speech topics pdf

English Speaking Topics (PDF Download)

In this article, we’ll explore a variety of simple and interesting English speaking topics designed for you. Each conversation topic comes with simple questions to get you started. There’s no need to worry about complicated words or confusing grammar rules. English conversation topics divided into Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced to help you get started practising.

We’ve handpicked conversation topics that are easy to understand and talk about. From talking about your family to discussing your favorite foods, these topics are like stepping stones, guiding you through the wonderful world of English conversation.

So, are you ready to dive into the world of English conversation? Let’s get started! Whether you’re learning at home, in a classroom, or with friends, these topics are here to make your English journey enjoyable and rewarding. You can download free English Speaking Topics PDF at the end of this article.

English Conversation Topics

A1 (Beginner) Level:

• Introduce Yourself
• Describe Your Hobbies
• Talk About Your Family
• Discuss Your Favorite Food
• Describe Your Daily Routine
• Talk About Your Pet
• Share Your Favorite Color
• Discuss Your Favorite Movie or TV Show
• Describe Your Best Friend
• Talk About Your School or Workplace

B1 (Intermediate) Level:

• Discuss Your Last Vacation
• Share Your Future Goals
• Describe a Memorable Event in Your Life
• Talk About a Book You Recently Read
• Discuss the Importance of Learning a Second Language
• Describe Your Dream Job
• Discuss the Impact of Technology on Society
• Share Your Opinion on Social Media
• Talk About a Challenge You Overcame
• Discuss the Benefits of Exercise

Check Also: Conversation Topics and Questions & For English Learners English Conversation Practice Tests (PDF) English Conversation Practice E-Books (PDF+Audio)

C1 (Advanced) Level:

• Debate the Pros and Cons of Artificial Intelligence
• Discuss Climate Change and Environmental Issues
• Share Your Views on Globalization
• Analyze the Influence of Social Media on Society
• Discuss the Role of Education in Shaping the Future
• Debate the Ethics of Genetic Engineering
• Talk About the Impact of Literature on Society
• Discuss the Role of Women in Leadership
• Analyze the Effects of Mass Media on Culture
• Debate the Importance of Cultural Diversity

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50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches

Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo. 

• Homework Tips
• Learning Styles & Skills
• Study Methods
• Time Management
• Private School
• College Admissions
• College Life
• Graduate School
• Business School
• Distance Learning
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

For the many people who break out in a sweat at the very idea of speaking in front of an audience , the prospect of speaking on an unknown topic with little to no preparation is likely terrifying. But you don't have to be afraid of impromptu speeches. As it turns out, the secret even to off-the-cuff speeches is preparation.

Impromptu Speech Tips

• Decide on your topic
• Come up with three supportive statements related to your topic
• Prepare a strong conclusion

Use this list of impromptu speech topics to practice making a quick speech outline in your head. For each of the topics below, just think of three main points you'd like to make. For example, if your speech topic is "Your least favorite chores," you could quickly come up with three statements:

• I don't know anybody who likes to fold laundry, so the first task on my list of unhappy chores is folding laundry.
• Taking out the trash is another chore that most people dread, and I'm no different.
• The worst chore in the entire household has to be cleaning the toilet.

If you go into your speech with these statements in your head, you can spend the rest of your time thinking up supporting statements as you speak. When you've identified your three main points, think of a great finishing statement. If you end with a great closer, you'll really impress your audience.

Start Practicing With This List

• My three favorite animals.
• What you would find in my closet. Make something up.
• What you'd find under my bed.
• The best letter of the alphabet.
• Why your mom/dad is special.
• A day that stands out.
• The best surprise ever.
• If I had a million dollars to give away.
• If cats/dogs ruled the world.
• A trip to remember.
• My favorite day of the year.
• If I could only eat three foods forever.
• If I could design a school.
• Why books are important.
• Three surprising facts about me .
• How to impress your parents.
• How to plan a party.
• A job I'd love to have.
• A day in my life.
• If I could have dinner with anyone.
• If I could travel through time.
• My favorite book.
• An important lesson I've learned.
• What I've learned from cartoons.
• The smartest cartoon character.
• Three things I'd change if I ruled the world.
• Why sports are important.
• The worst chores at home.
• Why I deserve an allowance.
• If I were in charge of school lunches.
• If I had invented school.
• The best theme park rides.
• Whom do you admire most?
• What is your favorite animal?
• How to achieve your dreams.
• Why you need a baby brother.
• How to annoy an older sister.
• How to save money.
• Three things that scare me.
• Great things about snow days.
• Things you can make out of snow.
• How to spend a rainy day.
• How to walk a dog.
• Great things about the ocean.
• Things I'll never eat.
• How to be a slacker.
• Why I like my town.
• The best parts of a parade.
• Interesting things you see in the sky.
• Things to remember when you're camping.
• An experience with a bully.
• 100 Persuasive Speech Topics for Students
• Chemistry Pick Up Lines to Try on Your Crush
• How to Give an Impromptu Speech
• Practice Speaking Skills With Impromptu Speeches
• 5 Tips on How to Write a Speech Essay
• Impromptu Speech Activities
• How to Write and Structure a Persuasive Speech
• Speech Topics to Meet Oral Communication Standards
• Memorable Graduation Speech Themes
• Writing a Descriptive Essay
• Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students
• How to Write a Great Essay for the TOEFL or TOEIC
• 10 Warm Ups for Lesson Plans
• A Sample Essay for Common Application Option #7: Topic of Your Choice
• Writing an Opinion Essay
• Last Day of School Activities

• Games, topic printables & more
• The 4 main speech types
• Example speeches
• Commemorative
• Declamation
• Demonstration
• Informative
• Introduction
• Student Council
• Speech topics
• Poems to read aloud
• How to write a speech
• Using props/visual aids
• Acute anxiety help
• Breathing exercises
• Letting go - free e-course
• Using self-hypnosis
• Delivery overview
• 4 modes of delivery
• How to make cue cards
• How to read a speech
• 9 vocal aspects
• Vocal variety
• Diction/articulation
• Pronunciation
• Speaking rate
• How to use pauses
• Eye contact
• Body language
• Voice image
• Voice health
• Public speaking activities and games
• About me/contact
• Impromptu public speaking topics

-200 first-rate impromptu speech topics 

By:  Susan Dugdale  

• 50 impromptu topics
• Yet another 50 random speech topics
• Then 50 more good impromptu speech topics
• And finally, 50 funny impromptu speech topics.
• Plus links to more impromptu speech topics and activities.

The topics cover a broad cross section of subject matter. Use them for table topics at your Toastmaster's Club, with your high school public speaking class as practice for debate competitions or, by yourself.

Some of them are quirky and funny.

Many are deliberately provocative to stimulate a response from both you, the speaker and, your audience!

Others are open-ended or neutral to allow whatever occurs in your mind to fit the topic. You could use those ones to tell a true story; a personal experience, share your personal bloopers, or talk about the meaning of life!

Any one of the 200 will make a good subject for an excellent impromptu speech.

These types of speeches, off the cuff and without much time to prepare, are a great way to polish communication skills. And, most importantly, they're fun!

Are you in a hurry & needing impromptu speech topics ready for use now?

Solve your problem in 5 minutes. Get the first list of 50 impromptu speech topics on this page plus 48 more in an instantly available print-and-go pdf. 50 + 48 = 98 impromptu speech topics!

Quick tips for practicing by yourself:

• Choose a good topic, one that appeals to you from any one of the lists below.
• Give yourself a strictly monitored preparation time of no more than one minute in which to note an opening, a couple of main points with examples and, a conclusion.
• Deliver your speech while timing and, if possible, recording it. Aim to speak for a couple of minutes.
• When you play the recording back, listen for speech structure, (Is there one?), content and fluency. Each of these combine to create the overall impact of your speech.

If you're using these impromptu speaking topics with a friend or in front of an audience in a classroom, use the same method but skip the recording.

Be sure though to allow enough time to give and receive feedback. Along with regular practice, it's a vital part of improving!

Ideally once you or your class has become more confident, you'll allow less preparation time.

The ultimate goal is to be given a speech topic, do some quick thinking and to begin speaking on the subject coherently and easily, almost immediately.

Literally, you get given the topic, the green light, timer or stop watch is flicked on, you open your mouth and go!

Get help with impromptu speaking formats

If you've arrived at this page on impromptu public speaking topics without having seen my impromptu speaking tips page, pay a visit there too.

