Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker sparked a controversy with his recent college commencement speech at Benedictine College, where he critiqued dangerous gender ideologies, working women, and President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion as a Catholic. His comments have caused a storm of backlash on social media, where clips of his speech have gone viral. Several celebrities and political commentators, including Maria Shriver and Flavor Flav, have weighed in on Butker’s perspective, expressing their opposition to his views.
Maria Shriver, in a lengthy statement shared on social media, criticized Butker for implying that women’s lives only begin when they embrace the role of wife and mother, highlighting the struggles women have faced throughout history to gain equality and autonomy in society. Flavor Flav also expressed his opposition to Butker’s statements, suggesting that he should stick to kicking rather than giving commencement speeches. Meanwhile, the hosts of The View had differing perspectives on Butker’s speech, with Whoopi Goldberg defending his right to express his views, while her co-hosts offered criticism of his comments about the LGBTQ community and the role of women.
Former Kansas City commissioner Justice Horn spoke out against Butker’s comments, stating that the athlete does not represent Kansas City’s values of inclusivity and acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals. MIT engineer Emily Calandrelli also voiced her objections to Butker’s speech, advocating for women to have a say in choosing commencement speakers. Right-wing commentator Alex Jones and conservative commentator Tomi Lahren weighed in on the controversy, with Jones sharing a quote about speaking the truth in times of deceit, and Lahren defending Butker against cancel culture critics.
The backlash against Harrison Butker’s commencement speech has ignited a debate about gender roles, LGBTQ+ rights, and freedom of expression. Celebrities and public figures have chimed in with their opinions, with some supporting Butker’s right to express his views as a staunch Catholic, while others have criticized his comments as demeaning to women and discriminatory towards the LGBTQ+ community. The controversy surrounding Butker’s speech reflects broader societal debates about gender, sexuality, and political beliefs, highlighting the ongoing tensions and divisions in contemporary society.
