In May 2024, Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker delivered a commencement speech at Benedictine College, a small private Catholic liberal arts college in Atchison, Kansas.
In his address, Butker told women in the audience they’d been told “the most diabolical lies” about the value in pursuing a career. He also told men to be “unapologetic” in their masculinity and fight “the cultural emasculation of men.”
His words drew backlash, including from the sisters of Mount St. Scholastica, nuns affiliated with the college. They wrote in a statement on their website that his words “seem to have fostered division.”
However, both Tavia and Gracie appeared to support Butker in their respective social media posts and TV appearances.
Nearly a week after Butker’s address, Tavia Hunt shared photos of her and her daughters on Instagram, along with a diagram outlining the pros and cons of stay-at-home parenting and a screenshot of an article on the happiness of married couples.
In the lengthy caption, Shackles Hunt wrote that she’s always encouraged her daughters to be educated and “chase their dreams,” but said she also wants them to know that finding a spouse and raising a family “is one of the greatest blessings this world has to offer.”
“Affirming motherhood and praising your wife, as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted,” she added. “Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion.”
Given the post’s themes of motherhood and faith, fans were quick to connect Shackles Hunt’s words to those of Harrison Butker, who, in his commencement address, spoke about his wife, Isabelle, and how she embraced “one of the most important titles of all: homemaker.”
Meanwhile, Gracie Hunt was asked about Butker’s speech on a May 2024 episode of “Fox & Friends.”
“I really respect Harrison and his Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field,” she said. Hunt also praised her mother’s ability to stay home with her and her siblings while they were growing up, but added that “there are many women out there who can’t make that decision.”
