LGBTQ+ Activists Demand End to Homophobic Chant at Mexican Soccer Matches
Faced with the persistence of a homophobic chant in the matches of the Mexican national soccer team, LGBTQ+ activists raise their voices and make a direct call to fans to eradicate this offensive practice, especially in the run-up to the next World Cup. The chant, an insult that translates to “prostitute” in Spanish, became popular during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Despite the sanctions imposed, including a fine of 100,000 Swiss francs for incidents at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the impact has been limited.Mexico, along with the United States and Canada, will host the 2026 World Cup, which will begin on June 11. Mexico is scheduled to play friendly matches in the United States on September 6 and 9. In next year’s World Cup, Mexico will host 13 matches in three cities: Monterrey, Mexico City, and Guadalajara, where the chant was first heard during an Olympic qualifier in 2004. The insult is usually chanted when the opposing team’s goalkeeper takes a goal kick and is more frequent when Mexico is losing the match.Those fines haven’t done any good. And what has the federation done? Not much. And what it has done is useless.
Andoni Bello, LGBTQ+ activist
Initially, federation officials argued that the chant was not directed at the gay community, but that the word had different connotations in Mexican culture. Then, they implemented social campaigns that were unsuccessful. Currently, they simply ask fans not to do it before matches. In 2022, the federation threatened to ban from entering the stadiums for five years those who sang the chant, but the measure was not applied.I am concerned about the violence expressed in the stadiums, which is invisible and anonymous. This normalized violence perpetuates homophobic hate crimes in this country. It seems very drastic, but it is real. If we think nothing is happening, we are perpetuating it.
Andoni Bello, LGBTQ+ activist
Bello has joined Calma Comunidad, a non-profit organization that offers sexual education, and the National Council to Prevent Discrimination, a government agency that seeks to eradicate discrimination in Mexico. Together, they will approach high-level teams and their fan groups to conduct workshops before the World Cup.The federation wanted to find other meanings. It has no other meanings; it is homophobic. We call on sponsors, institutions, players, teams, and fans to change their way of seeing people and their sexuality.
Andoni Bello, LGBTQ+ activist
Bello emphasizes that neither he nor the other organizations seek to stop fans from having fun in the stadium, but rather to avoid the use of homophobic insults.It’s a great opportunity to generate these small, big changes. Here we are resisting to generate or promote those changes.
David Moncada, Calma Comunidad
I want my team to win, and I want the other team to feel the pressure of the stadium. Of course, I’m going to shout and pressure them to make mistakes, but I don’t need to make homophobic comments. It’s not necessary.
Andoni Bello, LGBTQ+ activist
