The Petition To Kick Harrison Butker Off The Kansas City Chiefs Has Over 100K Signatures Already!!

Thousands of fans are campaigning to get Harrison Butker kicked off the Kansas City Chiefs after that sexist graduation speech!

If you missed it, the NFL kicker gave a controversial commencement speech at Benedictine College earlier this week. In it, he told all the women in the room that they’d been lied to about how important it was to have a career — saying their real purpose in life was to be a wife, mother, and homemaker! He also went on an anti-LGBTQ+, anti-abortion (and IVF and surrogacy), and racist rant. Oh, yeah, and he quoted his teammate Travis Kelce‘s girlfriend Taylor Swift in the talk, too!

The whole thing was a mess and sparked so much outrage that a Change.org petition was started on Monday. It quickly went viral, gathering over 75,000 signatures in less than a day! And as of Thursday morning, the petition has now been signed by more than 100K people — and the count is rising by the minute!! Impressive!

Addressing the football star’s speech, the organizer wrote:

“The harmful remarks made by Harrison Butker, kicker of the Kansas City Chiefs, during his commencement address at Benedictine College were unacceptable. His comments were sexist, homophobic, anti-trans, anti-abortion and racist. These dehumanizing remarks against LGBTQ+ individuals, attacks on abortion rights and racial discrimination perpetuate division and undermine human rights.

These comments reinforce harmful stereotypes that threaten social progress. They create a toxic environment that hinders our collective efforts towards equality, diversity and inclusion in society. It is unacceptable for such a public figure to use their platform to foster harm rather than unity.”

They added:

“It’s important to note that these types of discriminatory attitudes contribute significantly towards societal issues such as hate crimes which have been on the rise in recent years (source: FBI Hate Crime Statistics). Furthermore, they can lead to increased mental health issues among targeted communities (source: American Psychological Association).”

Oof. Because of this, they’re now asking for Butker to be removed from the team, stating:

“We demand accountability from our sports figures who should be role models promoting respect for all people regardless of their race, gender identity or sexual orientation. We call upon the Kansas City Chiefs management to dismiss Harrison Butker immediately for his inappropriate conduct. Please sign this petition if you stand with us against discrimination and believe in fostering an inclusive society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.”

Wow!

There were SO many comments from supporters, too, saying:

“Stop giving men microphones”

“As a woman living in a post-Roe America, I’m exhausted from men telling women what to do with their lives. Enough.”

“Alexa, play ‘The Man’ by Taylor Swift”

“If he doesn’t think women are worthy enough for a career then he shouldn’t be either. this man does not deserve any kind of platform”

It’s hard to know if any real change will come of this considering the NFL already brushed off the controversy in a simple statement. The league’s Chief Diversity Officer Jonathan Beane told Outsports:

“Harrison Butker gave a speech in his personal capacity. 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.”

At least they don’t support his viewpoints, right? But this also doesn’t suggest that he’s going to get reprimanded either!

By the way, Harrison has been a pivotal player over the years, becoming one of the league’s best kickers. He kicked the field goal that forced this year’s Super Bowl into overtime, allowing the Chiefs to eventually win. So, it’s unclear if the team would really boot him for this. But maybe if the hate gets too loud, they’ll have no choice?? Those who wish to support the cause can check out the petition HERE.

Thoughts? Do you think something will come of this? Sound OFF (below)!

[Image via Benedictine College /Kansas City Chiefs /YouTube]