Despite recent fallout, Candace Cameron Bure has backed her comments on her effort to prioritize “traditional marriage” in her projects with Great American Family (GAF) network.
In a Nov. 15 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Bure stated she did not expect the network to feature same-sex leads in its holiday films and said, “Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core.”
Soon after her interview was published, Bure’s comments sparked backlash on social media and prompted celebrities such as JoJo Siwa and actor Hilarie Burton to speak out.
Despite fervent criticism, Bure says she is standing by her words.
On Nov. 16, Bure issued a statement to People stating she was saddened “that the media is often seeking to divide us.”
“All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people. It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone,” said Bure’s statement, according to People. “It saddens me that the media is often seeking to divide us, even around a subject as comforting and merry as Christmas movies. But, given the toxic climate in our culture right now, I shouldn’t be surprised. We need Christmas more than ever.”
“I have long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming. I am grateful to be an integral part of a young and growing network,” the statement added. “I had also expressed in my interview, which was not included, that people of all ethnicities and identities have and will continue to contribute to the network in great ways both in front of and behind the camera, which I encourage and fully support. I’ve never been interested in proselytizing through my storytelling, but in celebrating God’s greatness in our lives through the stories I tell.”
Bure currently serves as the chief creative officer for the network, which she joined earlier this year after leaving the Hallmark Channel, for which she starred in nearly a dozen holiday-themed movies for 14 years.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis called Bure’s comments “irresponsible” and “hurtful” in a statement Wednesday.
“If (Great American Family’s) plan is to intentionally exclude stories about LGBTQ couples, then actors, advertisers, cable and streaming platforms, and production companies should take note and seriously consider whether they want to be associated with a network that holds exclusion as one of its values,” Ellis said.
Siwa responded to Bure's remarks in an Instagram post Tuesday, writing, “Honestly, I can’t believe, after everything that went down just a few months ago, that she would not only create a movie with the intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press. This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people."
