Kylie Kelce has spoken out about Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker’s graduation speech at Benedictine College.
In Butker’s commencement speech last May, he specifically addressed the female members of the Class of 2024 by telling them that they have been told “diabolical lies” about their societal roles. Instead of pursuing their careers, he told the graduates that his own family wasn’t successful until his wife embraced the role of a homemaker. “Her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,” he claimed.
During an event for the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation on Thursday, June 13, Kylie Kelce – the wife of former Eagles center Jason Kelce – revealed to Cheddar exactly what she thought of Butker’s speech. “I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” she began.
“I hope that if anyone does not align with those views in that graduating class, that they know that they have just achieved something. Those women graduating in that class have just achieved something that no one can take away from them. Their education will stick with them for the rest of their lives.”
“I hope they were appropriately celebrated if that was not their view,” she added.
However, she did acknowledge that choosing to be a homemaker is a choice and there wasn’t anything wrong with women who decided to agree with Butker’s views. “If it was [their view], and they’re looking forward to making a family and being [a] stay-at-home mom, then more power to them. I think as women we should support each other in our choices,” she said.
Kylie wasn’t the only person to address Butker’s controversial speech. Her brother-in-law and Kansas City Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, also gave his opinion during an episode of his New Heights podcast with Jason.
“I can’t say I agree with the majority of it, or just about any of it, outside of just him loving his family or his kids,” he said about the speech, noting that he is a great teammate and friend. “And I don’t think I should judge him by his views, especially his religious views of how he goes about life. That’s just not who I am.”
Butker previously addressed the criticism surrounding his commencement speech at a gala for the Catholic homeschool organization, the Regina Caeli Academy – where he is a board member. During the event, which took place on May 24, he defended his comments toward the female graduates at Benedictine College.
“The theme for tonight’s gala, Courage Under Fire, was decided many months ago, but it now feels providential that this would be the theme after what we have all witnessed these last two weeks,” Butker said. “If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now.”
Despite the negative reception toward his speech, Butker clarified that his comments stemmed from his religious beliefs.
“Our love for Jesus, and thus, our desire to speak out, should never be outweighed by the longing of our fallen nature to be loved by the world,” Butker said. “Glorifying God and not ourselves should always remain our motivation despite any pushback, or even support. I lean on those closest to me for guidance, but I can never forget that it is not people, but Jesus Christ who I’m trying to please.”
