Metro Voice News Celebrating Faith, Family & Community
Kansas City Chiefs’ kicker Harrison Butker has responded to criticism from host Serena Williams during last week’s ESPY Awards. Williams delivered a message to Butker as she appeared onstage with her sister Venus, and actress Quinta Brunson.
Venus Williams urged the audience to “go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports.” Serena Williams said, “Except you, Harrison Butker, we don’t need you.” Brunson agreed, chiming in, “At all, like ever.”
The condemnation came two months after Butker’s commencement address delivered at Benedictine College, a Catholic school in Atchison, Kan. During his remarks, Butker told graduates they have been lied to by society and that while many of them look forward to having careers one day, they most likely look forward to being mothers the most. The comment drew the ire of many on the left, who believed he was suggesting that a woman’s role is to raise children and be a homemaker. Videos of the event, however, showed students applauding.
Butker reacted to Williams in a statement shared with NBC News. Although he described Williams as “a great host” who used “her platform to express her beliefs on a variety of topics,” he expressed disappointment that she elected to go after him.
“Sports are supposed to be the great unifier, and at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have accomplished great feats, she used it as an opportunity to disinvite those with whom she disagrees with from supporting fellow athletes,” he said.
Butker had also addressed the importance of fathers being in the lives of their children. Williams was reminded of that and of her own comments to media outlets about the absence of her own father in the lives of her and her siblings. She was blasted on social media as being a hypocrite for condemning Butker but also acknowledging similar beliefs.
“I know there’s more siblings, I was told between fifteen and nineteen all over the place, from LA to Lousiana,” she told The Sun. “My mom always argued with my dad about his affairs, he was a serial cheat. I remember that was always the main thing they’d talk about.” She went on to tell the British newspaper that her father was “a selfish man, lives only for himself, he just uses his kids to get what he needs. He’s not a dad, he was just a sperm donor. He had five kids, and left them to my mom to grow up in poverty, and never once helped.
During his May 11 commencement address, Butker directed a message at the female graduates in the audience, informing them that they have had “the most diabolical lies” told to them.
“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,” he said referencing the thoughts of his wife. “I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she started living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
Butker’s remarks drew intense backlash, with more than 200,000 people signing a petition calling on the Chiefs to release him from their roster over what it characterized as his use of “harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress.” The petition condemned, without proof, his comments as “sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice
