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Harrison Butker isn’t getting away easily after practically devaluing powerful women like Taylor Swift and Maria Shriver in a recent speech. On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs kicker graced a graduation ceremony at the Benedictine College, a private Catholic college in Kansas City, where he gave the commencement speech. In his address, he criticized various liberal ideologies, including abortion, euthanasia, surrogacy and the LGBTQ community. He also criticized President Joe Biden and the social approach of some religious leaders in today’s world.
Maria Shriver Slams Harrison Butker Over Demeaning Speech
However, his open downplaying of a woman’s worth in society and implying becoming a “homemaker” should be a woman’s biggest accomplishment has plunged him neck-deep in hot soup. Several women have utilized various platforms to disagree with the athlete while calling him out for his “misogynistic,” and “demeaning remarks.” Celebrities and high-profile figures have also blasted Harrison on social media, with a petition to have him fired making the rounds.
The former First Lady of California Maria Shriver has also hit back at Harrison Butker over his sexist and anti-LGBTQ speech. Taking to X, the 68-year-old questioned the point of the graduation speech, also slamming him for insinuating a man’s absence in a home breeds violence. Going further, she described the athlete’s statement relegating women to homemaking duties as demeaning, saying,
“As a woman who has leaned into my vocation of living a meaningful life inside and outside the home to not only raise good humans but also raise up our country in various ways, I think it’s demeaning to women to imply that their choices outside of wife and motherhood pale in comparison to that of a homemaker.”
While she acknowledged his right to express his views Maria revealed women like her also reserved the right to disagree. The author proceeded to highlight the struggles women have faced for generations in their quest for equality and access to basic human rights like voting, becoming signatories “on checking accounts,” pay equity and even access to birth control pills.
Addressing Harrison Butker’s reference to his stay-at-home wife, Maria Shriver pointed out that many women do not have the luxury of choosing that life. According to her, most families can hardly get by on the salary of one parent. Hence, the majority of women have to “put food on the table,” while raising their kids, and caring for aging parents among other responsibilities.
More Women Speak Out Amid Scandalous Speech
The I’ve Been Thinking author also clarified that regardless of one’s gender or sexual orientation, anyone could set the tone for the future, contradicting Harrison’s claim that “men set the tone of the culture.” Having shared her bit, the former first lady left Harrison with a word of advice, concluding,
“I will not tell Mr. Butker to stick to kicking, but I would suggest next time he speaks to women first and listen to someone with a clearer take on where most women find themselves in 2024.”
Brooke Schwartz, wife of former Kansas City Chiefs star also slammed the Kicker on X. She called out Harrison Butker for quoting Taylor Swift in his anti-women propaganda speech.
Singer Maren Morris also weighed in on the controversial speech, writing “I choose the bear” alongside a clip of the now viral speech. Her caption references the viral TikTok debate about whether a woman would feel safer with a bear or a man in the woods.
Meanwhile, some celebrities, including The View host Whoopi Goldberg, have defended Harrison Butker, citing his right to free speech.
