Candace Cameron Bure gave a lengthy response to critics who called her out for a remark she made in an interview with The Wall Street Journal which many interpreted as anti-LGBTQ+, saying that the Great American Family network’s holiday programming would focus on “traditional marriage” in an interview. The actress, 46, explained that she wanted to respond with “love,” and said that she had “great love and affection for all people,” in a statement on Instagram on Wednesday, November 16.
Candace wrote that she was “saddened” at the negative attention that her comments received. She also spoke about her Christian faith, and how she tries to follow the value of love in her everyday life. “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 said.
In one of the slides, the Full House star responded to “members of the media,” people sending attacks to her online, and all people by saying she loves them. “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,” she wrote.
Candace continued and said that even though she was excited to bring “faith-based programming” as the CCO of the Great American Family network, she claimed that part of her interview was cut out, where she said that there would be more inclusivity at the network where, “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.”
She concluded with a message about her faith including “God’s love and God’s compassion” and her Christmas wish. “I’ve never been interested in proselytizing through my storytelling, but in celebrating God’s greatness in our lives through the stories I tell,” she said. “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. 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 Candace’s interview with WSJ was published, a number of people called her out for her comments saying that the programming would focus on “traditional marriage at the core.” Stars like Hilarie Burton and Jojo Siwa both took to social media to call out Candace. The LGBTQ+ organization GLAAD also invited Candace to meet with their President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis to understand why her comments were harmful. “It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion,” she said in a statement. “Bure is out of sync with a growing majority of people of faith, including LGBTQ people of faith, who know that LGBTQ couples and families are deserving of love and visibility. As the company’s Chief Creative Officer, her statement is harmful and insulting to LGBTQ employees, as well as employees with LGBTQ friends and family.”