During graduation season, it’s not uncommon for celebrities and public figures to give speeches at college commencements. Harrison Butker, kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, was asked to give the commencement address at Benedictine College last Saturday, where he used his platform to promote his Christian conservative viewpoints and make what was widely considered to be disparaging remarks against women. The speech went viral, with many criticizing the speech and his decision to include Taylor Swift lyrics in the remarks. Now, the NFL is responding.
The Benedictine College speech was already the subject of backlash due to it containing lines disparaging the existence of Pride month for the LGBTQ+ community, encouraging women to focus on marriage and children over their careers, and speaking against abortion rights. However, the commencement speaker received even more attention for invoking Taylor Swift's lyrics in his speech. Butker quoted "Bejeweled," saying:
As my teammate's girlfriend says, 'familiarity breeds contempt'
The irony was not lost on Swifties, as Butker chose to ignore the existence of songs like “The Man,” and “You Need To Calm Down” that promote a viewpoint directly opposing Butker’s. Swift has also shouted out the LGBTQ+ community at the Eras Tour, and she has long labeled herself a feminist.
Butker's use of the relationship between teammate Travis Kelce and the singer to promote an ideology that clearly doesn’t resonate with Swift herself was definitely a point of contention amongst fans. Also, referring to Swift as his “teammate’s girlfriend” felt to many like a disparagement of Swift as an individual and accomplished woman.
Swift isn’t the only one who shares a different perspective from the Chiefs kicker, as the NFL also released a statement opposing Butker's rhetoric. The NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, Jonathan Beane, said to People:
Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. His 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 backlash has continued online, with many questioning why Butker was selected to give the speech in the first place, as he has been vocal about his religious and “traditional” belief system in the past. These also could very well be the reason Harrison Butker was selected, as his beliefs may align with those of the religiously-backed institution. He received previous attention for giving the commencement address at Georgia Tech in 2023, expressing similar sentiments about women.
Swift herself has yet to speak on being quoted in the speech which goes directly against her public belief system.
Taylor Swift likely has other projects to worry about as she continues to be a role model for young women, touring the world on the record-breaking Eras Tour. Kelce has also joined her for multiple stops on the tour, endlessly supporting her and her individual accomplishments. The Kansas City tight end hasn’t spoken on the kicker's comments either, however, if that changes we'll let you know.
The Chiefs football season starts on the 2024 TV schedule on September 5th with both Butker and Kelce expected to return to Kansas City for the 2024-2025 season.
