Earlier this week, pop star Katy Perry posted an edited version of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s controversial commencement speech. In the edited clip, Butker was made to appear to celebrate “girls,” “graduates,” and “gays.”
Butker has been the subject of both criticism and praise since the speech, which he gave in May at the commencement ceremony of Benedictine College, a Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas.
During the speech, Butker railed against President Joe Biden, remarking that Biden, a Catholic himself, was “delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally.”
“Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues—things like abortion, IVF [in vitro fertilization], surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values in media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder,” Butker said.
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Addressing the women graduates, Butker said, “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.”
“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 continued.
Following the speech, clips of which went viral on social media, many criticized Butker’s remarks, characterizing them as misogynistic. By contrast, a number of conservatives came to Butker’s defense, praising him for championing traditional gender roles.
Butker’s teammates have also spoken supportively of Butker. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said that he has known Butker for seven years and judges him “by the character he shows every single day. And that’s a good person.”
Similarly, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said that Butker has “treated friends and family that I’ve introduced to him with nothing but respect and kindness, and that’s how he treats everyone. When it comes down to his views and what he said at St. Benedict’s commencement speech, those are his.”
Earlier this week, Katy Perry posted an edited version of Butker’s speech in which clips were cut together to convey a new message in celebration of the beginning of LGBTQ+ Pride Month, which takes place every June.
“Fixed this for my girls, my graduates, and my gays—you can do anything, congratulations and happy pride,” Perry wrote in the caption of the Instagram post.
