Bonny Hicks

Bonny Susan Hicks (5 January 1968 – 19 December 1997) was a Singapore Eurasian model and writer. After garnering fame as a model, she gained recognition for her contributions to Singaporean post-colonial literature and the anthropic philosophy conveyed in her works. Her first book, Excuse Me, Are You A Model?, is recognised as a significant milestone in the literary and cultural history of Singapore. Hicks later published a second book, Discuss Disgust, and many shorter pieces in press outlets, including a short-lived opinion column in a major Singaporean daily that was pulled due to public dissent from Singaporean traditionalists.

Hicks died at age 29 on 19 December 1997 when SilkAir Flight 185, which she was aboard, crashed into the Musi River on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing all 104 passengers. After her death, numerous publications, including the book Heaven Can Wait: Conversations with Bonny Hicks by Tal Ben-Shahar, featured her life and thought.

Although Hicks was deemed controversial by many during her lifetime because of her willingness to openly discuss human sexuality, her post-death legacy is understood to be important for Singaporean society. Hicks' legacy today remains as that of an important transitional social figure between old and new Singapore during its period of broadscale societal changes under the forces of globalisation. Her death resulted in the loss of a Singaporean national voice that was both growing and important, albeit a perhaps deeply flawed voice, considering the career-long push-back from Singaporean traditionalists that continually vexed her and likely informed her late-in-life decisions.