Perspectives
Essays that offer bold opinions, fresh insights and thought-provoking takes on the topics that matter
28d ago
The new frontline of gender-based violence is online: women’s safety must extend to the digital world
It’s time to close the digital gender gap, hold tech platforms accountable and ensure women can participate safely in online spaces, says Christine Arab, regional director of UN Women Asia and the Pacific, as we kick off the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence campaign
Nov 11, 2025
Opinion: Em-dash nation—how punctuation becomes a fingerprint of artificial writing
Punctuation has become the surest way to tell the difference between thought and algorithm, and the em-dash is its clearest tell
Nov 10, 2025
Why Shay Mitchell’s Rini isn’t the villain we’re making it out to be
When Shay Mitchell—actress, entrepreneur and founder of travel brand Béis—announced the launch of Rini, a Korean beauty-inspired skincare line for children as young as three, the internet collectively lost its mind. But is it really as bad as people are making it out to seem?
Nov 4, 2025
Opinion: what the 6.9 quake that shook the Philippines taught and the blind spots it exposed
When the 6.9 Cebu earthquake hit, it exposed not just a fault line but also the deeper cracks in how we think, plan and prepare for disaster
Nov 3, 2025
Opinion: against silence—the literary necessity of showing up at the Frankfurt Book Fair
At Frankfurt, showing up meant taking a stand against silence and reclaiming the space where stories still matter
Nov 3, 2025
Opinion: “Passing on wealth isn’t merely a numbers game; it’s a battle against human nature”
The great wealth transfer is in motion, and it will see about US$84 trillion in assets change hands from baby boomers to their millennial and Gen Z heirs by 2045. Andrew Hendry, Asia CEO at Janus Henderson Investors, explains why this takes on a uniquely profound dimension in Asia
Jun 20, 2025
Opinion: beyond duck, cover and hold: why geologist Mahar Lagmay believes it’s time to rethink earthquake drills
With “The Big One” predicted to strike Metro Manila in our lifetime, Mahar Lagmay, Filipino geologist and Project Noah executive director, dismantles a dangerous myth: that surviving an earthquake is just about ducking for cover
Oct 9, 2025
Opinion: who wants to live forever? Our pursuit of longevity may come at the cost of meaning
From ancient myth to modern medicine, the dream to live longer has moved into the lab
Sep 19, 2025
Opinion: stop avoiding friction in your startup—it’s actually essential for growth
IGL Coatings founder Keong Chun Chieh reflects on how he transformed a stubborn lab oxidation problem into a global nanotechnology company developing ceramic coatings for automotive and industrial applications
Sep 11, 2025
One in four women consider leaving work over menopause. Here’s why that should alarm business leaders
Ignoring menopause at work isn’t just impacting women’s health and careers—it’s draining talent, productivity and competitiveness across Asia
Aug 12, 2025
Opinion: what Bali activist Melati Wijsen learnt after over a decade on the frontline
At the age of 12, activist Melati Wijsen led a successful campaign that resulted in the ban of single-use plastic bags in Bali. Twelve years later, what are her current endeavours?
Aug 4, 2025
Opinion: the AI we built for convenience has a hidden cost: our humanity
Are relationships better when they are convenient, friction-free, conflict-free and can be turned on and off at will? And what are the ramifications and hidden costs of artificial—or AI relationships? Jeanne Lim questions whether in our pursuit of efficiency, comfort and convenience, we are outsourcing our humanity to machines
Jun 16, 2025
Opinion: Why it costs us millions when women don’t negotiate their salaries
Women are significantly less likely than men to negotiate their starting salaries—a hesitation that can cost up to US$1 million over the course of a career. Compensation expert Souhila Keffi explores why this gap persists, and why negotiating your salary isn’t just smart but a quiet act of leadership
Jun 13, 2025
Hong Kong must embrace modern fertility policies to empower individuals and address its demographic crisis
As Hong Kong considers lifting its ten-year storage limit for eggs, sperm and embryos, Legislative Council member Nixie Lam, who has been a vocal advocate, and Sow Fertility founder Dawn Chan discuss what it will take to support reproductive choice
Jun 3, 2025
Opinion: Walking away after 12 years: letting go of the business that defined me
Entrepreneur Koh Kai Xin discusses her decision to move on from HighSpark, a communications consulting and training startup, she co-founded
May 8, 2025
Opinion: Why representation matters at global events like Met Gala 2025 and how jewellery can start a cultural dialogue
From ancestral cowrie shells to 20-carat diamonds, this year’s star-studded homage to Black dandyism elevated accessories from mere adornment to powerful cultural statements. Tatler discusses why representation matters through choice of jewellery and its symbolism at world events like the Met Gala 2025
May 5, 2025
Covid changed everything, so I quit: AA Patawaran on walking away from lifestyle journalism
AA Patawaran, former lifestyle editor for 30 years, reflects on the life-changing transformations brought about by the pandemic, examining not only the evolution of work but also the profound changes in our collective psyche and daily lives
Apr 23, 2025
AI is transforming work—but women risk being left behind
Feon Ang, managing director, Asia Pacific at LinkedIn, shares how a skills-first approach can empower women to thrive in an AI-driven future
Apr 10, 2025
Opinion: How ‘The White Lotus’ season 3 is flouting the ‘Instagram face’ with lead characters sporting natural teeth and receding hairline
Blackpink’s Lisa? Patrick Schwarzenegger? Parker Posey? If you ask us, the breakout stars of ‘The White Lotus’ season 3 were natural teeth and receding hairlines
Apr 4, 2025
Lessons from ‘Adolescence’: How parents, guardians and educators can combat the rise in online misogyny and build a stronger consent culture
Owen Cooper just won the Best Actor at Emmys 2025 for Netflix’s ‘Adolescence’, in which he plays a young boy who falls prey to toxic masculinity ideologies on the internet. Inclusive intimacy educator Mary Foxworth shares how to equip boys with the tools to build respectful relationships and a strong consent culture
Mar 21, 2025
Why is the gender pain gap overlooked and what can be done to address it?
