A recent article by BuzzFeed which lambasted HGTV show "Fixer Upper's" hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines for being part of a church which upholds traditional marriage has become a subject of debate in media.
The article posed the question to HGTV and Gaines' retail company Magnolia if the hosts will "ever feature a same-sex couple" on their show, to which author Kate Aurthur said she did not receive any reply. This made her assume in the article that she was against same-sex marriage.
In response to the article, HGTV released a statement saying that they do not discriminate against the LGBT community.
"We don't discriminate against members of the LGBT community in any of our shows," the channel sent the statement to Variety and several other publications. "HGTV is proud to have a crystal clear, consistent record of including people from all walks of life in its series."
The article was criticized by Todd Starnes, the host of Fox News & Commentary, as well as an openly homosexual Washington Post op-ed writer Brandon Ambrosino.
"Hosts Chip and Joanna Gaines have not only made Waco, Texas a tourist destination, but they've also educated us about the many uses of shiplap... I also appreciate that Chip and Joanna are devout Christians. Viewers can see how their faith flavors not only their television program - but also their family life," Starnes wrote.
Ambrosino also offered sharp criticism of the article when he said,"The piece starts off innocently enough by describing the success of Chip and Joanna Gaines, a husband-and-wife team whose series 'Fixer Upper' is one of the most popular shows on HGTV. After pivoting to the religious beliefs of the Gaineses, and pointing out that they go to an evangelical church whose pastors oppose same-sex marriage. Aurthur then poses these questions: 'So are the Gaineses against same-sex marriage? And would they ever feature a same-sex couple on the show, as have HGTV's 'House Hunters' and 'Property Brothers'?'"
