Why Maria Shriver Felt Compelled to Speak Out Against Harrison Butker
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Originally appeared on E! Online
Maria Shriver is happy to use her platform to call timeout on positions she stands against.
Which is why the 68-year-old called out Harrison Butker's recent commencement speech, in which he shared his beliefs that women's true roles are in the home and not in the workforce.
"I try to use my voice where I think it's necessary," she told E! News at the Alliance for Women in Media's Gracie Awards May 21, pointing out, "I think this is a night about women speaking out."
And on the response her reaction garnered—including praise from Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager—the journalist admitted, "It seems to be huge." (For more from the Gracies, tune into E! News tonight, May 22 at 11 p.m.)
Harrison's May 11 commencement speech at Benedictine College—during which he touched on topics such as abortion, the role of the church and LGBTQ+ rights, as well as saying the female students "are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world"—quickly grew in infamy on social media. And amid the growing controversy, Maria expressed her dismay at the NFL player words.
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"What point was Harrison Butker really trying to make to women in his graduation speech about their present day life choices?" she wrote as part of a lengthy response on X, formerly Twitter, May 16. "Did he really want them, aka us, to believe that our lives truly only begin when we lean into the vocation of wife and mother?"
And while noting the right to free speech, Maria—who shares kids Katherine, 34, Christina, 32, Patrick, 30, and Christopher, 26, with ex Arnold Schwarzenegger likewise pointed out women "have a voice have the right to disagree."
"As a woman who has leaned into my vocation of living a meaningful life and working inside and outside the home to not only raise good humans but also raise up our country in various ways, "she noted, "I think it's demeaning to women to imply that their choices outside of wife and motherhood pale in comparison to that of homemaker."
She added, calling out Harrison's role as kicker on the Kansas City Chiefs, "I will not tell Mr. Butker to stick to kicking, but I would suggest next time he speaks to women first and listen to someone with a clearer take on where most women find themselves in 2024."
Following the largely negative reaction Harrison's speech received online, the NFL made a statement distancing itself from the 28-year-old's comments.
"Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity," the league's senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane said in a statement to People. "His 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."
But while many celebrities have spoken against Harrison's comments, others have come to his defense. Keep reading to see how many celebrities have reacted to the controversial speech.
- Reporting by Nikki Novak
Maren Morris
The "Bones" singer reacted to Harrison's speech with a reference to a social media trend in which women say whether they'd rather encounter a bear or a man while alone in the woods.
Under a video of the NFL player's speech, Maren wrote on her Instagram Story, "I choose the bear."
Maria Shriver
"What point was Harrison Butker really trying to make to women in his graduation speech about their present day life choices?" Maria wrote on X, formerly Twitter, May 16. "Did he really want them, aka us, to believe that our lives truly only begin when we lean into the vocation of wife and mother?"
"Look, everyone has the right to free speech in our country," she continued. "That's the benefit of living in a democracy. But those of us who are women and who have a voice have the right to disagree with Butker."
Patricia Heaton
"I don't understand why everybody's knickers in a twist," the Everybody Loves Raymond actor shared in a video. "He gave a commencement speech. The audience applauded twice during the speech and gave him a standing ovation at the end. So clearly they enjoyed what he was saying. The guy is espousing his own opinions and Catholic doctrine."
"So what? It's his opnion, he can have one," she continued. "He's not a monster for stating what he believes."
Whoopi Goldberg
"I like when people say what they need to say—he's at a Catholic College, he's a staunch Catholic," she said during the May 16 episode of The View. "These are his beliefs and he's welcome to him. I don't have to believe them, right? I don't have to accept them. The ladies that were sitting in that audience do not have to accept them."
"I'm okay with him saying whatever he says and the women who are sitting there if they take his advice, good for them, they'll be happy," she added. "If they don't go for them, they will be happy a different way. That's my attitude."
"There's certain things that he said that I don't necessarily agree with," the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback explained during a May 22 press conference, "but I understand the person that he is and he is trying to do whatever he can to lead people in the right direction."
"And that might not be the same values as I have, but at the same time, I'm going to judge him by the character that he shows every single day," he said. "That's a great person and we'll continue to move along and try to help build each other up to make ourselves better every single day."
Andy Reid
"Everybody's got their own opinion," the Kansas City Chiefs coach said during a May 22 press conference. "And that's what's so great about this country, you could share those things, and you work through it."
"I didn't talk to him about this, didn’t think we’d need to," he continued. "We’re a microcosm of life here, everybody’s from different areas, different religions, different races. And so we all get along, we all respect each other's opinions, and not necessarily do we go by those, but we respect everybody to have a voice. It's a great thing about America. And we're just like I said a microcosm of that and my wish that everybody could kind of follow that."
“I don’t think he was speaking ill of women," he added. "He has his opinions, and we all respect that."
Bill Maher
While emphasizing "how much this guy is not like me,” the TV host did say OF Harrison's speech during Real Time, "I don’t see what the big crime is, I really don’t.”
He continued, "Like he’s saying some of you may go on to successful careers, but a lot of you are excited about this other way that people, everybody used to be and now can. Can’t that just be a choice too?"
Tavia and Gracie Hunt
The wife and daughter of the Kansas City Chiefs CEO, Clark Hunt, spoke out following the team kicker's controversial statements.
"I've always encouraged my daughters to be highly educated and chase their dreams," Tavia, who also shares daughter Ava Hunt, 18, and son Knobel Hunt, 20, with Clark, wrote on Instagram, alongside throwback pics of herself with her kids. "I want them to know that they can do whatever they want (that honors God). But I also want them to know that I believe finding a spouse who loves and honors you as or before himself and raising a family together is one of the greatest blessings this world has to offer."
Gracie, 25, then told Fox News' Fox & Friends, "I've had the most incredible mom who had the ability to stay home and be with us as kids growing up. And I understand that there are many women out there who can't make that decision. But for me and my life, I know it was really formative and in shaping me and my siblings into who we are."
Roger Goodell
"Listen, we have over 3,000 players. We have executives around the league. They have a diversity of opinions and thoughts just like America does," the NFL commissioner said. "I think that's something that we treasure and that's part of, I think, ultimately what makes us as a society better."
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