Serena Williams called out NFL kicker Harrison Butker while celebrating women’s sports at the ESPY Awards for his ‘misogynistic’ remarks towards female athletes.
Harrison Butker, a Kansas City Chiefs kicker, is under fire online for a commencement speech he delivered at Benedictine College, a private Catholic liberal arts college, in Kansas last weekend, during which he railed against abortion rights and advised women to embrace being homemakers.
Butker, who has previously expressed his conservative Catholic beliefs, began his speech by criticizing “dangerous gender ideologies” in an apparent reference to Pride month.
The 28-year-old, three-time Super Bowl champion also railed against President Joe Biden’s leadership during the pandemic, accusing him of hypocrisy for being Catholic while supporting abortion rights, labeling him “delusional.”
The most contentious section of the 20-minute speech came later, when Butker addressed the women in the audience, arguing that their “most important title” should be “homemaker.”
“I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolic lies told to you,” Butker began. “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. 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 mother.”
He continued, “All of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
Unsurprisingly, people were upset with the speech, especially Serena Williams and Quinta Brunson, who decided to use a bigger stage to address Butker’s remarks.
The moment occurred while Williams and Brunson were discussing women’s sports with Venus Williams at the sports awards show.
“So, go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports because they are sports,” Venus said.
“Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you,” Serena quipped.
“At all. Like, ever,” Brunson added as the audience laughed.
Butker attended the ESPYs, but the camera did not focus on him to capture his reaction.
