Dissent and Disinformation: Outlining Duterte's Gendered Discourses and #BabaeAko Movement's Gendered Counter-Discourses in the Philippines

Abstract

Populism is just as much about rhetoric and discourse as it is about policies and programs. Using discourse analysis on the pronouncements of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, his cabinet members, and #BabaeAko's responses to these pronouncements, this study aims to examine the Philippine experience with gendered populist discourse and #BabaeAko movement gendered counter-discourse. This article aims to achieve three things. First, outline the gendered discursive battle against misogyny between Duterte and #BabaeAko, a women's rights movement in the Philippines. Second, show how #BabaeAko creates a feminist counter-discourse to reposition themselves as contra to what Duterte’s discourse defines them. Lastly, show that Duterte's responses to these counter-discourses take a disinformative character with the aim of preserving his popular legitimacy.