There are more than 75 comments on the Rivard Report’s story about some soccer fans’ continued use of an “anti-gay” chant at Toyota Field. Many find the chant discriminatory towards the LGBTQ community, others view it as a cultural tradition not meant to cause offense. This is not a uniquely San Antonian issue: it started in Mexico more than 10 years ago and was used locally during San Antonio Scorpion games long before San Antonio FC, the city’s first United Soccer League team, took over the field.

“MLS has zero tolerance for discrimination or prejudice of any kind and have been deeply committed to diversity and fairness on our fields, in our stadiums and in our workplace,” MLS officials have stated.

If San Antonio truly wants to become an MLS city, local fans will likely have to embrace that commitment.

(Read More: ‘Anti-Gay’ Chant Mars San Antonio FC Home Opener)

Image ©John Branch for the Rivard Report, 2016.

 
https://rivardreport.wildapricot.org

OTHER CARTOONS BY JOHN BRANCH:

On Open Carry at Fiesta San Antonio

On the City’s Efforts to Bring Triple-A Baseball to San Antonio

On SAPOA’s Vote For McManus’ Resignation

On New Structures in Downtown San Antonio

Cartoonist John Branch has commented on San Antonio and Texas politics for decades; his work is syndicated nationally by King Features.

5 replies on “Cartoonist John Branch on Derogatory Chants at Soccer Games”

    1. David, do you by any chance have young children? Have you taught them what puto means? If not, take them to SA FC game and when they hear the crowd screaming PUTO and they ask you what that means, you can tell them. Be sure to mention that that term is often used derisively at gay men. And if they don’t know what gay means, please explain that as well. After you define puto for them, they wonder why such a word is used for an athlete in a sports event. And when your kids ask why are gay men are called ugly names, well, good luck with that one.
      In a related article, some parents commented that they would not take their kids to SA FC games purely because of the puto chant.

  2. As if saying “puta” is ever acceptable. Imagine the reaction at a WSL game. Both masculine and feminine versions of the word are derogatory . . . to EVERYONE. Way to go on parenting skills.

  3. “Aimed at” is a bit of an overstatement. I don’t like the behavior of some fans any more than you do, but I also don’t like when people take liberties with the truth or the English language.

    There is plenty in this story to report without the LGBT hyperbole

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