegetarian restaurants in Fortune Centre!
What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
It’s great how safe it is to go around! I love how I can head out at any time of the day and feel safe. I’m big on walking and I really love how walkable the city is.
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What does it mean to you to be a woman in Singapore today?
It means having a voice in the spaces I take up. It is a privilege, and I hope for all female-identifying individuals in Singapore to have the same.
I grew up in an all-girls’ school and I feel this had a huge part to play in empowering me as a woman, as there was not ‘other’ gender in the room to compare to.
Sometimes I do wonder how different things would be if I grew up in a co-ed environment!
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
Popiah! I’m a sucker for it. If I could, I’d want to taste all the popiahs around Singapore!
What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
I absolutely love the weather in Singapore, having summer every day is a total dream come true. Growing up on the west coast of Canada I really struggled with the cold and rain. Singapore’s sunshine feeds my soul.
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What does it mean to you to be a woman in Singapore today?
I think it’s an extraordinary time to be a woman in Singapore. I’m incredibly inspired by the increasing amount of women who are challenging the status quo and using their voice and respective platforms to shed light on issues that really matter the most.
Whether it’s the state of our environment, mental health, or conversations around inclusivity – my local heroes have never let me down when it comes to speaking up and taking action.
I couldn’t be more proud to call Singapore my home.
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
Chicken Rice with extra chili sauce from the Marina Bay Sands Rasapura Food court.
When I first moved to Singapore in 2014 I ate Chicken Rice every day and if I’m being truly honest sometimes it was even twice a day.
I am still totally addicted – but I’d like to think I have a better sense of moderation.
What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
I love our beautiful green public spaces, like our nature reserves and parks. They are truly special, and such gems, especially in such an urban city.
Most are well-maintained and well-planned out, with ample modern conveniences, such as water coolers and washrooms, and there are some that are deliberately left more “wild”. But with features such as boardwalks and paths, people who are not so used to Mother Nature in her 100% untamed glory can still enjoy these spaces.
Another thing I cherish about our green spaces is that they are completely free – meaning everyone has access to enjoy them, not just those who are more affluent.
Growing up, my family did not have spare cash for regular luxuries, and so we spent almost every weekend at the beach together, because it did not cost us a cent to be able to enjoy family time in the beauty of nature like that. And I appreciate how it still doesn’t cost anything.
I think we take so much for granted in Singapore, and it actually makes me sad when fellow Singaporeans have nothing but complaints about our country.
I have enjoyed treetop walks in New Zealand and in California – I remember them costing as much as 25 Singapore dollars.
It made me appreciate our (totally free) Treetop Walk at MacRitchie even more. Don’t even get me started on the 25 Euro price tag to sit on a beach in St Tropez – and it wasn’t even a sandy beach, but one filled with pebbles! This Singaporean girl scoffed and walked off.
What does it mean to you to be a woman in Singapore today?
I appreciate so much the freedom we have as women in Singapore. How we are respected and appreciated, mostly as equals.
This cannot be taken for granted, especially because I see women in other countries still not possessing much less rights than men.
I hope more women will dare to explore; to go where others have not, to take the path less travelled, and have the courage to live the life less commonly lived in Singapore.
Pat Law is a woman who inspires me in this way. She didn’t come from a silver spoon background; started and grew her agency from nothing – a great testament to the social mobility we had in Singapore (I hope we work more on maintaining that!)
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
Hands down this would be meepok dry, with extra chilli! I like them in all styles (haha).
I like the one where the fishballs, fishcake and fish dumplings are the speciality; the very pork-based, vinger-heavy one in the style of Hill Street Tai Hwa at Crawford Lane; the “Fengshan stye” where the minced meat is very juicy and sweet and the star of the dish; the “Jalan Tua Kong” style with its mish mash of ingredients that run the gamut of sliced pork, minced pork, fishball, meatball, fishcake and prawns.
I can literally eat this dish daily.
And no, I cannot tell you which the best stall is, because it is unfair to compare them bowl to bowl if they are done in a different style – it’s like comparing apples to oranges, and is not a fair comparison.
Yes, I get very annoyed when a person says stall ABC is better than stall XYZ – when the two are not done in the same style! Person obviously does not understand the nuances of the dish.
I also get slightly offended when a person orders the dish sans chilli (worse, with just ketchup!), and also when they opt for mee tai bak instead of meepok as the base. Sacrilegious!
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What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
I love that we have small, close-knit communities. And not to mention, the wide selection of food available!
What does it mean to be a woman in Singapore today?
I would say it is a blessing to be a woman in Singapore. Compared to other communities, women here are treated with more respect and compassion.
There is also a very strong sense women support, and advocacy groups (AWARE and The Crib Society) are always lending support to specific female groups.
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
Meepok and Teh-C! I really love the ones from hill street Tai Kwa And Jalan Tua Kong.
What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
I love the food, weather and it’s where family is!
What does it mean to you to be a woman in Singapore today?
Being a woman in Singapore is definitely liberating. I feel extremely blessed that I am able to feel safe and protected.
There are also networking opportunities with other women of varied nationalities and status levels.
There’s a level of respect for female space and I appreciate the support we have for us to thrive.
Women in Singapore lift each other and empower each other by sharing resources, which I really appreciate.
As a mother, I am glad that my daughters live in a clean and safe environment. And they also get to celebrate all cultures, cuisines and people during the colourful festivals.
My greatest aspiration is for more women leaders and girls from Singapore to showcase their talents on the world stage.
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
Chicken Rice!
What’s your favourite thing about Singapore?
Accessibility – in all sense of the word! It’s so easy to get from place to place in Singapore within minutes.
And, our passport is one of the most recognised passports with visa exemptions to practically every country.
Singapore is also a hub connecting Asia to rest of world, making it so convenient to travel!
What does it mean to you to be a woman in Singapore today?
To me, I appreciate our safety and security, as I don’t fear taking walks alone at night. The melting pot of cultures makes it one of the best countries to bring up children and teach them acceptance and tolerance.
The world we live in today offers so much diversity and equal opportunities for women to become entrepreneurs; to excel and lead, whether in academia, the workforce or even politics.
What’s even more evident is the strong network of women support groups in business and communities.
Given our diverse perspective, unique experiences and position in the world, my hope for women in Singapore is to play a bigger role to promote harmony, inclusivity and cohesiveness. Embrace motherhood as a beautiful life progression, and not a deterrent to achieving your career goals and personal dreams.
I aim to do more to support working mothers and encourage them to prolong their breastfeeding journeys by creating more awareness amongst business communities and the public. At Hegen, it’s a mission of ours to normalise pumping at the workplace.
When it comes to motherhood and breastfeeding, there is no set rule. I always tell mothers to do what feels right. You do you!
I have lots of respect for someone like Claire Chiang, co-founder of Banyan Tree, who inspires me immensely. She is a trailblazer of her time. Claire and her husband, Ho Kwon Ping, are truly couple goals for me and my husband, Leon.
She has built a successful legacy for herself as a business woman, while still maintaining a strong family bond with her children and grandchildren. She is the quintessential big sister mentor to other women entrepreneurs and continues to serve and help the community.
On top of that, she is a multi-linguist and published author! Every time I meet her, she is always full of energy, positivity, compassion and kindness.
What is the one Singaporean dish you’d like to have an endless supply of?
Bak Kut Teh! The white peppery version with the “dragon” ribs! I can have it for breakfast, lunch and dinner and sometimes supper!!! Hahaha.