You'll get really useful information on structural patterns as well as delivery tips.

If you're new to making this kind of short duration speech, both will help a great deal.

The 7 patterns, in particular, are invaluable. They'll stop you from blundering aimlessly around blurting whatever occurs to you first! Something I remember doing quite frequently before I found them. ☺

Return to Top

50 impromptu public speaking topics

• My biggest concern for the future is...
• Real wealth is never measured in money or possessions.
• Conservation is survival.
• Real love is not the stuff of pop songs.
• If I were an animal I'd be a...
• Plants have feelings too.
• Junk food's popularity relies on marketing.
• To err is human. To forgive is divine. Discuss.
• The world is a smaller place these days.
• The more we communicate, the less we really say.
• When I grow up...
• The best letter of the alphabet is...
• Goals are good for you.
• The most important lesson of my life so far...
• Intelligence is not enough.
• If I ruled the world...
• Color affects the way people feel.
• Ill health begins in the mind.
• Team sports build strong individuals.
• Laughter is the best medicine.
• Fools and their money are easily parted.
• Discipline is not a dirty word.
• Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder.
• Children learn what they live with.
• My favorite day of the year is...
• What characteristics make an ideal hero and why?
• What and who is an average person?
• Being young is over-rated.
• In what situation is lying a good idea?
• Does money make the world go round?
• What human quality do we need more of and why?
• Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
• How we look is unimportant. It's who we are on the inside that counts.
• Fashion victims I have known.
• Pets are for people who don't have children.
• Summer is the best and worst of times. Why?
• The media controls how and what we think.
• Advertising targeting children is immoral.
• Talking to someone and talking with someone are two different activities.
• Real learning doesn't occur in a classroom.
• What would you rather be - wise or intelligent?
• True wisdom comes from experience.
• A sense of humor is essential.
• Uniforms stifle individuality.
• What is normal is decided by the society we live in.
• Manners matter.
• Children should not watch television.
• Art is essential to life.
• Cities are for people not cars.
• Peace is possible.   

Grab 'n go for busy people - Printable Speech Topics

Impromptu Speech Topics on the RUN

Get the first 50 topics on this page PLUS 48 more. It's a Serendipity (little-bit-of everything) Selection in an instantly available printable format: 14 topics per A4 page.

Preview an extract. See the 14 topics on page 5 of 7.

98 printable impromptu speech topics

Select, print, cut-and-GO!

50 excellent random impromptu speech topics

Here's the second list of 50. If a topic ends with an ellipsis, (...), replace it with a word or phrase of your choice.

E.g. 'I wish I was...' might become 'I wish I was sitting on a beach with my best friend.', or 'I wish I was more courageous.'

• What has more impact? Being beautiful or being kind?
• I wish I was...
• The color yellow reminds of...
• Swear words are satisfying to say.
• Share one important memory.
• What have you said that you immediately regretted?
• Explain how to withstand peer group pressure.
• The only certainties in life are death and taxes.
• Nationalism fuels wars.
• Doing what you want, when you want, does not build character.
• Every woman needs a husband.
• Love is exploited by manufacturers and shopkeepers.
• The Christmas season has been hijacked for profit.
• Vital medicines should be free.
• Social service should be compulsory.
• Being poor is not a crime.
• Love is not always the answer.
• What does it mean to be in a black mood?
• We should have Thanksgiving every day.
• When is stealing necessary?
• What is unforgivable?
• Being wrong is good for us.
• Who is the enemy? Why?
• Ignorance is a root cause of violence.
• What I loved doing most as a kid.
• A saying I’ll never forget is...
• The most important lesson I learned from my mother.
• What foreign language should we learn.
• If you could be a famous person for a day who would you be?
• The silliest thing I ever saw.
• An idea is never original.
• Copying other people is not bad. It’s the way we learn.
• Social media is both good and bad.
• The item I value most.
• We procrastinate because we are fearful of being wrong.
• Learning not to pre-judge a person is very difficult.
• The last book I read.
• My favorite time of the day.
• If I changed my name I’d change it to...
• People in my family never...
• Something I want to believe in but can’t.
• Becoming educated is a life-long mission.
• Learning to be grateful for what we have makes us happier.
• Sexual predation is never acceptable.
• Real friends love us, despite our faults.
• How to tell the difference between real and fake news.
• Describe an everyday miracle.
• Being different makes the world a richer place.
• Green washing is a modern crime.
• The contents of my bathroom cupboard.

Another 50 good impromptu speech topics

And here's the third list!

• Comfort food: what is the food that makes you feel good.
• How I got my name and what it means.
• What would happen if I had to be without my phone.
• An everyday hero.
• What qualities makes a person a leader?
• It’s OK to be wrong and it’s OK to fail.
• My favorite clothes: what are they, and why have you chosen them.
• My favorite song: what it is, and why is it your favorite.
• My favorite place: the place where I feel best.
• The worst food I’ve ever eaten.
• My favorite season of the year.
• How being locked down over Covid has changed how we learn.
• How the Covid pandemic changed my life.
• What country I want to visit and why.
• How to break a bad habit.
• The best trick I ever played.
• A skill I want to learn.
• The difference between liking and loving someone.
• Why keeping up with national and international news is important.
• The sport that seems strangest to me.
• Cars reflect their owners.
• The clouds in the sky sometimes remind me of...
• We need to take cyber-security seriously.
• How can you tell if someone is telling a lie.
• Trees communicate with each other.
• What I collect, and why.
• Curiosity underpins inventions.
• I wish someone would explain to me why...
• What I am most proud of about myself.
• If you could go back in time, what time and event would you return to?
• Three convincing reasons for not completing your homework.
• Tell two truths and one lie. Ask the audience to pick the lie.
• Why is it important to look someone in the eye?
• What is the absolutely best way to relax?
• Is there truth in the saying: “Clothes make the man”?
• In what ways can sport be seen as a religion?
• The three most annoying habits of people in my family.
• How to sound and act like an expert.
• Is it immoral for the immensely wealthy not to use their money to help people living in poverty?
• Is there any truth in the saying: “Fake it until you make it”?
• Why do some people behave as if they are superior to others?
• My secret ambition is to become...
• Name three words setting your peer group and generation apart from your parent’s generation? Eg. GOAT, dope, sick. What do they mean? How are they used?
• Why girls should be allowed to play contact sports.
• Why vaping should be banned along with cigarettes.
• Why is it important to vote?
• Who is the best person you have ever met? Why are they the best?
• What would you do if you could do anything?
• Explain these sayings: “take a chill pill” and “all that glitters is not gold”.
• In what major ways has the world changed in the last 20 years?

Finally, 50 funny impromptu speech topics

• What I wish I'd said. Responses I would have given if I was quick enough.
• If you could choose a theme song, what would yours be and why?
• If my pet could talk, this is what they'd say about me.
• If you ran the news outlets, what would your top headlines for today be?
• Tell us about the worst hair cut you ever had.
• What clothing choices have you made in the past that you now regret?
• If you were a hero for the day, what would you do?
• Why does Murphy's Law (Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong) kick in when we're under pressure? 
• What kinds of things are you a secret snob about?
• Three reasons why I decided to take up extreme knitting.
• Why sports cars should only be driven by young beautiful people.
• What are the worst chores you've ever had to do around your home.
• What is the funniest personal habit you've witnessed in your friends or family?
• Three funny facts about your home country.
• What's wrong with saving the best for last?
• The best trick that's ever been played on me.
• The real reasons why I decided to become a pop star.
• Which celebrity would you invite to dinner?
• What 'funny story' gets told over and over again in your family?
• What food did you dislike the most as a child and why?
• What's the silliest situation you've even been in?
• Share an amusing situation where you read someone's body language wrongly.
• What eccentric habits are you going to adopt?
• If you could become someone else, who would you be and why?
• What three things bore you the most?
• What personal habit has caused you the most trouble?
• Why is your daily horoscope always right?
• What is the best day of the week, and why?
• How to become an expert procrastinator.
• Three things I wish my mother had told me.
• Fascinating trivia - the useless facts I know.
• How to recover from embarrassing yourself publicly. 
• What's the real story behind the saying: "to beat around the bush" or "to take the cake"?
• What would you invent if you could?
• If you could meet a person from the past, who would it be, and why? 
• What's your three top tips for living well?
• If you could only have the same food every day, what would you choose?
• What happened on your best 'worst' date?
• The top ways to make people like you. 
• The real reasons why people do not talk to each other on public transport.
• The reasons why I will bequeath my fortune to my cat.
• What item of clothing do you own that makes you feel good?
• If you had a personal logo, what would it be? 
• What words or phrases do people use that let us know who they mix with, and how old they are?
• What is the silliest or most trivial problem you currently have?
• If 'looks can kill', who would you most like to see in front of you and why? 
• What thing have you kept for sentimental reasons? Why?
• What words do people frequently use that annoy you immensely?
• What is something you've misplaced or lost that had inconvenient consequences?
• What online sites frequently cause you to lose track of time?   

