Candace Cameron Bure responds to LGBTQ Christmas movie controversy: 'To those who hate what I value, I love you'
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After the internet (and fellow celebrities) roasted her chestnuts over an open fire, former Hallmark Channel staple Candace Cameron Bure addressed the fallout over her controversial comments about her new network, Great American Family, producing holiday content that will favor "traditional marriage" over featuring LGBTQ love stories.
"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 said in a statement to EW. "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. My heart yearns to build bridges and bring people one step closer to God, to love others well, and to simply be a reflection of God's huge love for all of us."
She also criticized the media "for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate," but expressed a "simple message" to them: "I love you anyway," she continued.
"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," the statement read.
Great American Family Candace Cameron Bure stars in 'Christmas Present' on the Great American Family network.
Bure faced a barrage of backlash following Monday's Wall Street Journal profile, in which she and Great American Family executive Bill Abbott asserted the network's stance, with Bure, who left Hallmark for GAF in April, telling the publication, "I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core," indicating the network wouldn't make movies featuring queer characters in leading rom-com roles. Abbott added that "spiritual or faith-based content is grossly underserved."
In her statement Wednesday, Bure elaborated on the Wall Street Journal piece, claiming that she also expressed in the interview 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 she said she supports.
"The God we serve is a wildly creative and loving God. He didn't just capture a small part of my heart, He has captured all of my heart. He will be reflected in everything I do and say; in my family, my work and my interactions with people from all walks of life, God's love and God's compassion is front and center. All of that comes from the LOVE that God himself showered upon humanity when he gave the gift of joy and forgiveness on the first Christmas morning 2000 years ago," she finished. "It is why I love Christmas stories and sharing true joy and true peace with millions of people around the world. And in the sole motivation of pure love, I hope you'll join me in sharing God's hope for all the world this Christmas season. Call that my Christmas wish."
After the initial comments, actress Hilarie Burton called Bure and Abbott "disgusting" for their views, while queer entertainer JoJo Siwa — who previously indicated that Bure was the rudest celebrity she'd ever met — also spoke out against the ex-Full House performer's statement.
"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," Siwa wrote on Instagram. "This is rude and hurtful to a whole community of people."
Bure's Full House costar Jodie Sweetin commented on Siwa's post, expressing love for her while sharing LGBTQ resources in her Instagram Story following Bure's comments. In July, Bure told fans that she and Siwa had smoothed things over after a "great conversation" on the phone.
While Bure's projects on GAF will likely not focus on LGBTQ love stories, Hallmark is gearing up to release its first-ever full-length Christmas movie centered on a gay couple, The Holiday Sitter, which stars Mean Girls actor Jonathan Bennett and debuts Dec. 11.
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