Candace Cameron Bure’s comments on centering “traditional marriage” on her Christian movie network have faced swift, strong backlash. Given that she left the Hallmark channel to make more religious-based content while Hallmark is making more diverse (and less heterosexual) content seems to make it clear where she stands. But the Fuller House alum has released a long, outraged statement claiming that the media is getting her all wrong.
“It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone,” she says in a statement to People, notably not heartbroken that she may have actually offended 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.”
That’s right: we all need Christmas more than ever—except for gay couples, who, again, probably won’t be featured on the Great American Family network. But Candace Cameron Bure is a “devoted Christian” who loves “all people,” which means “any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling.” How magnanimous.
While previously stating the network will focus on “traditional marriage,” she claims characters with other “identities” might just pop up. “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,” Cameron Bure says.
The actor concludes her essay-length statement by evangelizing on God’s love, which he “showered upon humanity when he gave the gift of joy and forgiveness on the first Christmas morning 2000 years ago.” In a deft bit of missionary work, she ends by saying, “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.”
Given that this statement is not an apology for discrimination, nor an overwhelming affirmation of support for the LGBTQ+ community, it seems unlikely to stymie the current wave of criticism. Her past remarks prove how she can justify discrimination based on sexuality due to her religion, and it seems that that continues to be the case.