While speaking about women's sports at the ESPY Awards with her sister Venus and Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson, tennis star Serena Williams put Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker in his place to loud applause.
Butker made national headlines in May for a misogynistic and anti-LGBTQ+ commencement speech criticizing working women, reproductive rights, surrogacy, and LGBTQ+ rights at the ultra-conservative Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas.
Taking the stage, Brunson began:
"There are a lot of firsts this year. The Texas Rangers won their first World Series, the Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup.”
Serena then quipped:
“And, according to sports media, this is the first [year] ever that women played basketball.”
The stars then highlighted the "huge year in women’s sports" and offered "tips on how to properly enjoy them," noting that “you can root for Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.” And while Venus Williams emphasized, “So go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports,” Serena Williams shifted the tone with a jab at the controversial NFL player.
Serena Williams said:
"Except you, Harrison Butker. We don't need you."
To that, Brunson responded:
“At all, like, ever.”
Butker himself was at the ceremony but the camera did not pan to catch his reaction. He was nonetheless photographed on the ESPYs red carpet and seen seated in the crowd during the ceremony.
You can watch what happened in the video below.
Many appreciated her call out.
Serena Williams' words are just the latest high-profile reaction to Butker, who urged male graduates to "fight against the cultural emasculation of men," claimed that "abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerative cultural values in media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder."
Addressing women graduates directly, he added:
"For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you."
"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."
Butker also claimed that he is "beyond blessed" because his wife Isabelle "would convert to the faith, become my wife, and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.” He said her "dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you ask her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud without hesitation, and say, 'Hey, no.'"
The football player also denounced Pride—a celebration of LGBTQ+ solidarity and identity as resistance to discrimination and violence—as "dangerous gender ideologies," further describing it as a commemoration of "deadly sins ... that has an entire month dedicated to it." He called on graduates to adhere to "the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the holy ghost to glorify him."
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