‘Women age you’: is Philippines’ Duterte sexist, or a clever politician?
- The Philippine president is once again in hot water, this time for sexist jokes with an old school friend
- A popular psychologist says he deliberately causes outrage for political gain
The latest uproar follows Duterte’s visit to Camarines Sur province on Sunday for a briefing on relief operations following Typhoon Vamco.
Recognising a local official as an old school friend, Duterte introduced the man saying: “We’re classmates but his time was wasted on, you know... He’s aged because, you know, sobrang babae [too many women] – that can really age you.”
The official responded with a pun, saying that far from having too many women a congressman had told him he was “undersexed” and that the cure was for Duterte to promote him from “under-sec” to secretary.
Later in the meeting, when the former classmate told Duterte a common friend had died of Covid-19, Duterte responded with a moment of silence, then an expletive, followed by the remark: “If that’s so it was because he didn’t get enough women”.
On social media, the exchange was criticised as sexist, tasteless and inappropriate.
Vice-President Leni Robredo was among those who criticised the remarks. She told ABS-CBN news: “For me during times where we are going through severe crisis the message is very important that we are giving utmost urgency to things that are really urgent.”
Dr Margie Holmes, a popular sex therapist and clinical psychologist, said the jokes were sexist and that Duterte’s behaviour was aimed at offending and agitating his critics.
