Sarong Party Girl (also known as SPG) is a derogatory term used in Singapore and (to a lesser extent) in Peninsular Malaysia.
It describes a local, solely Asian woman (e.g., a Chinese or Malay girl) who usually dresses and behaves in a provocative manner, and who exclusively dates and prefers white men. This can be considered a variant of the Pinkerton Syndrome. The Sarong Party Girl stereotype was popularised by a series of humorous books by Jim Aitchison in the 1990s, offering a satirical portrayal of the SPG and related aspects of Singaporean culture.
The term has its fairly innocuous roots in the late 1940s-early 1950s when Singapore was still ruled by the British. As a general practice, the British forces personnel socialised very much among themselves, according to their military ranks and status (i.e. officers as opposed to enlisted men). However, there were some instances when specific local "guests" were invited to social functions hosted by the British. The term 'Sarong Party' came into use to describe social functions which included local invited 'ladies'. The sarong is a wrap-around skirt that is part of Malay formal dress, popular among local men and women of the time. It is still worn today. Over time, the term has taken on a somewhat more derogatory meaning.
Read more about Sarong Party Girl: Common Stereotypes
Famous quotes containing the words party and/or girl:
“Last night, party at Lansdowne-House. Tonight, party at Lady Charlotte Greville’s—deplorable waste of time, and something of temper. Nothing imparted—nothing acquired—talking without ideas—if any thing like thought in my mind, it was not on the subjects on which we were gabbling. Heigho!—and in this way half London pass what is called life.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“Lisa Fremont: Surprise is the most important element of attack. And besides, you’re not up on your private eye literature. When they’re in trouble it’s always their girl Friday who gets them out of it.
L.B. Jeffries: Well, is she the girl who saves him from the clutches of the seductive show girls and the over passionate daughters of the rich?
Lisa Fremont: The same.
L.B. Jeffries: That’s the one, huh? But he never ends up marrying her, does he? That’s strange.”
—John Michael Hayes (b. 1919)