Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s May 11, 2024, commencement address at Benedictine College drew criticism for telling women graduates that marriage and motherhood could be their most important vocations. He also spoke about abortion, Pride Month and other cultural issues. Critics called parts of the address sexist or offensive; the NFL said he was speaking for himself, not for the league.
What did Harrison Butker say in his graduation speech?
Butker delivered the address at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas, on May 11, 2024. The full address, rather than viral paraphrases, is the clearest basis for understanding what he said. The National Catholic Register published a full-text account of the speech.
Butker addressed graduates through a Catholic religious and political perspective. He emphasized marriage and motherhood when speaking to women graduates, presenting family life as a central vocation. He also criticized abortion policy and Pride Month, and challenged some Catholic leaders and broader cultural trends. The speech ranged across these subjects; the remarks to women about family life became its most widely reported flashpoint.
Why did critics find the address offensive?
Critics objected to the way Butker addressed women graduates: his emphasis on marriage and motherhood was seen by some as reducing women’s ambitions to domestic roles. That response reflects critics’ interpretation of his remarks, not a neutral label that everyone applied to the speech.
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Coverage of the backlash included a graduate’s account of feeling diminished by the address. That is one reported reaction, not evidence that all graduates—or all people discussing the speech online—felt the same way. Benedictine’s Catholic setting helps explain the religious frame of the speech, but does not establish that the audience unanimously agreed with it. The Los Angeles Times reported on the backlash and the graduate’s reaction.
How did the NFL respond?
The NFL said Butker spoke in his personal capacity and that his views did not represent the league. Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said: “Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. 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.” The statement was a clarification of the league’s position; it was not an announcement of discipline or an endorsement of the speech. The Associated Press reported the NFL’s statement.
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What did Patrick Mahomes say?
On May 22, 2024, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he did not agree with all of Butker’s beliefs but respected his right to express them. Mahomes was offering his personal view as a teammate; his comment was not the NFL’s position. The Associated Press reported Mahomes’s response.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How large was the social-media backlash?
News reports described significant online criticism, but the available reporting does not establish a reliable count of posts, views, comments, petition signatures or other measure of its scale. It is accurate to say the speech prompted public criticism; it is not possible from these accounts to quantify the reaction or claim that it represented everyone’s view. CBS News also reported on the league’s response and online reaction.
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