“Internet trolls don’t mean much to me when I’ve been harassed by real-life trolls: people who literally camped outside my house, harassed my mother, made constant calls, and stalked us – all this, and all I did was to be born.”
Not too long ago, during a recent therapy session, Preeti Nair had a significant realisation about her outlook on life. “This year was the first time I finally acknowledged how pessimistic I am,” she says. “As much as I will try to justify [my thinking] as being practical or logical, it’s actually really negative.”
Who can blame her? The past four years have been undeniably challenging for Preeti. She received a conditional warning from the police for a controversial parody video and lost her father to suicide – last month, her brother was handed a six-week jail sentence by the State Courts. That’s a lot for anyone to deal with, particularly when you’re in the public spotlight, and have embraced the role of being a voice (albeit a humorous one) for the under-represented in Singapore.
A COMPELLING VOICE FOR CHANGE
Preeti gained popularity online in 2016 after she released a viral parody in response to a video that featured insensitive critiques of Singaporeans’ fashion choices. She transitioned to working full-time as) in 2017. On social media and in videos, Preeti is extroverted with a larger-than-life personality.
