Sara Duterte: I cut my hair short when I want to be a man

MANILA, Philippines — Saying she is also a part of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) community, vice presidential candidate Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio said Thursday she cuts her hair when she wants to be a man.

Speaking before the group LGBT Pilipinas in Quezon City, Duterte-Carpio recalled an encounter with a supporter during her campaign.

“Sabi niya, ‘Hindi, mahal ka namin dahil mahal mo ang LGBT.’ Sabi ko naman sa kanya, paanong hindi ko ba mamahalin ang LGBT e LGBT din ako?’” Duterte-Carpio said.

(They said, ‘No, we love you because you love the LGBT.’ I told them, how can I not love the LGBT when I am part of the LGBT?)

“Sa gender stereotyping, ang sinasabi nila ang lalaki maikli ang buhok, ang babae mahaba ang buhok. Kaya po minsan nakikita ninyo maikli ang buhok ko; gusto ko po maging lalaki nyan. Pag ayaw ko na po maging lalaki, pinapahaba ko po ang aking buhok,” she added.

(In gender stereotyping, they say men should have short hair and women should have long hair. That is why sometimes you see me with short hair; I want to be a man then. When I don’t want to be a man, I grow out my hair.)

Duterte-Carpio, however, said that she is not attracted towards woman, adding that she is only drawn to work stereotypically associated with men.

“So in-explain nya sa akin. Sabi nya ang sexual orientation mo ay babae, ang gender expression mo ay lalaki,” Duterte-Carpio said.

(so they explained it to me. They said that your sexual orientation is female, and your gender expression is male.)

“Kaya wag po kayong magtaka, paminsan-minsan mawawala yung buhok ko dahil, pag-short hair sinasabi nila lalaki ako. Pag gusto naman magmukhang babae, pinapahaba ko ang buhok ko,” she added.

(So you don’t need to wonder why sometimes I have short hair because that’s when I want to be a man. When I want to look like a woman, I grow out my hair.)

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