EVEN MORE good impromptu speech topics!

10+ themed sets of fun impromptu speech topics fresh from the creative, wild and wacky department! 

If you're looking for inspiration for your public speaking class or you need table topics for Toastmasters, these are contagiously silly subjects:  lighthearted and nonsensical. (Like the bumper sticker wisdom quote illustrated below.)

Fun Impromptu Speech Topics   to get them laughing - the best way to learn ☺

Here's four themed sets of 20 table topic questions : Christmas, music, life-lessons and thought-provoking topic ideas. There's a printable for each set, plus an overview of table topics: its benefits, how a Toastmasters table topics session is run, what makes a good topic, the value of feedback, and more. 

Another option are these 150 1 minute speech topics . They are split into 3 groups of 50: those suitable for kids, 50 work/career themed suggestions and another 50 just for fun. You'll also find 3 sample speech outlines and example speeches: text and audio. Plus a free printable speech outline.                

See example impromptu speech outlines

Click for example impromptu speech outlines . See how to take a topic and develop it into an outline for a speech. You'll find e xamples of seven different structural patterns: PREP, Problem - Solution, Cause - Effect - Remedy, Before - The Event - The Result, Past - Present - Future, and two more.

Each comes with a printable outline for your own use, which seems like an oxymoron doesn't it? In the same league as 'lead balloon' and 'civil war'. When did war become civil, or balloons filled with lead actually fly? They didn't.

Impromptu speaking and completing an outline only makes sense if you regard the outline as tool to help you commit the pattern to memory. Once you've got it, you'll no longer need to write your key points and their transitions out.

Go to impromptu speech outline patterns .

Fun activities for practicing impromptu speaking

For more impromptu speaking practice ideas visit this page of public speaking games . 

While some of these activities are drama based you'll find all 10 of them useful and FUN! They are especially good if you're a teacher looking for ideas to help you plan impromptu public speaking lessons for your class.

The One Minute Speeches activity featured below is included in the collection however it's minus the pdf of instructions, game variations and printable topics.

One minute speeches - 368 topics + instructions!

368 topics, instructions for introducing and running a session on One Minute Speeches, plus activity variations in an instantly available format. A great reusable impromptu speaking resource for busy teachers! Have a look: One Minute Speeches

Impromptu speech activities bundle

And for those of you who want more than one activity check out this  comprehensive bundle of   17 proven fun and effective impromptu speech activities , complete with full guidelines and printables. 

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My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

259 Interesting Speech Topics [Examples + Outlines]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

The most asked question I get almost every day from students is this:

What makes a topic interesting?

Well, the answer is simple. You have to like it yourself, the subject has to be appropriate to the rules of the assignment, to the audience and the setting of the meeting:

In this article:

How To Find An Interesting Topic

Best interesting speech topics, interesting persuasive speech topics, interesting informative speech topics, topics with outline.

1 – Look in magazines, journals, and newspapers for events.

Can We Write Your Speech?

Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Current or historical, that does not matter at this point, both are okay – and recent engaging and exciting facts, and perhaps valuable information that attracts the attention.

Articles about subjects that interests you and that are comfortable for you to talk about are good indications.

2 – Jot down any possible idea that comes up for interesting speech topics. I always draft a short list for myself of candidate issues if I am contracted for a public speaking engagement.

And then I skip the ones that are too difficult and too complex to prepare and master in 8 to 10 minutes time.

3 – Review some online books on the subject for more detailed current information about your topic. Or go to a library and ask for books and reference articles about your subject.

Without exception, all librarians I know will help you sorting out the speechwriter subject with their advice and recommendations. For example you choose for an alluring pleasure physical activity or farming and countryside topic.

Try to understand how the author has covered it. What’s his structure? What points, information or arguments are the strongest? What examples and illustrations has she or he used?

4 – Peerless reliable statistics and new discoveries can help writing and refining.

Look for controversies, rare and strange opinions. What do you think of it? What do you want your audience to think of it?

5 – Think about related engaging interpretive hints to talk about. When you view your rough list, try to find new points, different angles of view or just turn your thoughts upside down. Look at the special aspects that surprise the listeners.

>>>  For example try these 2 more detailed summary outlines with main points and subpoints. Use my sample structure to add or otherwise wipe steps and stages you do not need.

>>>  In addition to these patterns, you find more ideas for outlined main points in my Minute Section (in the navigation menu bar right on your left of this portal page). Or move straight to sixty plus lineups for speechwriters.

That can be very enlighting for enhancing public discernment. They also can  see , feel, or even  taste  and  smell  what you try to explain or demonstrate in a couple of minutes.

6 – Look for supporting and also for opposing opinions, plus interesting speech topics statements. Add visual aids where you want to emphasize or to give some prominence to an unimaginable point in your interesting topic idea.

7 – Watch news shows, history documentaries and debating programs – for example, the morning shows and the evening news. They are especially helpful for developing a rough list of wheedling brainstorms.

Interesting Speech Topic Examples

Don’t have time to read our full list of 200+ topic ideas? Here is our list of 10 interesting speech topics.

• Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder
• Children don’t play enough
• Animal testing is necessary
• Girls are too mean to each other
• Men should get paternity leave
• Tattoos are an addiction
• If I had a year to do what I want
• Butterflies: deadly creatures
• How to ruin a date in the first minute
• The meaning of dreams

Here is our list of top interesting persuasive speech topics.

• Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder.
• Hyper active kids don’t need medication.
• Books are always better than the movie.
• Pick up lines do work.
• Televise all court proceedings.
• Suspend referees that are found to show too much bias.
• There is no place for monarchs any more.
• It is false that no one is above the law.
• You tube needs to monitor comments.
• Online friends show more compassion.
• Cross cultural couples respect each other more.
• Graffiti must be recognised as art.
• You can loose weight without exercising.
• Children don’t play enough.
• Carpets are harmful and shouldn’t be in homes.
• Sex education doesn’t work.
• Ban smoking in all public places.
• Women cheat just as much as men.
• Prohibit destruction of rainforests.
• Global warming is a myth.
• Justice is never the same for all.
• Video games are not the blame of violence at school.
• Financial rewards is the only way employees stay loyal.
• The world isn’t only black and white.
• Give girls over 16 contraceptives without parents consent.
• Calories should be included in restaurant menus.
• Sugar tax won’t reduce obesity.
• Pregnancy as a result of rape should be terminated.
• All couples must live together before getting married.
• Animal testing is necessary.
• Children’s beauty pageants are wrong.
• There are not enough cameras in public spaces.
• Freedom of speech rights needs to be rewritten.
• Random DUI test should be done on parents picking up children after school.
• Atheists are more peaceful than religious people.
• Heterosexual men and women can be just friends.
• Adoptive parents need maternity leave too.
• Print advertisements don’t work.
• Click bate headlines are the cause of less followers.
• Don’t give children allowances.
• Stop checking in on social media.
• There would be more divorces if couples didn’t have children.
• Compensate organ donors.
• Celebrities are not role models.
• Do drug tests on welfare recipients.
• Stem cell research is murder.
• People should be considered adults at 21.
• Religion is the cause of war.
• Life was not easier a century ago.
• Men are better forgivers.
• Making substances illegal only makes people want them more.
• Parenting classes must be compulsory.
• Helicopter parents are damaging their children.
• Give working moms special privileges.
• Social media fame is a scam.
• Make paparazzi photographing children a criminal offence.
• Food should never be seen as a reward.
• 6 hours is not enough sleep for an adult.
• People can live without eating meat.
• Curfews do not keep teens out of trouble.
• Electronic textbooks don’t have the same impact as the printed version.
• This generation cannot fix anything.
• Boredom always leads to trouble.
• Girls are too mean to each other.
• Affirmative action isn’t right.
• School system is responsible for low test scores.
• Men should get paternity leave.
• Fast food needs to come with more warnings.
• Killing a murderer is immoral.
• Famous people must stay away from politics.
• Long distance relationships do work.
• Men are the stronger sex.
• Jobs shouldn’t be gender specific.
• Religion won’t die away.
• Women shouldn’t give birth after 40.
• Abortion is murder.
• Tattoos are an addiction.
• Drug addiction is a choice.
• Social media will run it’s course and die out.
• Caesarian sections are safer than normal births.
• There is a connection between science and religion.
• Never pay children for good grades.
• People in open marriages are not happy.
• The soul does exist.
• People’s salaries should reflect their performances.
• English will always be the business language of the world.
• Why you should always put yourself first.
• Earth has not been explored properly.
• Women are more intelligent than they give away.
• Alternatives to evolution exist.
• Prisons create criminals.
• Sick building syndromes exist.
• Strategic defense and ethics do not match.
• The War on Terror is based on a hidden agenda.
• Aging is a threat to pension funding.
• Airline safety restrictions won’t stop terrorists.
• Alcohol advertising stimulates underage alcohol use.
• All humans are spiritual in one way or another.
• Arts express the level of quality in different cultures.
• Atheists do care about Christmas.
• Australian aboriginal tattooing is art.
• Ban the filibuster from Congress.
• Body piercings can cause serious complications.
• Books are outdated.
• Censorship is a violation of freedom of speech.
• Charities must minimize the organizational and overhead costs.
• Child testimonies in abuse cases are not credible.
• Corporal punishment could be ethical, provided that it is proportional.
• Creative expression and creativity are not the same.
• Electronic baby timeshare does help to prevent teen pregnancy.
• English and Spanish should be the only languages in the world.
• Establishing democracy in Iraq is mission impossible.
• Fashion gurus have good reasons to promote skinny girls.
• Female genital mutilation is not unethical when done by cosmetic surgery doctors.
• Feminism will help improve the position of females in Africa.
• Fill in a country … should be condemned as human rights violator.
• Future generations have to keep their jobs until they drop.
• George Orwell was just right when he wrote his novel ‘1984’ … Big Brother is watching us all the time.
• Governments should not own news broadcasting corporations.
• Granting amnesty perpetuates immigration and makes border patrols fruitless.
• Harry Potter books are more popular among elderly persons.
• Hollywood movies have a bad influence on the world.
• Homelessness in rural areas is substantially undercounted compared to metropolitan and suburban areas.
• Hospitality is a valuable instrument to better foreign relationships.
• Houses affected by natural disasters should not be rebuilt.
• International satellite news broadcasting poses a threat to indigenous cultures.
• It is possible to be pro-life and pro-choice.
• It’s a myth that bottled water is better than tap water.
• Journalism codes are no longer respected by journalists.
• Limiting immigration is limiting opportunities.
• Link debt relief of developing countries to carbon emission reduction.
• Local aid to African communities is more effective than national aid.
• Mentally disabled people cannot be executed.
• Motivation courses only have one objective: to fund the instructor’s bank account.
• MP3 music belongs in the free public domain for educational institutions and the general public.
• News programs must be interesting rather than important.
• Open source software is better than Microsoft.
• Parental advisory labels hinder the freedom of speech of artists.
• People have the right to decide about their own life and death.
• Political correctness kills freedom of speech.
• Poverty can be cut by half in this century.
• Princess Diana’s death was not a tragic accident.
• Public insults should be considered as hate speech and should not be protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
• Right to work laws are useless.
• Robin Hood was a not a hero.
• Sex and sexuality are from different hemispheres.
• Telling lies is a justifiable instrument.
• The local council elections in Cuba are no elections at all.
• The right to privacy is not absolute.
• There is no secure protection of property rights in developing countries.
• There should be cultural content quotas in broadcasting.
• Tobacco and alcohol billboards litter the streets.
• United Nations will never truly exist in Europe.
• Vegetarians would not eat vegetables if they were born in rural Africa.
• We should have a king instead of a president.
• Weblogs are intellectual property and therefore must be legally protected.
• With the current economic situation, we will all be working until we are old and grey.
• Zero tolerance is a useful instrument to prevent violence.

Here is our list of top interesting informative speech topics.

• A comparison of the official definition of terrorism in different parts of the world.
• A week of monastery life.
• Abu Sayyaf links to global terror organizations.
• Architectural movements in the late nineteenth century.
• Armed conflicts in Africa.
• Artificial intelligence opportunities.
• Biochemical weapons explained.
• Bioethics versus human rights.
• Combatting modern slavery.
• Debunking weight loss myths.
• Development goals of the United Nations.
• Everything we can find in our Solar System.
• Five ways to give and donate to charity funds.
• Forms of public diplomacy.
• Fraud detection systems explained.
• How giant sea aquariums are constructed.
• How nepotisms started in the Middle Ages.
• How the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is structured.
• How the American Civil War began.
• How the application for immigration and naturalization works.
• How the CIA can track terrorists.
• How to apply Feng Shui to your bedroom.
• How to outlaw reactionary conservative groups and individuals.
• Is it possible to clone humans?
• Major incidents and consequences in the first decade of this millennium.
• Middle East roadmap for peace.
• Migration trends.
• Offshore installation accidents over the years.
• Racism and cultural diversity in mass media.
• Refugees and forced displacement.
• Result on foreign aid funding in the long term.
• Scientific explanations for the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle.
• State sponsored tyranny explained.
• The 9/11 Commission assignment and its main conclusions.
• The best consumer electronics innovations to date.
• The chain of cargo and freight services at international airports.
• The difference between soft and hard drugs.
• The effect of counter terrorism legislation on ordinary people.
• The European convention on human rights explained.
• The flying fortress called Air Force One.
• The four general goals of the Homeland Security Department.
• The functions of Samurai warriors in Ancient Japan.
• The future of fashion.
• The Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war.
• The governing system of rules during the Middle Ages.
• The history of Amtrak.
• The innovative and unique styling of Dodge trucks.
• The long term complications of sunburn.
• The philosophical doctrine of Nihilism.
• The pros and cons of pacifism.
• The relations between federal budget deficit, national debt and trade balance.
• The role of Emperor Akihito in Japan.
• The secrets of crop circles revealed.
• The short history of the second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin.
• The struggle to patent computer software.
• The war costs in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Two party system compared multiple party systems.
• What is acne and what are its causes.
• Why the NASA shuttle program was stopped.
• Why the Romans built huge aqueducts in France.
• Venezuela and the constitutional power crisis.
• A diamond exploration certification system will not prevent conflict-diamonds trade.
• Handwriting analysis and how it reveals aspects of your personality.
• Hindu Cinema: not just Bollywood movies.
• How many disasters always happen at Christmas time.
• How sleepwalkers perform the most unusual things while asleep.
• Different lifestyles of generations.
• Importance of sleeping
• What makes me happy
• My ideal trip to Asia
• What would it be like to live with a famous person?
• If I were a volcano
• If l could the queen
• Benefits of being a vegetarian
• How girls worldwide are treated differently
• History of Mainamati in Bangladesh
• Broccoli flavored Oreos
• The Importance of public speaking
• A world without boundaries
• Stars and shooting stars
• How I came to school for the first time
• Conspiracy theories
• The pros and cons of being dead
• Confusing grammar
• When my birthday was there
• Importance of languages
• How to study effectively
• If I walked backwards
• The power of a lie
• Power of words
• If I was invisible
• Why I smile
• Fear of the unknown
• Fashion trends I hate
• Why do we have toes?
• Why I want to be a lawyer (or whatever job u pick)
• How colours affect your mood

Need a topic for your speech about an interesting persuasion statement?

Here are some of the best speech ideas and two easy informative subjects you can alter into a firm convincing claim.

Need other attracting ideas?

Check the navbar on the left and you will find thousands of special hints and tips for your public presentation 🙂

1. Whistleblower Protection Is Not Effective

• Whistleblower laws don’t protect against reprisals, disciplinary measures and spin from superiors.
• Huge companies have enough money to buy legal advice for a long period, laws offer employees no financial shield.
• Legislation often doesn’t address the issue itself, the problem, the allegations often are not investigated.

