Serena Williams demolishes Harrison Butker in a speech at ESPY Awards: ‘We don’t need you’
Serena Williams called out Harrison Butker at the ESPY Awards. (Getty/Getty)
Serena Williams demolished Harrison Butker during a speech at the ESPY Awards, and absolutely no crumbs were left.
The former tennis player and her sister Venus Williams, as well as Abbott Elementary actress Quinta Brunson, took to the stage at the 2024 ESPY Awards on 11 January.
Venus urged sporting fans at the event, which recognises athletes and huge sporting moments, to follow women’s sports “like you would any other sports because they are sports”.
But Serena couldn’t help but address the Kansas City Chiefs kicker, who famously told students at Benedictine College in Kansas that he believed Pride month to be “sinful”, and insisted that women graduates would be happiest as wives and mothers during a graduation speech.
“Except you, Harrison Butker, we don’t need you,” the former athlete said, whilst looking directly into the camera. “At all, like, ever,” Brunson added.
Butker was present at the awards ceremony, supporting his Super Bowl-winning teammates who were nominated for awards, including Patrick Mahomes, who won Best Athlete in Men’s Sports at the event.
The Chiefs player previously doubled down on his offensive comments, saying they were a reflection of his “Catholic faith“.
He said at the time: “At the outset, many people expressed a shocking level of hate. But as the days went on, even those who disagreed with my viewpoints shared their support for my freedom of religion.
“If it wasn’t clear that the timeless Catholic values are hated by many, it is now. As to be expected, the more I’ve talked about what I value most, which is my Catholic faith, the more polarising I’ve become.”
The NFL responded to his comments, saying they “are not those of the NFL as an organisation”.
“The NFL is steadfast in our commitment to inclusion, which only makes our league stronger,” it said in a statement at the time.
Justice Horn, the former chairman of the Kansas City LGBTQ Commission, also criticised the speech, writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Harrison Butker doesn’t represent Kansas City nor has he ever. Kansas City has always been a place that welcomes, affirms and embraces our LGBTQ+ community members.”
A petition to axe the sportsperson from the team has also garnered over 168,000 signatures.
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