Patricia Heaton recently shared her opinion on Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, after he’s found himself under fire for his comments made during a graduation speech. Last week, Butker sparked controversy after he gave a commencement speech at Benedictine College where he spoke about topics such as women’s choices, abortion, COVID and LGBTQ pride month. Patricia Heaton shared a video to her Instagram where she defended Butker and his right to have an opinion. She captioned the video, “Everybody just calm down.”
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“I don’t understand why everybody’s knickers are in a twist. He gave a commencement speech,” Heaton said in the video. “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, um, so what? It’s his opinion. He can have one. He’s allowed. He’s not a monster for stating what he believes.” She noted, “He went after bishops much more than he went after women, or what women’s choices are or what he thinks they should be, so I don’t understand.”
Butker made a handful of remarks that sparked controversy, but his comments about women seemed to spark the most outrage. “I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” he said in the speech. “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.” Butker also praised his wife Isabelle, saying she “would be the first to say her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”
In the Instagram video, Heaton shared her thoughts on his comments about women. “I am a Catholic woman who worked through my kids’ childhood, and I believe that God opened those doors for me,” Heaton said. “And thankfully, it was a schedule that allowed me to also be a full-time mom basically. I find nothing offensive about what he said, even though my life is very different, and he might even look at my life and say that’s not the way it should be. That’s OK. That’s his opinion.” Heaton noted, “God has used my life, so, I’m just curious as to why people get offended. If you have made choices in your life, and you feel those are the right choices, and you’re comfortable, and they’re working out for you and your family – great.” She concluded her video by saying, “And if they’re different from his, that’s great. You do you, and he’ll do him and his family. Relax everybody.”