Women slam Harrison Butker's speech in Kansas City Chiefs' posts: 'Will a man read this to me?'
As the Kansas City Chiefs promote their 2024 season on social media, women are responding with jabs at restrictive gender roles.
The response comes after Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made his controversial commencement address at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, on May 11, when he encouraged women to trade in their career goals to get married, have children and be a homemaker.
Many women on social media are sarcastically asking for permission to watch the games, requesting a man to read the promotional posts for them and outlining their role in the home as a fiery disagreement to what Butker said in his speech.
“Can you ask the man who kicks the football if watching sports is listed as an allowable activity in the rules of my vocation? I need him to explain what I should be doing with my time,” one person wrote on a Chiefs post revealing their 2024 schedule.
“Will a man read this to me?” another penned on a separate Chiefs' post.
“Sadly, since I was forced to disregard my college degree and serve His Holiness, my financial independence was stripped. I cannot buy a jersey, order cable, or even watch the TV in the man cave. The last time I saw a Tv was in the labor and delivery ward," someone else wrote.
“Do you take girl $ or does my dad need to pay for me since I’m unwed?” another user said on a preseason promo post.
“I can’t believe I’ve wasted 52 years religiously watching football when I could have been perfecting new recipes, washing my husband’s clothes and having more children," one person chimed in.
In his speech, Butker congratulated women graduates before saying they “have had the most diabolical lies told” to them.
“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?” he asked.
“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. “I can tell you that my beautiful wife, Isabelle, would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
Nuns associated with the Catholic college criticized the speech for creating “division” and making “the assertion that being a homemaker is the highest calling for a woman,” their statement said.
The NFL also shared in a statement, saying that Butker's "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 Chiefs and the NFL at large have seen an uptick in women viewers since Taylor Swift began dating tight end Travis Kelce last season. But Butker's controversial speech has some female fans demanding change and expressing that they are ready to cut ties with the team.
"Awesome! Now find a new kicker," one person wrote on another Chiefs' post announcing the schedule.
"ok cool, time to issue a statement pls," another said in comments, directed at the Chiefs.
“Chiefs canceled STAT! I hope they lose half their fan base!” a third penned.
Butker has not commented on the backlash. TODAY.com has reached out to the Chiefs but has not immediately heard back yet.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
