Katy Perry marked the start of Pride Month by sharing a unique version of Harrison Butker’s controversial graduation speech.
The singer shared an edited video of Butker’s 20-minute commencement address, delivered at Benedictine College in Kansas last month, with a powerful message for her audience.
“Fixed this for my girls, my graduates, and my gays. You can do anything. Congratulations and Happy Pride,” she captioned the Instagram post.
In Perry’s creative edit, Butker’s original speech, which touched on sensitive topics like working women and LGBTQ+ rights, was transformed into a celebration of female graduates.
Harrison Butker’s original speech sparked controversy
Katy Perry’s edit focused on empowering women and the LGBTQ+ community
Perry skillfully manipulated Butker’s words, rearranging the order to create a new narrative. In her version, Butker appeared to applaud the achievements of female graduates and acknowledge the bright future ahead of them.
“For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved so far in your young lives,” the 28-year-old seemed to say in the edited clip.
“I would venture to guess that the women here today are going to lead successful careers in the world,” he continued, as presented in Perry’s edit.
The 39-year-old singer’s post also included a manipulated portion of the speech, where Butker seemed to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“The road ahead is bright. Things are changing, society is shifting, and people, young and old, are embracing diversity, equity, and inclusion,” he appeared to say in the edited video.
Perry’s creative edit concluded with a powerful message: “Happy Pride Month to all of you. And congratulations, Class of 2024.”
While comments were turned off for the post, it quickly gained traction, receiving over 100,000 likes in less than a day.
Meanwhile, Butker, a player for the Kansas City Chiefs, joined his teammates at the White House, despite his previous criticism of President Joe Biden in the same commencement speech.
Perry’s caption emphasized empowerment and celebration
Butker was part of the Kansas City Chiefs team that visited the White House
Butker had criticized President Joe Biden in his controversial speech
During his address at Benedictine College, Butker had branded Biden as “delusional” and accused him of supporting “the murder of innocent babies.” This prompted a petition calling for his removal from the Chiefs’ roster, which gained over 228,000 signatures.
