This week, we discussed Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, who gave a commencement address to the graduating class of Benedictine College. Butker’s address was wildly misogynistic, as he told the young women in the audience that they should do nothing with their degrees, and they should find a man, get married and immediately pop out babies forever. He also said some crazy sh-t about how “abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia” are part of “degenerate cultural values.” Oh, and he said some homophobic sh-t about Pride Month and more. He hit all of the sweet spots of the American culture wars and I would imagine that he’s already becoming the right-wing’s favorite culture warrior. Well, the NFL has now responded to Butker’s misogyny and homophobia:
The NFL is batting down comments made by kicker Harrison Butker in the wake of his controversial commencement address. In his speech at the graduation ceremony at Benedictine College on Saturday, May 11, the 28-year-old Georgia Tech alum took aim at the LGBTQ community, working women, abortion rights and more, drawing heavy criticism.
Commenting on Butker’s speech for the first time May 15, the NFL said that his views differ from those of the organization.
“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,” Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, tells PEOPLE in a written statement. “His views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.”
Former Kansas City commissioner Justice Horn slammed Butker in a post, writing, “Harrison Butker doesn’t represent Kansas City nor has he ever. Kansas City has always been a place that welcomes, affirms, and embraces our LGBTQ community members.”
What’s funny is that the NFL realized years and years ago that their franchise could only expand if they were more inclusive of women and LGBTQ fans. We saw that last year when Taylor Swift began dating Travis Kelce – a perfect storm where millions of new fans (most of them women, girls and gay Swifties) suddenly started paying attention to football. Butker thinks that it’s still the before-times, where football is for men and he can tell women to stay in the kitchen. Please.
Now that Butker is famous, people are really going through his life with a fine-tooth comb. Did you know his mother is an accomplished physicist who has worked at Emory University’s Department of Radiation Oncology for decades? Also, Butker’s former Georgia Tech classmates are telling stories about a hookup with a male cheerleader. Oh. That actually explains a lot, if it’s true.
My girlfriend: I know absolutely nothing about sports but I just saw that Chiefs kicker speech, and I can tell you that he’s 100% in the closet.
The internet: pic.twitter.com/XKGsiP7Pd1
— Joe Praino (@FixYourLife) May 15, 2024
Photos courtesy of Getty, Cover Images.