Another topic for your speech on business could be on fair trade:

2. Is Fair Trade Really Fair?

• Protectionism and markets are often stronger than fair trade appointments.
• Buying products is subsidizing poor farmers and manufacturers in developing countries. It isn’t helping them to make them stronger.
• It is anti-competitive and it undermines the economy in Third World nations.

And what do you think of this explosive persuasive topic for your speech?

3. Nuclear Power Is Dangerous Stuff

• An accident could cause thousands of fatalities and for billions of dollars property damage.
• There is no proper technology to handle radioactive waste material.
• Health risks for people working in the plant and for those who are living nearby could not be foreseen in advance and certainly not at the long term.
• Costs of nuclear plant safety measurements are very high.

And now two informative suggestions for a topic for your speech. But you easily transform them into some of the best speech ideas for persuasion speeches:

4. Checklist Before Taking A New Job

• A bigger company means more interesting job and task opportunities.
• It makes it possible to extend your existing network of trusted contacts.
• Like to travel abroad? Is it a Yes or No?
• How about the probability that you will keep your job – in other words what about the job security? What are the hidden clues?
• Is there a chance you can make you professional dreams and personal goals come true?
• How about the pay? Get all salary information, and decide on how much you want to earn from the start.
• Are there other requirements? Some personal wishes you would like to fulfill?

5. The Advantages Of Working In The Night

• No disturbing by telephone.
• No traffic jam.
• Not being awakened by the alarm clock in early morning hours …

You can think about the disadvantages too … Approach this subject from different sides and you double your opportunities!

89 Medical Speech Topic Ideas [Persuasive, Informative, Nursing]

292 Sports Speech Topics [Persuasive, Informative]

10 thoughts on “259 Interesting Speech Topics [Examples + Outlines]”

Are you in the Now?

Renewable energy pros and cons.

I want to learn the most detailed writing. Am a New student and i need to improve my own My subject is an informative one : Ivorians women teaching in Abidjan universites.

I need more topics to choose from for my oral presentation

Hello, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop perpetuating falseties about global warming and climate change. They are very much real, and putting them on a list like this only further pushes the myth that they are false. These topics are not up for debate.

Some of these are really creative.

#184 made me laugh. As someone who grew up with Harry Potter, perhaps students these days will consider me an older person ha.

Regards, Chris

thaaaank you very much this is help me a lot

Thanks for the ideas!

A lot of these “creative” topics are not only offensive but help push distructive rhetoric.

this helped me out so much.was just sitting there lost about what to speak at the academic decathlon.thanks

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112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

What’s covered:, how to pick an awesome persuasive speech topic, 112 engaging persuasive speech topics, tips for preparing your persuasive speech.

Writing a stellar persuasive speech requires a carefully crafted argument that will resonate with your audience to sway them to your side. This feat can be challenging to accomplish, but an engaging, thought-provoking speech topic is an excellent place to start.

When it comes time to select a topic for your persuasive speech, you may feel overwhelmed by all the options to choose from—or your brain may be drawing a completely blank slate. If you’re having trouble thinking of the perfect topic, don’t worry. We’re here to help!

In this post, we’re sharing how to choose the perfect persuasive speech topic and tips to prepare for your speech. Plus, you’ll find 112 persuasive speech topics that you can take directly from us or use as creative inspiration for your own ideas!

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

It’s much easier to write, research, and deliver a speech about a cause you care about. Even if it’s challenging to find a topic that completely sparks your interest, try to choose a topic that aligns with your passions.

However, keep in mind that not everyone has the same interests as you. Try to choose a general topic to grab the attention of the majority of your audience, but one that’s specific enough to keep them engaged.

For example, suppose you’re giving a persuasive speech about book censorship. In that case, it’s probably too niche to talk about why “To Kill a Mockingbird” shouldn’t be censored (even if it’s your favorite book), and it’s too broad to talk about media censorship in general.

Steer Clear of Cliches

Have you already heard a persuasive speech topic presented dozens of times? If so, it’s probably not an excellent choice for your speech—even if it’s an issue you’re incredibly passionate about.

Although polarizing topics like abortion and climate control are important to discuss, they aren’t great persuasive speech topics. Most people have already formed an opinion on these topics, which will either cause them to tune out or have a negative impression of your speech.

Instead, choose topics that are fresh, unique, and new. If your audience has never heard your idea presented before, they will be more open to your argument and engaged in your speech.

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

For a persuasive speech to be engaging, there must be a clear side of opposition. To help determine the arguability of your topic, ask yourself: “If I presented my viewpoint on this topic to a group of peers, would someone disagree with me?” If the answer is yes, then you’ve chosen a great topic!

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what it takes to choose a great persuasive speech topic, here are over one hundred options for you to choose from.

• Should high school athletes get tested for steroids?
• Should schools be required to have physical education courses?
• Should sports grades in school depend on things like athletic ability?
• What sport should be added to or removed from the Olympics?
• Should college athletes be able to make money off of their merchandise?
• Should sports teams be able to recruit young athletes without a college degree?
• Should we consider video gamers as professional athletes?
• Is cheerleading considered a sport?
• Should parents allow their kids to play contact sports?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as professional male athletes?
• Should college be free at the undergraduate level?
• Is the traditional college experience obsolete?
• Should you choose a major based on your interests or your potential salary?
• Should high school students have to meet a required number of service hours before graduating?
• Should teachers earn more or less based on how their students perform on standardized tests?
• Are private high schools more effective than public high schools?
• Should there be a minimum number of attendance days required to graduate?
• Are GPAs harmful or helpful?
• Should schools be required to teach about standardized testing?
• Should Greek Life be banned in the United States?
• Should schools offer science classes explicitly about mental health?
• Should students be able to bring their cell phones to school?
• Should all public restrooms be all-gender?
• Should undocumented immigrants have the same employment and education opportunities as citizens?
• Should everyone be paid a living wage regardless of their employment status?
• Should supremacist groups be able to hold public events?
• Should guns be allowed in public places?
• Should the national drinking age be lowered?
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
• Should the government raise or lower the retirement age?
• Should the government be able to control the population?
• Is the death penalty ethical?

Environment

• Should stores charge customers for plastic bags?
• Should breeding animals (dogs, cats, etc.) be illegal?
• Is it okay to have exotic animals as pets?
• Should people be fined for not recycling?
• Should compost bins become mandatory for restaurants?
• Should electric vehicles have their own transportation infrastructure?
• Would heavier fining policies reduce corporations’ emissions?
• Should hunting be encouraged or illegal?
• Should reusable diapers replace disposable diapers?

Science & Technology

• Is paper media more reliable than digital news sources?
• Should automated/self-driving cars be legalized?
• Should schools be required to provide laptops to all students?
• Should software companies be able to have pre-downloaded programs and applications on devices?
• Should drones be allowed in military warfare?
• Should scientists invest more or less money into cancer research?
• Should cloning be illegal?
• Should societies colonize other planets?
• Should there be legal oversight over the development of technology?

Social Media

• Should there be an age limit on social media?
• Should cyberbullying have the same repercussions as in-person bullying?
• Are online relationships as valuable as in-person relationships?
• Does “cancel culture” have a positive or negative impact on societies?
• Are social media platforms reliable information or news sources?
• Should social media be censored?
• Does social media create an unrealistic standard of beauty?
• Is regular social media usage damaging to real-life interactions?
• Is social media distorting democracy?
• How many branches of government should there be?
• Who is the best/worst president of all time?
• How long should judges serve in the U.S. Supreme Court?
• Should a more significant portion of the U.S. budget be contributed towards education?
• Should the government invest in rapid transcontinental transportation infrastructure?
• Should airport screening be more or less stringent?
• Should the electoral college be dismantled?
• Should the U.S. have open borders?
• Should the government spend more or less money on space exploration?
• Should students sing Christmas carols, say the pledge of allegiance, or perform other tangentially religious activities?
• Should nuns and priests become genderless roles?
• Should schools and other public buildings have prayer rooms?
• Should animal sacrifice be legal if it occurs in a religious context?
• Should countries be allowed to impose a national religion on their citizens?
• Should the church be separated from the state?
• Does freedom of religion positively or negatively affect societies?

Parenting & Family

• Is it better to have children at a younger or older age?
• Is it better for children to go to daycare or stay home with their parents?
• Does birth order affect personality?
• Should parents or the school system teach their kids about sex?
• Are family traditions important?
• Should parents smoke or drink around young children?
• Should “spanking” children be illegal?
• Should parents use swear words in front of their children?
• Should parents allow their children to play violent video games?

