he NFL remains committed to welcoming women and members of the LGBTQ+ community amid Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s controversial commencement speech.
On May 11, the 28-year-old spoke to the graduates at Benedictine College and quickly received backlash for suggesting that women should not be in the workplace and referring to Pride Month as a deadly sin.
On Wednesday, NFL Chief of Diversity Officer Jonathan Beane told Outsports that Butker’s remarks do not reflect the league’s values.
‘Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity,’ Beane told Outsports in a written statement.
‘His views are not those of the NFL as an organization,’ he continued. ‘The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger.’
The NFL issued a statement after Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s controversial speech
NFL chief Jonathan Beane stated that Butker’s remarks do not reflect the league’s values
During a graduation speech, Butker criticized women and took aim at the LGBTQ+ community
Harrison Butker ripped by Chargers for his views on women in Sims clip
The NFL maximized its effort to create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ fans and employees.
In doing so, the league has released rainbow-inspired NFL Pride gear and hosted multiple Pride parties at the Super Bowl. They also released a video saying: ‘Football is gay. Football is queer. Football is accepting,’ in 2021.
Aside from the general outburst that came with his controversial statements, Butker outraged Taylor Swift fans by using her lyrics in the inflammatory speech.
‘As my teammate’s girlfriend says: Familiarity breeds contempt,’ Butker told the graduates. Upon learning about the mention, Swifties quickly jumped on social media to call Butker out for his message.
‘Who’s going to tell Harrison Butker you can’t quote Taylor Swift when being a misogynistic d***head,’ one user wrote on X.
‘Oh, Harrison Butker, I don’t think you grasped the message of the Taylor Swift song you quoted,’ another added. ‘Go listen to all her albums as homework.’
Ever open about his conservative Catholic worldviews, Butker insisted that women should stay at home and raise children instead of working. He also urged male students to ‘be unapologetic about your masculinity.’
In his 20-minute speech, Butker also criticized US President Joe Biden for supporting abortion
‘For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment,’ Butker said in his 20-minute address. ‘I want to speak directly to you because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. How many of you are sitting here now, about to cross this stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you are going to get in your career?’
‘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.’
Butker added that his wife Isabelle ‘would be the first to say her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and mother.’ He then praised his partner for ‘[embracing] one of the most important titles of all: Homemaker.’
‘Fight against the cultural emasculation of men,’ He urged the male graduates. ‘Part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture, and when that is absent, disorder, dysfunction, and chaos set in.’
