A social media post of transgender woman Gretchen Diez supposedly expressing ill feelings towards several schools and universities for not supporting her cause is fake.
Facebook (FB) page Yellow Army posted on Aug. 28 a quote card with Diez’ photo and a fabricated statement where she expressed resentment over the lack of support of educational institutions for her plans to run for public office to advocate for equality and change in the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) community:
“MASAMA ANG LOOB KO DAHIL AYAW AKONG SUPORTAHAN NG BUONG ATENEO, DLSU, CSA, BRENT, POVEDA, PHILIPPINE SCIENCE, U.P. AT IBA PANG MGA PAARALANG MAY MATATAAS NA ANTAS NG URI NG TAO AT MGA EDUKADO (I feel bad because people from Ateneo, DLSU, CSA, Brent, POVEDA, Philippine Science, U.P. and other schools with highly educated people don’t want to support me).”
The statement is fake.
No news reports, interviews nor posts on her social media accounts show that Diez made the statement.
A reverse image search shows the photo on the quote card was a screenshot from a video of Diez’ interview in an Aug. 24 media forumin Quezon City. where she said she was open to running for public office as she has been given “the education,” and “the privilege to be the voice of the LGBTQ+ community.”
The post was published after Diez received criticism online for expressing her receptiveness to enter politics. Netizens questioned her credibility and track record to take a government position.
The image on the left is a screenshot of GMA Network’s tweet, featuring a video clip of Gretchen Diez’ media interview on Aug. 23. The screenshot on the right is the fabricated post by Facebook Page “Yellow Army.”
Diez first made headlines last Aug 13 when she went live on her FB account after a shopping mall janitress prevented her from using the women’s restroom. She was later brought to the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 7.
Members of the LGBTQ+ community came to her aid while she was detained and negotiated her release. Among them was Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman, the first trans woman to hold public office in the country.
The management of Araneta Center later issued an apology to Diez, who was handcuffed while in detention for unjust vexation.
Since the incident, Diez has been featured in several media interviews, posing with political personalities and was present at the hearing of the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression) Equality Bill, or also known as the Anti-Discrimination Bill on Aug. 19.
The fake quote card could have reached almost a million online followers in just a span of few hours. Yellow Army page was created on Aug. 14, 2018.
(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
