Harrison Butker, the Kansas City Chiefs' kicker, has come under fire for his controversial speech at a local college, which critics have labeled as 'bigoted' and 'misogynistic'.
The speech, delivered at a Catholic private liberal arts college in Kansas, saw Butker advocating for traditional gender roles, arguing that women are happier as 'homemakers' and men should 'fight against the cultural emasculation'.
In his 20-minute address, Butker shared that his wife Isabelle's life 'truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother' after she converted to his Catholic faith. This statement, along with others, sparked a wave of criticism online, with many calling for the NFL to take action.
One social media user wrote, 'Harrison Butker, a dude I had never heard of until today, did a bang-up job of becoming one of the most hated men in North America in the space of one 20-minute speech full of bigotry and misogyny.' Another added, 'Harrison Butker is a sexist, homophobic loser. Hope he misses every field goal this year.'
Butker, known for his conservative views, also touched on topics such as Pride month, abortion, and President Biden's leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic in his speech. He even quoted Taylor Swift, the girlfriend of his teammate Travis Kelce, saying, 'As my teammate's girlfriend says, 'familiarity breeds contempt',' referring to Swift's song Bejeweled from her 2022 album Midnights.
Swift's fans, known as Swifties, responded with a flurry of memes mocking Butker's points. One user wrote, 'I'll let the Swifties handle Harrison Butker.' Another user criticized Butker, saying, 'Sounds to me like Harrison Butker is insecure in his own masculinity.' A Swiftie added, 'I hope that Harrison Butker tries to tell Travis that Taylor emasculates him cause she works and isn't at home cooking and taking care of babies. And I hope Travis beats the s*** out of him.'
Butker, who has become more vocal about his personal beliefs in recent years, wore a tie with a pro-life Latin phrase to the Chiefs' Super Bowl celebration at the White House last year. He began his address by attacking what he called 'dangerous gender ideologies', seemingly referring to Pride month, which has been celebrated in June since the Stonewall riots in 1969.
Addressing the men at the event, Butker said, 'To the gentlemen here today, part of what plagues society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction and chaos set in. This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation.'
He continued, '... Be unapologetic in your masculinity. Fight against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy.' He then spoke about his beliefs regarding a woman's role in society, arguing that their 'most important title' should be that of 'homemaker'.
Butker said, 'I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you. Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.'
He added, 'I'm on this stage today, able to be the man that I am, because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I'm beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all, homemaker.'
The Chiefs declined to comment on Butker's commencement address. Despite the backlash, some social media users agreed with Butker's views. One user asked, 'Harrison Butker, a practicing Catholic, goes to a Catholic college, and delivers a speech for Catholics, and people are mad that he didn't pander to them?' Another said, 'Looks like ol Harrison Butker pissed off a lot of Democrats.' A third wrote, 'This is Kansas Chief kicker Harrison Butker speaking out about the Biden and the pro choice Catholics. He does an amazing job and I agree 100%. I AM PROLIFE.'
Butker, a seventh-round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2017, has become one of the NFL's best kickers, breaking the Chiefs' franchise record with a 62-yard field goal in 2022. He helped them win their first Super Bowl in 50 years in 2020, added a second Lombardi Trophy in 2023, and kicked the field goal that forced overtime in a Super Bowl win over San Francisco in February.
At the start of his speech, Butker said, 'It is safe to say that over the years, I have gained quite the reputation for speaking my mind.' He reiterated his message to the men in the room, saying, 'To the gentlemen here today, part of what plagues society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction and chaos set in. This absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. ... Be unapologetic in your masculinity. Fight against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy.'
He also addressed the women at the ceremony, saying, 'I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you. Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother. I'm on this stage today, able to be the man that I am, because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I'm beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that all my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all, homemaker.'
Butker also criticized the Biden administration, saying, 'While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years, it is not unique. The bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for the degenerate cultural values and media all stem from pervasiveness of disorder.'
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