Vice presidential candidate and Davao city mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Thursday said she identifies with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual (LGBT) community, citing the time when she cut her hair short because she wants to be a man.
During her meeting with the group LGBT Pilipinas in Quezon City, the presidential daughter called an instance wherein members of the LGBT expressed love for her during her “Mahalin Natin Ang Pilipinas” ride.
"Sabi niya, ‘Mahal na mahal ka namin, Inday Sara.’ Sabi ko, ‘Mahal ko po kayo, mahalin natin ang Pilipinas,’" she said.
"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?" she added.
According to Duterte, this was the reason why she decided to once cut her hair short.
"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 niyan. Pag ayaw ko na po maging lalaki, pinapahaba ko po ang aking buhok," she said.
"Totoo po ‘yan. Tinanong ko po ang human resource namin dahil isa po siyang LGBT. Sabi ko, ‘Bakit paminsan-minsan gusto ko maging lalaki, minsan gusto ko maging babae? Pero madalas gusto ko yung mga gawain ng lalaki pero hindi naman ako attracted sa babae,’” she said. "So in-explain nya sa akin. Sabi niya ang sexual orientation mo ay babae, ang gender expression mo ay lalaki."
But then she also clarified that she was not attracted to woman at that time.
"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 said.
