There’s been no shortage of controversy surrounding BuzzFeed’s story published this week about “Fixer Upper” stars Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Christian faith and their church’s views on homosexuality. And among the critics coming to the Gaineses defense are some gays and lesbians who are less-than-thrilled with the piece in question.
A number of comments posted on Facebook as well as on the original article itself indicated that some people in the LGBTQ community weren’t exactly enthusiastic about BuzzFeed’s reporting, noting that the Gaineses are entitled to hold their own personal beliefs, regardless of whether they agree with the couple.
“We are all entitled to our own beliefs and I don’t see what’s wrong with that. I am bisexual (and a Christian) and not even a little bit offended,” wrote BuzzFeed reader named holachurro. “It would be one thing if they were discussing how gross gay people are on the show, but they aren’t.”
After getting some push-back, that individual said he or she doesn’t see any reason to be upset with the Gaineses over their beliefs — regardless of what those beliefs may be — and said the situation would be different if they were preaching about their theological views on “Fixer Upper.”
“They’re still good at what they do,” holachurro said. “As long as they treat gay people with kindness, I’m not too concerned with their opinions even if they don’t match my own.”
Another BuzzFeed reader who identified as gay said the original article “has some witch-hunt vibes” and said he or she simply doesn’t care if these “random people are homophobic.”
Similar claims were made over on BuzzFeed’s Facebook page, with a woman named Samantha Nicoll writing that many people attend churches where they disagree with some of the theology being taught, though she said she doesn’t care what any church thinks.
“Why is this being posted if not just to stir things up? Is it a slow news day?” she wrote. “The dead people in Ohio and the Colombian plane crash and raging wildfires in Tennessee aren’t enough fodder?”
Other individuals who identified as gay agreed, dismissing the BuzzFeed article and pushing back against some of the claims being made against the Gaineses.
“As a gay person (and interior designer) I can say with certainty that it really doesn’t bother me either way. I mean, everyone is entitled to their beliefs,” wrote Alejandro Gallegos. “As long as they’re not actively trying to harm the LGBT community, I say let them be. Just my opinion.”
And another individual named Hank Mendheim called the piece “a hatchet job” and said BuzzFeed should be ashamed for publishing it. He added, “Is it a shock that most churches (and pastors) are against homosexuality?”
It should also be noted that another person who did not identify as gay said he or she does have gay friends who work at Magnolia, the Gaineses’ company, and that they are very happy with their employment.
“Even if they don’t run pride parades, that doesn’t mean they’re bigots,” BuzzFeed reader jacquelineh46e04371f concluded.
READ: BuzzFeed Under Fire for Going After Popular HGTV ‘Fixer Upper’ Stars Chip and Joanna Gaines
As Faithwire previously reported, the curious BuzzFeed article in question about the Gainses has also been lambasted by media critics who are boisterously dismissing it as “dangerous,” a “hit job” and an attempt to “destroy” the couple.
The original article, titled, “Chip And Joanna Gaines’ Church Is Firmly Against Same-Sex Marriage,” opens by dissecting the success of the HGTV show as well as the couple’s other endeavors, before noting that the Gaineses are “devout Christians.”
Then, the article abruptly starts moving into contentious LGBTQ territory, questioning the couple’s views on homosexuality, among other related sentiments. Read our original report here.
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