Ever since Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker made comments regarding women’s main vocation in life being a wife and stay-at-home mom, several groups have made statements against him, including the NFL and a group of nuns.
This group of nuns is associated with Benedictine College, which was where Butker made his speech. They said his comments do not align with the college or Catholicism, a faith that Butker has dedicated his entire life to.
Harrison Butker’s Comments About Women
In May 2024, Butker gave a speech at Benedictine College, in which he talked about women’s main vocation in life and made indirect comments about pride month.
He told the college graduates that they were mistaken if they thought their biggest achievements in life would be the promotions and titles they get in their careers. Instead, he told them that their biggest achievements would be becoming wives and homemakers.
Politics and Gender Ideology Were Also Criticized
As well as his comments about women, Butker also commented on politics and gender ideologies. He named numerous political topics, such as IVF, surrogacy, and euthanasia, naming them as bad policies and poor leadership.
He also seemingly mentioned Pride Month, which is coming up in June 2024, as dangerous gender ideologies and as a dangerous sin that has a month dedicated to it.
Harrison Butker’s Comments Don’t Represent Catholicism
The group of nuns are from Mount St. Scholastica, which is associated with Benedictine College, have issued a statement regarding Butker’s comments on women being homemakers.
In the statement, they made it clear that they didn’t agree with what he said. They said the comments don’t “represent the Catholic, Benedictine, liberal arts college that our founders envisioned and in which we have been so invested.”
Harrison Butker’s Speech Has Caused Division
Another issue the nuns have with Butker’s speech is how it has caused such strong division and hatred in society, something that many have been trying to squash for years.
They wanted him to have promoted unity in the Church, nation, and world, but instead, the comments have only gone on to cause division, with their main concern being his comments on women’s main calling in life being homemakers.
Women Make a Difference in All Walks of Life
The nuns made it clear that they believe that women can make a difference in all walks of life, regardless of what they decide to spend the rest of their lives doing.
Whether these women decide to become wives, mothers, leaders, scholars, or go on to pursue their dream careers, it’s possible for them to make a positive difference. The main thing that matters is that they have the choice to do whatever they want to do.
NFL’s Comments About Harrison Butker
The nuns aren’t the only group to comment on Butker’s speech; the NFL has also issued a statement.
The NFL made it clear that the comments were made in a personal, not professional, capacity and that the comments don’t reflect the thoughts and opinions of the NFL. They also made it clear that the NFL is committed to promoting inclusion.
Harrison Butker’s Mother Is a Physicist
One thing many have pointed out about Butker’s comments is that his mother is a physicist at Emory, with many questioning how he has come to the conclusion from this that a woman’s greatest achievement is being a wife and mother.
One X user even said that his “mommy issues” ruined graduation for all the women at Benedictine College and then went on to say that the comments were degrading and that the college and Butker owe them an apology.
The Fallout From Harrison Butker’s Speech
There has been much fallout from Butker’s speech, as his comments went viral. He has been criticized by GLAAD (the media’s largest LGBTQIA+ advocacy organization) and fans of Taylor Swift after he used her lyrics when speaking about gender roles.
However, one group that seems to have stuck by Butker is those in conservative circles. Butker is a conservative, and those are the only people who appear to have praised him for his comments.
Harrison Butker Has Received Some Support
Despite receiving mostly criticism from the media, online, and many others, Butker has managed to receive some support from people who agree with his comments.
One of these people is Tavia Hunt, the wife of Clark Hunt, the owner of the Chiefs. In an Instagram post, Hunt claimed that Butker’s comments weren’t bigoted and that being a wife and mother is one of the biggest achievements of her life. She even included a screenshot in the post from a survey that claims married men are happier than their unmarried peers.
The Nuns Are Worried About Benedictine College’s Reputation
Due to the sheer amount of backlash Butker has received for his speech and the fact many are convinced that Benedictine College knew about the speech beforehand and still allowed it to go ahead, it has left the nuns worried about the college’s reputation.
They have said that they want the college to be known for being inclusive, welcoming, and for the strong values it has held for over 1500 years.
Promoting the Catholic Faith
Butker is a conservative Catholic, which is just one part of a wider Catholic faith. The nuns have made it clear that they are inclusive of all areas of their faith.
They don’t like the narrow definition of Catholicism that Butker appears to have promoted and say they “promote the values of the Gospel, St. Benedict, and Vatican II and the teachings of Pope Francis.”