Entertainment

• Should all actors be paid the same regardless of gender or ethnicity?
• Should all award shows be based on popular vote?
• Who should be responsible for paying taxes on prize money, the game show staff or the contestants?
• Should movies and television shows have ethnicity and gender quotas?
• Should newspapers and magazines move to a completely online format?
• Should streaming services like Netflix and Hulu be free for students?
• Is the movie rating system still effective?
• Should celebrities have more privacy rights?

Arts & Humanities

• Are libraries becoming obsolete?
• Should all schools have mandatory art or music courses in their curriculum?
• Should offensive language be censored from classic literary works?
• Is it ethical for museums to keep indigenous artifacts?
• Should digital designs be considered an art form? 
• Should abstract art be considered an art form?
• Is music therapy effective?
• Should tattoos be regarded as “professional dress” for work?
• Should schools place greater emphasis on the arts programs?
• Should euthanasia be allowed in hospitals and other clinical settings?
• Should the government support and implement universal healthcare?
• Would obesity rates lower if the government intervened to make healthy foods more affordable?
• Should teenagers be given access to birth control pills without parental consent?
• Should food allergies be considered a disease?
• Should health insurance cover homeopathic medicine?
• Is using painkillers healthy?
• Should genetically modified foods be banned?
• Should there be a tax on unhealthy foods?
• Should tobacco products be banned from the country?
• Should the birth control pill be free for everyone?

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can  use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original persuasive speech ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

Do Your Research

A great persuasive speech is supported with plenty of well-researched facts and evidence. So before you begin the writing process, research both sides of the topic you’re presenting in-depth to gain a well-rounded perspective of the topic.

Understand Your Audience

It’s critical to understand your audience to deliver a great persuasive speech. After all, you are trying to convince them that your viewpoint is correct. Before writing your speech, consider the facts and information that your audience may already know, and think about the beliefs and concerns they may have about your topic. Then, address these concerns in your speech, and be mindful to include fresh, new information.

Have Someone Read Your Speech

Once you have finished writing your speech, have someone read it to check for areas of strength and improvement. You can use CollegeVine’s free essay review tool to get feedback on your speech from a peer!

Practice Makes Perfect

After completing your final draft, the key to success is to practice. Present your speech out loud in front of a mirror, your family, friends, and basically, anyone who will listen. Not only will the feedback of others help you to make your speech better, but you’ll become more confident in your presentation skills and may even be able to commit your speech to memory.

Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you to write a powerful, unique persuasive speech. With the perfect topic, plenty of practice, and a boost of self-confidence, we know you’ll impress your audience with a remarkable speech!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Here’s Harrison Butker’s Controversial Commencement Speech In Full

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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is facing backlash over his commencement speech to the Class of 2024 at the Benedictine College, a Catholic school in Kansas, where he criticized President Joe Biden, suggested women focus on being mothers and wives instead of pursuing careers and took a swipe at Pride Month. (Update: Benedictine’s nuns are joining the criticism .)

FILE - Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker speaks to the media during NFL football Super Bowl ... [+] 58 opening night Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, in Las Vegas. Butker railed against Pride month along with President Biden’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and his stance on abortion during a commencement address at Benedictine College last weekend. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)

Butker bemoaned an erosion of traditional Catholic values in daily life, claiming that things like “abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media” come from “the pervasiveness of disorder.”

He criticized Biden for proclaiming his Catholic faith while being “delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally,” accusing the president of making it appear “that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice.”

Butker told the women in the class that they’d been told “diabolical lies” about pursuing careers, and that his and his family’s success is a result of his wife’s focus on being a wife and mother, claiming that “her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.”

He accused world leaders of “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America,” and praised the students at Benedictine for embracing their religion with pride, but “not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it.”

He also criticized the Catholic church and bishops and priests for “misleading their flocks” by prioritizing familiarity with their parishioners instead of being teachers, quoting Taylor Swift—girlfriend of teammate Travis Kelce—by saying “familiarity breeds contempt.”

The speech was largely criticized on social media and prompted a change.org petition calling for him to be released from the Chiefs.

Here’s The Full Speech

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2024, I would like to start off by congratulating all of you for successfully making it to this achievement today. I'm sure your high school graduation was not what you had imagined and most likely neither was your first couple years of college.

By making it to this moment through all the adversity thrown your way from COVID, I hope you learned the important lessons that suffering in this life is only temporary. As a group you witnessed firsthand how bad leaders who don't stay in their lane can have a negative impact on society. It is through this lens that I want to take stock of how we got to where we are and where we want to go as citizens, and yes, as Catholics.

One last thing before I begin I want to be sure to thank president Minns and the board for their invitation to speak. When President Minnis first reached out a couple of months ago I had originally said no. You see, last year I gave the commencement address at my Alma moer Georgia Tech and I felt that one graduation speech was more than enough, especially for someone who isn't a professional speaker. But of course president Minnis used his gift of persuasion and spoke to the many challenges you all faced throughout the COVID fiasco and how you missed out on so many milestones the rest of us older people have taken for granted.

While COVID might have played a large role throughout your formative years it is not unique. Bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder. Our own nation is led by a man who publicly and proudly proclaims his Catholic faith but at the same time is delusional enough to make the sign of the cross during a pro-abortion rally. He has been so vocal in his support for the murder of innocent babies that I'm sure to many people it appears that you can be both Catholic and pro-choice. He is not alone. From the man behind the COVID lockdowns to the people pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America, they all have a glaring thing in common: They are Catholic. This is an important reminder that being Catholic alone doesn't cut it.

These are the sorts of things we are told in polite society to not bring up. You know, the difficult and unpleasant things. But if we are going to be men and women for this time in history we need to stop pretending that the “Church of nice” is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity but never mistake charity for cowardice. It is safe to say that over the past few years I've gained quite the reputation for speaking my mind. I never envisioned myself nor wanted to have this sort of a platform but God has given it to me so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths about accepting your lane and staying in it.

As members of the church founded by Jesus Christ, it is our duty and ultimately privilege to be authentically and unapologetically Catholic. Don't be mistaken: even within the church, people in polite Catholic circles will try to persuade you to remain silent. There even was an award-winning film called “Silence” made by a fellow Catholic wherein one of the main characters, a Jesuit priest, abandoned the church, and as an apostate, when he died is seen grasping a crucifix quiet and unknown to anyone but God. As a friend of Benedictine College, his Excellency Bishop Robert Barron said in his review of the film it was exactly what the cultural elite want to see in Christianity: Private, hidden away and harmless.

Our Catholic faith has always been countercultural. Our Lord along with countless followers were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity and inclusion. We fear speaking truth because now unfortunately truth is in the minority. Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the Biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail.

But make no mistake, before we even attempt to fix any of the issues plaguing society we must first get our own house in order, and it starts with our leaders. The bishops and priests appointed by God as our spiritual fathers must be rightly ordered. There is not enough time today for me to list all the stories of priests and bishops misleading their flocks, but none of us can blame ignorance anymore and just blindly proclaim that that's what father said. Because sadly many priests we are looking to for leadership are the same ones who prioritize their hobbies or even photos with their dogs in matching outfits for the parish directory. It’s easy for us lay men and women to think that in order for us to be holy, that we must be active in our parish and try to fix it. Yes, we absolutely should be involved in supporting our parishes, but we cannot be the source for our parish priests to lean on to help with their problems just as we look at the relationship between a father and his son, so too should we look at the relationship between a priest and his people. It would not be appropriate for me to always be looking to my son for help when it is my job as his father to lead him.

St Josemaria Escriva states that priests are ordained to serve and should not yield to temptation to imitate lay people but to be priests, through and through. Tragically, so many priests revolve much of their happiness from the adulation they receive from their parishioners, and in searching for this, they let their guard down and become overly familiar. This undue familiarity will prove to be problematic every time, because as my teammate’s girlfriend says “familiarity breeds contempt.” St Josemaria continues that some want to see the priest as just another man. That is not so they want to find in the priests those virtues proper to every Christian and indeed every honorable man: understanding, justice, a life of work, priestly work in this instance, and good manners. It is not prudent as the laity for us to consume ourselves in becoming amateur theologians so that we can decipher this or that theological teaching unless of course you are a theology major. We must be intentional with our focus on our state in life and our own vocation, and for most of us, that's as married men and women.

