although hicks was deemed controversial by many during her lifetime because of her willingness to openly discuss human sexuality, singaporean literary scholars today deem her voice as a pivotally important one for interpreting contemporary singaporean society. hicks' legacy today is one of an important transitional social figure between old and new singapore during its period of broad-scale societal changes under the forces of globalisation. her death resulted in the loss of a singaporean national voice that was both growing and important yet internally conflicted. criticisms by singaporean traditionalists during her modelling and authoring careers continually vexed hicks' conscience and helped drive her to re-evaluate her life. hicks ultimately made a sustained series of traditionalist choices during the latter years of her life.