Candace Cameron Bure Responds to ‘Traditional Marriage’ Comment Backlash: ‘I Have Great Love & Affection for All People’
Candace Cameron Bure has released a lengthy statement following the backlash to her recent comments regarding Great American Family’s programming.
“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. 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,” she wrote in a series of slides posted on Instagram on November 16.
“I am a devoted Christian. Which means that I believe that every human being bears the image of God. Because of that, I am called to love all people, and I do. If you know me, you know that I am a person who loves fiercely and indiscriminately,” she continued.
“To the members of the media responsible for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate, I have a simple message: I love you anyway. To those who hate what I value and who are attacking me online: I love you. To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you. To everyone reading this, of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you.”
This statement comes after Bure said, “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” in the aforementioned Wall Street Journal interview when asked if the network would include movies with leading LGBTQ+ couples. (Bure, who previously appeared in Hallmark Christmas movies, signed a deal with Great American Family in April; among Hallmark’s 2022 Christmas movies is The Holiday Sitter, its first with a same-sex main couple.)
“I have long wanted to find a home for more faith-based programming,” Bure wrote in her statement. “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.” Read her full statement in the Instagram post below.
View this post on Instagram
Hilarie Burton Morgan was among those who shared a reaction to Bure’s comments, writing in part, “Now they’re just openly admitting their bigotry. I called this s**t out years ago when [Bill] Abbott was at Hallmark. Glad they dumped him. Being LGBTQ isn’t a ‘trend.’ That guy and his network are disgusting. You too Candy. There is nothing untraditional about same-sex couples.”
JoJo Siwa also addressed Bure’s comments in a social media post, 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 intention of excluding LGBTQIA+, but then also talk about it in the press. This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people.” Jodie Sweetin, who starred in Full House and Fuller House with Bure, voiced her support for Siwa in the comments with “You know I love you” and two heart emojis.
Conversation16 Comments
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G
This is very similar to her brother Kirk's response, when he was slammed years ago for speaking out against same-sex marriage. He explained he had friends who were gay, who also didn't support it. He talked about how loving them didn't mean he supported their lifestyle, and they understood that. You can love someone without supporting how they live their life. Those are not mutually exclusive concepts. The word "traditional" shouldn't be so triggering. Neither should "Christian" or "traditional marriage." The more these people try to push alternative lifestyles down everyone else's throats, the more people they turn against them. It's having the opposite effect of what they want. If they weren't so belligerent and draconian about it, people literally wouldn't care what they do behind closed doors. Stop shoving it down people's throats, trying to force everyone to accept it, and just live your life. Leave those who disagree alone, and they'll leave you alone. You're not going to shame anyone into changing their mind.
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J
"Stop shoving it down people's throats, trying to force everyone to accept it, and just live your life."
Isn't that what some people say about Christianity? (Don't shoot the messenger, I'm a Christian too.) And if you think that having an LGBTQ person or couple in a TV movie is "shoving a lifestyle down peoples' throat," then you have an unusual concept of the world.
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T
She's completely right. The words 'traditional' and 'Christian' shouldn't be so toxic to so many people. They should be unifying. And also, if you don't want to see her movies, then just don't watch them instead of saying a lot of overrused names online and hoping for a response.
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B
Yep, and she didn't even have to say anything. Nobody is entitled to an explanation from her for her beliefs, which have been very public her entire career. Even in her response, she's classy.
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R
Candace should not have to defend herself. The MEDIA needs to move on from this already.
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G
Organized religion is now, always has been and always will be what makes world peace unattainable. Don't shoot the messenger.
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O
True. The thousand+ years of hatred between the major religions is force fed to children from the cradle up prolonging the animosity and promoting war and terrorism. Stop the insanity.
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J
She mentions "those who hate what I value." I didn't get any sense that anyone "hates" what she values; they just may not value those things the way she does. She has a right to her opinion, and others have a right to theirs.
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B
Faith in God and His teachings is not an opinion.
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J
Faith is a belief. Belief... opinion... to-may-to, to-mah-to.
The point is the same: she has a right to talk about her beliefs, but others have the same right to react to it and express their disagreement. Just as commenters here supported her words, others have a right to hold a different belief.
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G
Yes, "faith" is an opinion. And the foundations of opinion are shifting. If you said "traditional marriage" two years ago no one would bat an eye. With Nationalist Christians threatening the very existence of non believers, the NatC's have frightened the rest of us. So ms Cameron and other "traditional Christians" your current rhetoric is aggressive, offensive, and frightening in the face and context of other things y'all are saying. We are scared, and scared people in the corner are ferocious. Remember that when you consider words.
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G
God has no "teachings". People have books that were written by other people who wanted power, status and/or wealth. It's a BIG cult, but a cult nonetheless.
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O
Exactly. Indoctrination begins in the cradle.
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O
I think if everyone has the right to say and feel how they want then that applies to everyone.
People in the movie industry or the public eye should know better than to rise to what the media says. It's their job to cause strife and hate and at the very least misunderstandings so everyone loses their minds and starts hating on people.
I am not prejudice, I know gay people but I am straight and don't want to see two women or men kissing on screen, not because I think it's wrong but because it isn't my life style so I will just watch something else, not a big deal until people start making it one and causing trouble.
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O
Love your heart Candice
You are a beautiful person
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O
I just looked up the definition of “traditional marriage. From both the APA and Webster’s. Not entirely sure how her statement got so wildly misconstrued.
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