Still we have so many great resources at our fingertips that it doesn't take long to find traditional and timeless teachings that haven't been ambiguously rewarded for our times. Plus, there are still many good and holy priests and it's up to us to seek them out. The chaos of the world is unfortunately reflected in the chaos in our parishes and sadly in our cathedrals, too. As we saw during the pandemic, too many Bishops were not leaders at all. They were motivated by fear: fear of being sued, fear of being removed, fear of being disliked. They showed by their actions, intentional or unintentional, that the sacraments don't actually matter. Because of this countless people died alone, without access to the sacraments, and it's a tragedy we must never forget.

As Catholics, we can look to so many examples of heroic shepherds who gave their lives for their people, and ultimately, the church. We cannot buy into the lie that the things we experienced during COVID were appropriate. Over the centuries there have been great wars, great famines, and yes, even great diseases, all that came with a level of lethality and danger. But in each of those examples, church leaders leaned into their vocations, and ensured that their people received the sacraments. Great saints like St. Damien of Molokai, who knew the dangers of his ministry, stayed for 11 years as a spiritual leader to the leper colonies of Hawaii. His heroism is looked at today as something set apart and unique, when ideally, it should not be unique at all. For as a father loves his child, so a shepherd should love his spiritual children, too.

That goes even more so for our bishops. These men who are present day apostles, our bishops once had adoring crowds of people kissing their rings and taking in their every word, but now relegate themselves to a position of inconsequential existence. Now, when a bishop of a diocese or the Bishops Conference as a whole puts out an important document on this matter, nobody even takes a moment to read it, let alone follow it. No. Today, our shepherds are far more concerned with keeping the doors open to the Chancery than they are saying that difficult stuff out loud. It seems that the only time you hear from your bishops is when it’s time for the annual appeal. Whereas we need our bishops to be vocal about the teachings of the Church, setting aside their own personal comfort and embracing their cross. Our bishops are not politicians, but shepherds. So instead of fitting in the world by going along to get along, they too need to stay in their lane and lead.

I say all of this not from a place of anger as we get the leaders we deserve. But this does make me reflect on staying in my lane and focusing on my own vocation, and how I can be a better father and husband and live in the world, but not be of it. Focusing on my vocation while praying and fasting for these men will do more for the church than me complaining about our leaders. Because there seems to be so much confusion coming from our leaders. There needs to be concrete examples for people to look to, and places like Benedictine, a little Kansas college built high on a bluff above the Missouri River, are showing the world how an ordered Christ-centered existence is the recipe for success. You need to look no further than the examples all around this campus, where over the past 20 years enrollment has doubled, and construction and revitalization are a constant part of life and people, the students, the faculty and staff are thriving. This didn’t happen by chance. In a deliberate movement to embrace traditional Catholic values, Benedictine has gone from just another liberal arts school with nothing to set it apart to a thriving beacon of light and a reminder to us all that when you embrace tradition, success, worldly and spiritual will follow. I am certain the reporters at the AP could not have imagined that their attempt to rebuke and embarrass places and people like those here at Benedictine wouldn’t be met with anger, but instead with excitement and pride. Not the deadly sin sort of pride that has an entire month dedicated to it. But the true God-centered pride that is cooperating with the Holy Ghost to glorify Him.

Reading that article now shared all over the world, we see that in the complete surrender of self and a turning towards Christ, you will find happiness. Right here in a little town in Kansas, we find many inspiring lay people using their talents. President Minnis, Dr. Swofford and Dr. Zimmer are a few great examples right here on this very campus that will keep the light of Christ burning bright for generations to come. Being locked in with your vocation and staying in your lane is going to be the surest way for you to find true happiness and peace in this life. It is essential that we focus on our own state in life, whether that be as a layperson or priests, or religious.

Ladies and gentlemen of the class of 2024, you are sitting at the edge of the rest of your lives. Each of you has the potential to leave a legacy that transcends yourselves and this era of human existence. In the small ways by living out your vocation, you will ensure that God’s Church continues and the world is enlightened by your example. For the ladies present today, congratulations on an amazing accomplishment. You should be proud of all that you have achieved to this point in your young lives. 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, how many of you are sitting here now about to cross the stage, and are thinking about all the promotions and titles you’re 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. I can tell you that my beautiful wife Isabelle would be the first to say that her life truly started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.

I’m on this stage today and able to be the man I am because I have a wife who leans into her vocation. I’m beyond blessed with the many talents God has given me. But it cannot be overstated, that all of my success is made possible because a girl I met in band class back in middle school would convert to the faith, become my wife and embrace one of the most important titles of all: homemaker. She’s a primary educator to our children. She’s the one who ensures I never let football or my business become a distraction from that of a husband and father. She is the person that knows me best at my core. And it is through our marriage that Lord willing, we will both attain salvation. I say all of this to you because I’ve seen it firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will in their life. Isabelle’s dream of having a career might not have come true. But if you ask her today, if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud without hesitation and say, “heck no.”

As a man who gets a lot of praise and has been given a platform to speak to audiences like this one today, I pray that I always use my voice for God and not for myself. Everything I am saying to you is not from a place of wisdom, but rather a place of experience. I am hopeful that these words will be seen as those from a man not much older than you who feels it is imperative that this class, this generation, and this time in our society must stop pretending that the things we see around us are normal. Heterodox ideas abound, even within Catholic circles. Let’s be honest, there is nothing good about playing God with having children, whether that be your ideal number or the perfect time to conceive. No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control. It is only in the past few years that I have grown encouraged to speak more boldly and directly, because as I mentioned earlier, I have leaned into my vocation as a husband and father and as a man.

To the gentleman here today, part of what plagues our society is this lie that has been told to you that men are not necessary in the home or in our communities. As men, we set the tone of the culture. And when that is absent disorder, dysfunction and chaos set in this absence of men in the home is what plays a large role in the violence we see all around the nation. Other countries do not have nearly the same absentee father rates as we find here in the US. And a correlation can be made in their drastically lower violence rates as well. Be unapologetic in your masculinity. Fight against the cultural emasculation of men. Do hard things. Never settle for what is easy. You might have a talent that you don’t necessarily enjoy. But if it glorifies God, maybe you should lean into that over something that you might think suits you better. I speak from experience as an introvert who now finds myself as an amateur public speaker, and an entrepreneur, something I never thought I’d be when I received my industrial engineering degree.

The road ahead is bright, things are changing, society is shifting, and people young and old are embracing tradition. Not only has it been my vocation that has helped me and those closest to me, but not surprising to many of you should be my outspoken embrace of the traditional Latin Mass. I’ve been very vocal in my love and devotion to the TLM and its necessity for our lives. But what I think gets misunderstood is that people who attend the TLM do so out of pride or preference. I can speak to my own experience. But for most people I have come across within these communities. This simply is not true. I do not attend the TLM because I think I’m better than others, or for the smells and bells, or even for the love of Latin. I attend TLM because I believe just as the God of the Old Testament was pretty particular and how he wanted to be worshiped, the same holds true for us today. It is through the TLM that I encountered order and began to pursue it in my own life. Aside from the TLM itself, too many of our sacred traditions have been relegated to things of the past. When in my parish, things such as Ember Days — days when we fast and pray for vocations and for our priests — are still adhered to. The TLM is so essential that I would challenge each of you to pick a place to move where it is readily available. A lot of people have complaints about the parish or the community, but we should not sacrifice the mass for community. I prioritize the TLM even if the parish isn’t beautiful, the priest isn’t great, or the community isn’t amazing. I still go to the TLM because I believe the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is more important than anything else. I say this knowing full well that when each of you rekindle your knowledge and adherence to many of the church’s greatest traditions, you will see how much more colorful and alive your life can and should be. As you move on from this place and enter into the world, know that you will face many challenges.

Sadly, I’m sure many of you know of the countless stories of good and active members of this community who after graduation and moving away from the Benedictine Bubble have ended up moving in with their boyfriend or girlfriend prior to marriage. Some even leave the church and abandon God. It is always heartbreaking to hear these stories, and there’s a desire to know what happened and what went wrong. What you must remember is that life is about doing the small things well. So setting yourself up for success and surrounding yourself with people who continually push you to be the best version of you. I say this all the time, that iron sharpens iron. It’s a great reminder that those closest to us should be making us better. If you’re dating someone who doesn’t even share your faith, how do you expect that person to help you become a saint? If your friend group is filled with people who only think about what you’re doing next weekend, and are not willing to have those difficult conversations, how can they help sharpen you? As you prepare to enter into the workforce, it is extremely important that you actually think about the places you are moving to. Who is the bishop? What kind of parishes are there? Do they offer the TLM and have priests who embrace their priestly vocation? Cost of living must not be the only arbiter of your choices. For a life without God is not a life at all. And the cost of salvation is worth more than any career.

