it is so totally fucked that this is the headline and framing that the press has gone with. short thread

male migrant workers and female migrant workers occasionally enter romantic relationships. they’re adults and it’s nobody’s business. Work Permit holders (“foreign workers” but not “expats”) actually aren’t allowed to marry Singaporeans/PR/ without state permission btw look

some employers of domestic workers are terrified of this because they’re worried about how they will be affected. they don’t want male migrant workers in their houses while they’re out and they don’t want their domestic workers to fall pregnant.

domestic workers are sent for medical checkups every 6 months. this includes a pregnancy test. domestic workers who fail their 6ME have their work permits cancelled and are sent home immediately

employers of domestic workers also have a tendency to treat their workers like children and police their behaviour. it’s common to hear reports that mobile phone usage is monitored, wifi access is withheld, and that makeup and “flashy” outfits are prohibited even on off days

this is partly because employers are liable for a $5000 security bond if any of the Work Permit conditions are violated. This doesn’t apply to “helper’s violations” (like pregnancy) but there is still a lot of misinformation among employers. also, some employers are racist

when it was announced that migrant worker dorms were the site of COVID clusters, the most racist employers got worked up and worried about their domestic workers “bringing the infection back with them”

ofc, domestic helpers were much less mobile than their employers before the circuit breaker restrictions came into effect because many employers forbade them from leaving the house on their days off. if anything, employers were a risk to their workers. not the other way around

the decision to frame the news as “domestic workers didn’t get COVID from construction workers” instead of “domestic workers infected by employers” is deliberate. it legitimises the employers’ fears and assuages them instead of signalling that they were racist to begin with!!