Target Lock: Examining the Gender-based Character Assassination of Leni Robredo in Social Media and its Impact on Public Perception and Electoral Success

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of gender-based character assassination (GBCA, henceforth used to refer to gender-based character assassination) targeting Filipino female leaders, focusing on Leni Robredo during the 2022 presidential elections. GBCA, defined as a ceaseless attack against an individual’s character to damage their reputation (Samoilenko et al., 2016), is particularly prevalent in the male-dominated political arena, amplified through social media. Using semi-structured interviews with Marikina City voters, discourse analysis of Facebook posts attacking Robredo, and a key informant interview (KII) with a member of an organization directly involved in Robredo’s campaign team, this study examines how GBCA reinforces gender stereotypes, shapes voter perceptions, and impacts electoral outcomes. The findings reveal that Robredo was subjected to GBCA through derogatory labels such as “Madumb” and stereotypes questioning women’s leadership capabilities. These attacks were more recognizable among her supporters, while non-supporters displayed internal misogyny and conformity to patriarchal norms. The study applies Kate Millett’s Sexual Politics Theory, which critiques how gender dynamics are social constructed and bell hooks’ Feminist Theory, particularly her analysis in Black Looks: Race and Representation (1992), to explore how social media GBCA reflects and perpetuates hegemonic narratives of gender and power. While GBCA reinforced harmful stereotypes, its effects on Robredo’s electoral loss was secondary to disinformation and the Marcos camp’s political machinery.