For She Speaks, Luüna founder Olivia Cotes-James shares her personal journey in diagnosing menstrual migraines and how dismantling the stigma surrounding menstrual health can help bridge the gender pain gap at the workplace
Mar 13, 2025
Opinion: How women working on female empowerment all year round really feel about International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day is a great occasion to remind the world of the importance of advocating for gender equality. But once March 8 is over, what’s truly left of it? Tatler asks its editors and members of the community who work on supporting women all year round
Feb 19, 2025
‘You are not alone in your fight against eating disorders’: Olympic athlete Heather Fisher on her 20-year-long battle with anorexia
Ahead of the UK’s National Eating Disorders Awareness Week from February 24 to March 2, Olympic rugby player and activist Heather Fisher opens up about her struggles with eating disorders and how they continue to impact her life in her 40s
Dec 12, 2024
Opinion: Too many healthcare systems fail women and children—here’s how we can fix them
Shruti Lohia Hora, director of Indorama Healthcare and AVPN Asia Gender Network member, shares her healthcare system experiences and how women and children can be better supported
Nov 19, 2024
Hong Kong trans-activist Henry Tse talks about toxic masculinities and why no man should be left behind by gender equality
For International Men’s Day, Henry Tse, founder and chair of Transgender Equality Hong Kong, continues a conversation from The Women’s Foundation 20th Anniversary Gender Equality Summit on ‘rethinking masculinity’
Nov 6, 2024
After 25 years of running tech startups, I still get these questions as a female founder
Kiddocare founder Nadira Yusoff shares her story of running a thriving tech business and managing self-doubt even after more than two decades in the tech industry
Sep 25, 2024
Opinion: We’re experiencing a female digital revolution; we must let it thrive
The digital revolution is transforming industries and society at an unprecedented pace. To unlock its full potential, more women must be empowered to lead, innovate and champion equality, argues Nimisha Tailor, author of the forthcoming book, The Female Digital Revolution
Aug 24, 2024
Opinion: How can we talk about domestic violence without romanticising it?
The widespread criticism against Blake Lively’s promotion of her new film ‘It Ends With Us’ has sparked discussions around the nuances of discussing domestic violence; women’s rights activists Rozana Isa and Tehmina Kaoosji weigh in with their thoughts
Aug 23, 2024
Opinion: Hong Kong non-binary bodybuilder Siufung Law on the Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting controversies, and how transphobia affects sports
Siufung Law, a non-binary bodybuilder and PhD candidate at the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Emory University, talks to Tatler Front & Female about the impact of transphobia in sports, as seen in the cases of Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting at the Paris Olympics
Jul 18, 2024
Opinion: Public art has the power to transform communities, revitalise spaces and uplift people
Malaysian architectural designer Pamela Tan talks about her inspiring, challenging, and comforting installations and their contribution to public spaces
Jun 20, 2024
‘But who are you?’ Former Miss Universe Singapore on the first Miss AI beauty pageant and what it says about the worth of women
Tatler’s digital editor for Gen.T, Valerie Lim, who was Miss Universe Singapore 2011, discusses the role of the beauty pageant, evolving beauty standards and what’s missing from the world’s first AI-generated beauty contest, Miss AI
May 10, 2024
Opinion: Singapore’s Anita Fam, a veteran public services leader, says philanthropy needs to evolve
High-net-worth individuals are now getting used to novel models of sustained and amplified giving. Singaporean social services leader Anita Fam guides big-hearted givers to take more risks and, in the process, help charities become stronger and more innovative
Apr 20, 2024
Opinion: Nanette Medved-Po believes that we can be the generation that ends the plastic crisis
Philippine philanthropist Nanette Medved-Po says that Asia, the epicenter of the marine plastic crisis, can also be the region that leads the fight against it
