Why Chiefs’ Harrison Butker missed the mark in commencement speech

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker recently drew negative attention to himself for a commencement speech he gave at Benedictine College in which he discussed traditional gender roles — masculinity and motherhood — and Pride Month, among other things.

“For the ladies present today … you should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives,” Butker said, in part. “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.”

LZ Granderson reacts to Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s commencement speech

Butker, who has been Kansas City’s kicker since 2017 and was present for its three Super Bowl victories in the past five years, followed up those comments by speaking directly to the men in attendance, telling them to “be unapologetic in your masculinity” while “fighting against the cultural emasculation of men.”

The NFL promptly released a statement, saying that Butker’s views “are not those of the NFL as an organization.”

Award-winning journalist LZ Granderson of the Los Angeles Times has some thoughts on Butker’s comments, believing that the kicker failed to deliver on what the purpose of a commencement speech should be. Granderson shared his thoughts with Keyshawn Johnson on the latest edition of “All Facts No Brakes.”

“I’ve been a commencement speaker,” Granderson said. “You’re supposed to pull on your life experience to inspire. He pulled on his life experience to criticize, to chastise. … He took that moment and he just s— all over all those young women who worked so hard to get to that degree with his view of what he thinks they should do with…


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Publish date : 2024-05-17 19:13:42

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