I remember what it was like to get up early before school to watch Full House re-runs on Nick at Night. I’d snuggle up in a blanket with a cup of tea in hand as I waited for my favorite character, D.J. Tanner, played by Cameron Candace Bure, to appear onscreen. She was my hero, the oldest sister, just like me.
While D.J. Tanner might’ve been my hero, Cameron Candace Bure is surely not.
Earlier this year, Cameron Candace Bure left the Hallmark Channel to join the Great American Family, an evangelical Christian television network that creates faith-focused Christmas movies. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, she explained why.
“My heart wants to tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them,” Bure said during the interview. “I knew that the people behind the Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good entertainment.”
That’s what we all want, isn’t it? To tell stories that matter?
To Bure though, it seems only heteronormative cis-gendered stories deserved to be told.
When The Wall Street Journal asked Bure if she anticipated that her purposeful stories would feature same-sex couples, her answer was no.
“I think that Great American family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” said Bure.
The implication that same-sex marriages are not traditional is simply inaccurate. The Oxford English dictionary defines traditional as: “Being part of the beliefs, customs or way of life of a particular group of people that have not changed for a long time.”
It is the practice of marriage itself then, that is considered to be traditional. What exactly is untraditional about same-sex couples then? The rituals remain the same: two people who love each other, pronouncing that love in front of their family and being recognized legally as a union.
My opinion on this subject is not unique. In fact, Bure has received a significant amount of backlash in response to her remarks. So much so that she released a statement via Instagram.
“I would like to address my comments on Great American Family’s programming as reported in The Wall Street Journal,” Bure said in an Instagram post. “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.”
Bure said she considers herself to be a devoted Christian who loves every human equally. Apparently just not enough to represent everyone equally.
It was deeply saddening to read such a polarizing quote from a highly respected celebrity. In working with a conservative evangelical Christian network like Great American Family, Bure has the opportunity to showcase identities that have been left out in the past. Instead, she is wasting that chance and hiding those voices.
Ignoring gay couples is a demonstration of bigotry; it is an erasure of the queer identity. Silence, in this case, is violence. These actions speak volumes. They tell young queer people watching this channel that their identity is not valid.
“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,” Bure said. “We need Christmas more than ever.”
According to Bure, everyone needs Christmas. Everyone but the gays.
Candace simply disagrees with a homosexuals’ lifestyle but she doesn’t hate them. By allowing for gay marriage or homosexual behavior on her movies, she feels she is endorsing their lifestyle, and she cannot do that. She is a bible believing Christian and God condemns homosexuality. He loves homosexuals, but hates their sin, much like God hates adultery, theft, fornication, lying, stealing etc.. Homosexuality is a perversion from Gods original intent-which is one man with one woman. Hence, the article says your engaging in bigotry if you disagree with gays and cant share the same platform with them in movies. This is not true. In person, she treats them with love and respect but cannot partner with them in business ventures or movies because she cannot endorse their lifestyle based on Scripture.
Hi Mike,
God does not condemn homosexuality, nor does the bible state that he considers it a perversion. Glad I could clear that up for you.
Leave this poor woman alone. It’s her right to work for or promote whatever show she wants to. She is successful. There are more people that support her than there her and that is a fact. Anyone who is happy with their lifestyle choices doesn’t hate or troll the internet to stir up more hate. She has a right and finances ti promote whatever she wants to. Not everything has to be about the “protected” class. If anything you should have better things ti do with your time. Living the life you want shouldn’t involve bringing someone else down to validate it. You don’t like her hef shows don’t watch — ignore it’s that simple.