HGTV responds to ‘Fixer Upper’ same-sex marriage controversyHGTV is standing by the hosts of its popular home renovation series “Fixer Upper.”
The channel issued a response after BuzzFeed reported earlier this week that Chip and Joanna Gaines attend a church whose pastor has spoken out against same-sex marriage, and raised the question of whether gay couples would be welcome on the show.
“We don’t discriminate against members of the LGBT community in any of our shows,” the network said in a statement to The Post. “HGTV is proud to have a crystal clear, consistent record of including people from all walks of life in its series.”
As the site reported, “Fixer Upper,” which recently returned for its fourth season, has never featured an LGBT couple, though other HGTV series like “House Hunters” and “Property Brothers” have.
BuzzFeed’s initial report centered on the Gaineses being members of the Antioch Community Church, “a nondenominational, evangelical, mission-based megachurch” whose pastor, Jimmy Seibert, has been an outspoken critic of same-sex marriage. The story did not specifically confirm that the HGTV hosts shared that belief, only that Seibert has described them as “dear friends.”
The story has sparked harsh backlash from Christians and others in the media, alleging that the Gaineses are being persecuted for their faith.
http://nypost.com/2016/12/02/hgtv-responds-to-fixer-upper-same-sex-marriage-controversy/