I’m excited for the future. And I pray that something I’ve said will resonate as you move on to the next chapter of your life. Never be afraid to profess the one holy, Catholic and apostolic Church. For this is the Church that Jesus Christ established, through which we receive sanctifying grace. I know that my message today had a little less fluff than is expected for these speeches. But I believe that this audience and this venue is the best place to speak openly and honestly, about who we are and where we all want to go, which is heaven. I thank God for Benedictine College, and for the example it provides to the world. I thank God for men like President Minnis who are doing their part for the Kingdom. Come to find out you can have an authentically Catholic College and a thriving football program. Make no mistake, you’re entering into mission territory in a post-God world. But you were made for this and with God by your side and a constant striving for virtue within your vocation, you too can be a saint. Christ is King to the heights.

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Chiefs kicker criticizes IVF, Pride month and 'diabolical lies' told to women in viral graduation speech

Kansas City Chiefs player Harrison Butker is facing backlash after delivering a controversial graduation speech to the class of 2024 at Benedictine College.

The 20-minute speech was delivered on May 11 at the Catholic college’s campus in Atchison, Kansas. The NFL kicker spoke on a range of topics, including reproductive issues, women’s roles in the home, Pride month and more.

“The bad policies and poor leadership have negatively impacted major life issues. Things like abortion, IVF, surrogacy, euthanasia, as well as a growing support for degenerate cultural values and media all stem from the pervasiveness of disorder,” the 28-year-old said.

A common theme in the address was the importance of “accepting your lane,” and Butker went on to address the women in the graduating class, saying that they had been told “the most diabolical lies.”

He shared that his wife’s life “really started when she began living her vocation as a wife and as a mother.” Butker married his wife, Isabelle, in 2018 and the couple share two children.

“I’ve seen firsthand how much happier someone can be when they disregard the outside noise and move closer and closer to God’s will for life. Isabelle’s dream of having a career might not have come true, but if you ask her today if she has any regrets on her decision, she would laugh out loud without hesitation and say no.”

While speaking about the importance of embracing tradition, Butker referenced Pride month, a month, typically June, dedicated to the LGBTQ community, as a “deadly sin sort of pride.”

Butker encouraged men to be “unapologetic in your masculinity” after addressing reproductive issues during his speech.

“Let’s be honest, there is nothing good about playing God with having children, whether that be your ideal number or the perfect time to conceive,” he said. “No matter how you spin it, there is nothing natural about Catholic birth control.”

The footballer also quoted a line from pop star Taylor Swift’s song “Bejeweled.” Swift is dating Butker’s teammate Travis Kelce.

“Tragically, so many priests revolve much of their happiness from the adulation they receive from their parishioners,” he said. “And in searching for this, they let their guard down and become overly familiar. This undue familiarity will prove to be problematic every time because as my teammate’s girlfriend says, familiarity breeds contempt.”

In a statement to TODAY.com, the NFL’s senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer, Jonathan Beane, said Butker’s comments didn’t reflect the larger organization.

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

TODAY.com has reached out to Benedictine College for comment on the address, as well as Butker and the Chiefs, but has not received any response. TODAY.com has also reached out to Swift for a response on being quoted in the speech.

Online reactions to the speech by Harrison Butker were a trending topic on X by May 14.

“I dare Harrison Butker to tell Taylor Swift that she has no value until she is a wife and mother,” one tweet read .

“You see, this is why we need Pride Month, this is why I continue to say LGBTQ people BELONG,” wrote another .

“This is atrocious,” wrote a third commenter . “As talented as he is, you can find a kicker that’s not (homophobic) and misogynistic pretty easily, I bet.”

Butker was drafted in 2017 by the Carolina Panthers but was signed by the Chiefs in September of the same year. He has since won three Super Bowls with the Chiefs and received accolades after scoring a 27-yard field goal that won the 2023 Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.

CORRECTION (May 15, 2024, 7:21 a.m. ET):  An earlier version of this article misstated that Harrison Butker quoted lyrics from Taylor Swift's song "Karma" in his speech. He quoted lyrics from her song "Bejeweled."

Amy Eley is the assistant managing editor and oversees the West Cost digital team for TODAY.com, covering breaking news, what's happening in pop culture, those viral TikTok videos and everything in between. She's currently based in Colorado.

Amy’s been with TODAY.com since three days after she finished graduate school in 2013. She's covered breaking news, launched lifestyle verticals, taken readers to anchors’ homes (Al Roker’s kitchen remains a personal favorite), documented a surrogacy pregnancy, managed various editorial teams and even appeared on-air to tell America how to clean behind their refrigerators.

Expertise and Education

Amy graduated from CUNY's Graduate School of Journalism with a master's degree in journalism. Prior to that, she earned her bachelor's degree in Hawaii and worked for "Ski Racing" magazine.

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Swimming can improve mood and people report enjoying water-based exercise more than exercising on land.

People are able to exercise longer in water without increased joint or muscle pain, which has been shown to be especially helpful for people with arthritis and osteoarthritis. Water-based exercise can help people with arthritis improve the use of their arthritic joints, decrease pain, and not worsen symptoms. People with rheumatoid arthritis have shown more health improvements after participating in hydrotherapy (exercising in warm water) than with other activities.

For people with fibromyalgia, swimming can decrease anxiety, and exercise therapy in warm water can decrease depression and improve mood. Parents of children with developmental disabilities find that recreational activities, such as swimming, improve family connections.

Water-based exercise can benefit older adults by improving their quality of life and decreasing disability. It can also improve or help maintain the bone health of post-menopausal women.

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• US Census Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2012. Arts, Recreation, and Travel: Participation in Selected Sports Activities 2009. [XLS – 40 KB] ·
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Be active, healthy, and happy! In Chapter 2: Physical Activity Has Many Health Benefits. 2009.
• Westby MD. A health professional's guide to exercise prescription for people with arthritis: a review of aerobic fitness activities. Arthritis Rheum. 2001;45(6):501-11.
• Hall J, Skevington SM, Maddison PJ, Chapman K. A randomized and controlled trial of hydrotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis Care Res. 1996;9(3):206-15.
• Tomas-Carus P, Gusi N, Hakkinen A, Hakkinen K, Leal A, and Ortega-Alonso A. Eight months of physical training in warm water improves physical and mental health in women with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. J Rehabil Med. 2008;40(4):248-52.
• Broman G, Quintana M, Engardt M, Gullstrand L, Jansson E, and Kaijser L. Older women's cardiovascular responses to deep-water running. J Aging Phys Act. 2006;14(1):29-40.
• Cider A, Svealv BG, Tang MS, Schaufelberger M, and Andersson B. Immersion in warm water induces improvement in cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure. Eur J Heart Fail. 2006;8(3):308-13.
• Bartels EM, Lund H, Hagen KB, Dagfinrud H, Christensen R, Danneskiold-Samsøe B. Aquatic exercise for the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;3:CD005523.
• Berger BG, and Owen DR. Mood alteration with yoga and swimming: aerobic exercise may not be necessary. Percept Mot Skills. 1992;75(3 Pt 2):1331-43.
• Gowans SE and deHueck A. Pool exercise for individuals with fibromyalgia. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2007;19(2):168-73.
• Hartmann S and Bung P. Physical exercise during pregnancy—physiological considerations and recommendations. J Perinat Med. 1999;27(3):204-15.
• Mactavish JB and Schleien SJ. Re-injecting spontaneity and balance in family life: parents' perspectives on recreation in families that include children with developmental disability. J Intellect Disabil Res. 2004;48(Pt 2):123-41.
• Sato D, Kaneda K, Wakabayashi H, and Nomura T. The water exercise improves health-related quality of life of frail elderly people at day service facility. Qual Life Res. 2007;16:1577-85.
• Rotstein A, Harush M, and Vaisman N. The effect of water exercise program on bone density of postmenopausal Women. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008;48(3):352-9.

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