Bethenny Frankel 'Pissed' About Harrison Butker's Speech: Here's What She Had To Say
By Kelly Coffey-Behrens on May 17, 2024 at 12:15 PM EDT
Following Harrison Butker's controversial commencement speech, Bethenny Frankel is speaking out, slamming the NFL player.
As previously reported by The Blast, Butker, who is a three-time Super Bowl winner and a kicker for the Kansas City Chiefs, gave a graduation speech, which quickly became one of the hottest topics to date.
The NFL has announced it will distance itself from Harrison Butker's controversial comments, stating that it is "steadfast in our commitment to inclusion."
In addition to the NFL, many other public figures have spoken out about the speech, most recently Bethenny Frankel.
Bethenny Frankel Slams Harrison Butker
Frankel, who went to Saint Agnes, the Old Westbury School, and The Holy Child, said she "loved studying the Old Testament."
"If you're gonna tell me that there's not a person sitting in that audience that like, clapped along with everybody else, that doesn't have goals of doing anything besides pushing babies out, and cooking casseroles, you're gravely mistaken," she said.
"I can't wait to have one of them on my podcast, because this is nuts," she continued. "It's not 'The Handmaid's Tale.' Multiple things can be happening at the same time."
Bethenny Frankel Can't Sit Back In Silence
"You can like tradition, you can love family values. You can be a good Christian. You can also want to have a career, have a passion, make your own money, have goals, do things, see how far you can take it, what you can accomplish. Shoot for the moon," Frankel said.
"It's insane. There's no discussing. This is not even a debate. This is not a debate. It's not a debate. It's pushing 'The Handmaid's Tale.' Yeah, you could be a man, you can kick a football, you can do whatever you want, but you're not gonna go limit other people when you are not walking upright," she concluded.
Fans Side With Bethenny Frankel
In the comments section, the television personality added, "If you want to stay home, DO it and be PROUD. Just don’t limit people’s goals of wanting to break barriers."
Others chimed in with their opinions, including one user who "went to strict catholic schools run by nuns in Ireland" who "taught us that the world was our oyster! Never once did they say our place was in a kitchen."
Another suggested, "That University should reimburse EVERY SINGLE WOMAN in that graduating class. Why did they accept their money?? To get their 'Mrs.' degree," to which Frankel agreed. "OMG FACTS," she replied.
Why Was Harrison Butker's Speech Controversial?
In his nearly 20-minute speech, Harrison Butker addressed almost 500 graduating students. As he congratulated them, he also seemingly suggested that a woman’s biggest accomplishment would be in the family home.
“I want to speak directly to [the ladies] briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” he said. “How 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?"
"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," he continued.
He then mentioned his wife, Isabelle, who would apparently “be the first to say her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
Harrison Butker Calls Out President Joe Biden
Butker criticized President Joe Biden, a Catholic, along with other unnamed Catholic leaders for “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America,” seemingly referring to transgender rights.
The NFL kicker then encouraged the graduates to have Catholic pride and “not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it.”
The Chiefs have yet to comment on Butker’s remarks, but Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, told PEOPLE Magazine that Butker's “views are not those of the NFL as an organization. The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger."