Harrison Butker didn’t say women shouldn’t work outside the home. He didn’t say wives should only be homemakers. His message to the graduating women is that getting married and having children is more important than a successful career. He was suggesting women should prioritize their husbands and children over themselves. 

Last Saturday Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker delivered what many are calling a homophobic and especially misogynistic commencement address at a Catholic university. This is because he suggested homosexuality is a “deadly sin.” But most of the media attention and outrage is about what he said about women. He said:

“I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you. 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? 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 began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother…I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me, but it cannot be overstated that 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.”

The NFL released a statement saying Butker’s “views are not those of the NFL as an organization.” Many athletes, wives of athletes, and other celebrities have denounced him. And a petition demanding the Chiefs to release him from the team has received almost 150,000 signatures.

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