Serena Williams hits out at Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in a speech at the 2024 ESPY awards.
The tennis champion had been on stage with her sister Venus Williams, who had been reading from a teleprompter, and Abbott Elementary actor Quinta Brunson.
In a speech, Venus urged the audience to watch and enjoy women's sports, saying they should be watched "like you would any other sports because they are sports.”
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At this point in the speech, Serena then chimed in with a remark aimed directly at Harrison Butker, who'd been sitting in the audience in the Dolby Theater for the awards on Thursday (July 11).
Addressing Butker, Serena looked directly at the camera and said: "Except you, Harrison Butker, we don’t need you."
Brunson then chimed in, adding: "At all. Like, ever."
The remarks were met with a gasp, followed by laughter and applause from the audience at the Dolby Theater.
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Butker was the subject of a massive backlash following a commencement speech he gave at Benedictine College in Kansas.
The footballer said: "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."
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Using his wife, Isabelle Butker, as an example, he said her life 'truly started' when she 'began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother,' adding that Isabelle had taken on 'one of the most important titles of all: homemaker'.
He went on to say: "Our nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith, but... has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies."
During the 20 minute speech Butker also made remarks about 'dangerous gender ideologies', 'degenerate cultural values', and 'the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion.'
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After his speech sparked outrage, Butker appeared to double down in an address at the Courage Under Fire gala in Nashville, saying: “If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now.”
The NFL also responded to the backlash following his remarks at the address, saying that they were stated 'in his personal capacity', adding: "His views are not those of the NFL."
LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation GLAAD also condemned Butker's remarks, calling them 'woefully out of step with Americans about Pride, LGBTQ people and women'.
UNILAD has reached out to representatives of Harrison Butker for comment.
Kit Roberts