Harrison Butker's Graduation Mishap Wasn't a Shocking Event: Insight
A video appeared showing Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker delivering an address at Benedictine College, a Catholic institute in Atchison, Kansas. During his 20-minute lecture, Butker criticized Biden, abortion rights, Covid policies, and LGBTQ+ pride.
For a bit, Butker seemed to shift toward the mainstream, as he congratulated the graduates and advised them to pursue their careers. However, he shifted once more and spoke of "ladies," whom he believed had been given deceptive advice.
"Many of you may go on to achieve professional success, but most likely, your greatest anticipation is for your marriage, and the children you'll nurture," Butker declared. He also acknowledged the "homemaker" title was significant, getting emotional as he disclosed his own partner, Isabelle, and her willingness to relinquish her educational goals to fulfill her role as wife and parent.
Social networks swiftly erupted with fury. One user on X (earlier known as Twitter) commented, "Harrison Butker saying women at their COLLEGE GRADUATION should be homemakers because they've been lied to is... something."
Butker's comments sparked discomfort within the Catholic community, with some asserting his viewpoints didn't mirror the religion. Meanwhile, the NFL distanced itself, issuing a statement asserting Butker's perspectives didn't match those of the organization, and they remained resolute in their conviction to equality.
My reaction to Butker's comments underlines my own experiences. In 2005, I graduated from Abilene Christian University, and I wasn't astonished by the content of his speech. Annoyed? Certainly. Frustrated? You bet. But dumbfounded? No.
Lots of women, particularly those raised in evangelical culture, don't have the luxury of shock when confronted with sexist actions. Even those with a college education. We've been instilled with the notion that our primary task is to get pregnant and bear kids, a concept originating from Genesis when God made Adam and Eve.
I remember sitting on a circular carpet in Sunday school, listening to our teacher move felt characters around a flannel board to narrate the beginning of humanity. I was probably around four or five years old. There was Adam and Eve, a sad serpent, and a cloud symbolizing God. Eve was offered an apple by the serpent, ate it, and then offered it to Adam.
Our teacher informed us this enraged God. She placed a lightning bolt on the cloud to show how angry He was. She explained that due to Eve's deceit, women would always suffer during childbirth, and would be subservient men.
Female submission isn't prevalent in secular communities, but it's found in several evangelical and Catholic congregations, including educational institutions. While there are nuances in the manner Butker was educated and the audience he spoke to, there are some key similarities.
Numerous evangelical and Catholic churches promote complementarianism, an ideology that asserts men and women were created for dissimilar objectives. Men are meant to provide for the family financially and safeguard them, while women are meant to nurture and support. Men are supposed to be action-oriented while women are more passive. Men are the bosses, and women the servants.
This hierarchy was implied at my conservative Christian school – the College of Biblical Studies steered women toward careers in children's ministry. However, they motivated men to become head pastors. This was because there are few positions for women in progressive or unbiased churches that don't follow this belief system.
At my university, Christian ladies were also advised to push aside their diplomas in favor of marriage and motherhood. We made jokes about getting "a ring by spring." We sought "MRS degrees." I'm ashamed to admit that many of us treated the males we encountered in college like casual gifts – obtained simply for showing up.
I received my gift before the party even started. My husband and I married the summer between our junior and senior year. However, we soon realized that having a wedding didn't prepare us for marriage. By 22 and 20, we were clueless people who had no sense of who we were as individuals, never mind spouses. We made the errors typical of young, immature, and ill-prepared humans trying to handle their new roles.
Luckily, we evolved together and remained together, unlike several of our friends from school. Some of them got divorces shortly after marriage. Others remain in marriages devoid of physical intimacy.
My spouse and I celebrate our 20th anniversary this summer. And while we're grateful for the academic setting that brought us together, we're raising our son and daughter under a new perspective.
Though we established our family under conventional gender roles, I learned I could be a superior wife and mother when I had the option to participate in my community beyond the household. I launched a business, opened a standalone bank account, and discovered my self-worth went beyond homemaker.
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During the Covid-19 lockdown, my husband started working from home, which allowed him to participate in the chaos of the morning routine, attend his kids' virtual classes, and take them on afternoon bike rides to burn off energy. He realized he enjoyed being part of his children's daily lives, instead of being tied to a 9-to-5 office job. Consequently, he changed his career to a position that enabled him to work remotely.
Now, my husband and I don't just accept the traditional hierarchy in life but also try to break free from it. We want to teach our children that they can create their own paths and not be limited by outdated and harmful gender stereotypes. In the future, we hope they'll attend a graduation ceremony where their efforts and strengths are celebrated, instead of being condescended by false narratives.
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Despite the backlash, many people shared similar opinions to Butker's views on social media, expressing agreement with his traditional views on gender roles.
However, some argued that Butker's comments were outdated and misrepresented the changing roles of women in modern society.
Source: edition.cnn.com
