Harrison Butker issues statement after Serena Williams called out Chiefs kicker during 2024 ESPYs

Harrison Butker has a response to Serena Williams' potshot at him. At Thursday's ESPYs, the tennis legend, her elder sister (and fellow player) Venus, and actress-comedienne Quinta Brunson made a thinly veiled reference to the Kansas City Chiefs kicker's controversial "homemaker" speech at the commencement exercises of Benedictine College in May.

The three women said:

“Go ahead and enjoy women’s sports like you would any other sports, because they are sports... Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you at all. Like, ever.”

Butker was in attendance, but ESPN's cameras did not catch his reaction during the segment. However, he stated on Friday, while initially praising Williams, also wished she had not been forcing divisions based on personal beliefs:

“Sports are supposed to be the great unifier and at an event dedicated to celebrating a diverse group of men and women who have accomplished great feats, she used it as an opportunity to disinvite those with whom she disagrees with from supporting fellow athletes."

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Riley Gaines, Katrina Trinko react to Serena Williams' jab at Harrison Butker

As Serena, Venus Williams and Quinta Brunson seemingly joined the anti-Harrison Butker camp, he has found another person who will at the very least tolerate his words.

Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer turned political advocate who is well-known for campaigns against transgender athletes, posted on her X.com account about the hypocrisy behind the trio's comments, making a reference to transgender swimmer Lia Thomas winning an NCAA swimming title in 2022:

Meanwhile, Katrina Trinko, editor-in-chief of the conservative website The Daily Signal, reiterated her support for Butker by reposting the opinion piece she wrote in the wake of his "homemaker" speech:

"Here’s the catch: Half of women with children 18 and younger say they would like to stay at home. According to a 2019 Gallup poll, 50% of women with minor children said they would prefer to be a homemaker, while 45% said they’d prefer to work outside the home.

"In other words, it’s Butker, not his critics, who represent the most popular view among women with younger children."

She further opined that, even if it was true that women faced a great dilemma choosing between working and staying at home, it would still be wrong to mindlessly chastise Butker for his beliefs:

"He’s drawing criticism because, at a time when we urge our kids to pursue personal goals and success, he’s saying that it’s Jesus Christ who is the king, that sometimes the path of sacrifice and little to no recognition is the better one. That’s not a popular message in 2024 (nor was it in 33 A.D., for that matter)."

The Williams sisters have yet to expound on the matter.