Preetipls says she's tired of being treated as the 'keeper of the Indian race'

From sharing links to vital resources to drowning out racist hashtags with K-pop fancams, the power of social media in spreading awareness of pertinent social issues is undeniable.

But it can also be a double-edged sword.

In response to "countless" tweets and DMs on racial issues, YouTuber Preetipls declared in a series of tweets on June 3 that she was tired of being treated as the "keeper of the Indian race".

The messages she had received included racist tweets, people asking her to "call this person out" and those asking for her thoughts on certain issues.

"What do I think? I am f****** exhausted," Preetipls, whose real name is Preeti Nair, wrote.

To illustrate her point, Preeti brought up socialite Jamie Chua, who received backlash over an Instagram Story griping about her "disturbing nightmare" involving migrant workers "rushing into [her] house" back in April.

According to Preeti, Chua's business partner had personally contacted her to ask for advice in the wake of the scandal.

The woman, who Preeti did not name, also asked if she could keep Chua's Instagram Story "on the down low" and referred to Preeti as the "keeper of the Indian race".

Despite feeling offended by the comment and by having her number shared without her consent, Preeti said she entertained a call with Chua, taking it as an opportunity to educate someone with "an immense amount of privilege and resources".

Chua subsequently took her suggestions, making a public apology and donating to her crowdfunding campaign for migrant workers, Preeti said.

Subhas Nair, a rapper and Preeti's brother, had also referenced the controversy in a track released on May 4 titled Mada Sambrani — a Tamil slang for someone "slow on the uptake".

In a video that opened with a screenshot of Chua's Instagram Story, Subhas questioned: " Why you had to call my lil' sister for advice? She the only brown person you know in your life?"

AsiaOne has reached out to Chua for comment.

Pushing back against the "keeper" label and expectations to educate others, Preeti said she would be choosing to focus on her mental health from here on out.

"I've invested a lot of time in educating the ignorant. Please remember that Google is your friend, type it in sis."

Of course, she isn't giving up on using her platform for good — she will still be trying her best to educate others "if [she] has the capacity".

Preeti has long used her public platform to speak up about social issues and causes, from raising over $140,000 for migrant workers affected by Covid-19 to denouncing E-Pay's "brownface" advertisement with a controversial video that saw her and Subhas slapped with conditional warnings.

kimberlylim@asiaone.com