Cup of Chisme: The Chant Heard Around San Diego

If you know me, then you know I’m not a sports girlie.

It’s not like I haven’t tried. Voice of San Diego editor Scott Lewis tried to get me into baseball, and it almost worked, but the Padres broke my heart when they lost the divisional playoff against the Dodgers.

Sorry, but I had to jump off the emotional rollercoaster.

Last week, though, headlines about San Diego FC’s first home opening game got my attention. Here’s what the Union-Tribune wrote, “Chucky Lozano’s injury, homophobic chant temper San Diego FC’s soccer celebration.” This was a big moment for the city, and fans, so that headline shocked me.

Here’s what happened: Late in the game, fans chanted “puto” at the St. Louis goalkeeper. The team posted a message on a board asking the public to stop.

Mexican and U.S. soccer leagues have struggled for years to get fans to stop using the word which is used to describe a male prostitute. But the word can be used as an anti-gay slur and to insult someone who is perceived as weak.

An BCC Mundo story reported that Mexican media tracked down the origin of the chant to a 2003 soccer game in Guadalajara. Atlas fans used the word against goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez, who had left to play with the rival team , las Chivas. They changed the words to a chant meant to distract the rival goalkeeper, “Eeeeeh, pum!”

The message San Diego FC posted at the game and later a longer version on their Instagram sparked a debate online about the chant. Some agreed the word has no place in soccer and others argued that context matters, and in this instance, it was not used as a homophobic slur. One thing is certain: cultures are clashing.

San Diego FC was clearly speaking to its Spanish speaking audience. Even the Instagram post the team shared was in Spanish. One person on Instagram argued “… the yelling is part of the culture we don’t mean no harm.”

Another wrote, “The soccer chant is not intended to be homophobic and the team know this, you were quick to make a Mexican the face of your enterprise cashing out millions from Mexican fans but are quick to turn your back on a chant that has been used for years in Mx soccer, stop being soft.”

A player with the Sparks, an LGBT soccer club, told ABC 10 that he heard the chant at the game and while it can be used as a slur, it depends on the context. He didn’t believe the chant was used as a slur, but that it does have an impactful meaning.

What happens next? The team’s statement said they would work on a plan to address the behavior before the next home game. What that will look like remains to be seen.

What do you think? Send me a note at andrea.lopez@voiceofsandiego.org.

Henry Foster on Changes to ADU Program

Councilmember Henry Foster III joined us on the latest episode of the VOSD Podcast to talk about his efforts to roll back the city’s accessory dwelling unit density bonus program.

To sum it up quickly, the density bonus program allows builders to build an extra ADU for every unit set aside for low-or-middle-income tenants. The program has upset a lot of neighbors who argue that it has allowed for large-scale projects in single-family zones. Others argue the program has produced badly-needed housing.

Foster III unsuccessfully tried to get his colleagues to scrap the program in single-family zoned areas. Our Scott Lewis explained in his latest Politics Report why it is odd he didn’t get support given how many of the Councilmembers represent neighborhoods that would love to see that program die. You can read it here, but FYI, the Politics Report is only available to Voice of San Diego members.

Instead, the Council voted 6-3 to have city staff return with a plan in 90 days to remove some zones from the density bonus program. These are the zones that tend to have large lot sizes that tend to see a lot of the large developments.

Listen to the full podcast episode here.

More Chisme to Start Your Week

• A few weeks ago, our Tigist Layne spoke to Encinitas’ new mayor about his plans to lobby the state to address state housing laws that he says have taken away local control. Layne reached out to state legislators to see if there’s appetite in Sacramento for such changes. They said nah. Read the full story here.
• Contributing writer Joe Hong revealed that school superintendents raised concerns about the San Diego Taxpayers Association’s bond endorsement process. Interesting fact: While Hong was working on this story, the CEO of the organization abruptly quit. Read the story here.