Chip and Joanna Gaines address race and anti-LGBT criticism | Entertainment News

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By Jeannie Ortega Law, Christian Post reporter | Friday 02 July 2021Chip and Joanna Gaines “Fixer Upper” reboot, 2020 | magnolia.com

As Chip and Joanna Gaines prepare for the full launch of their Magnolia network, the couple have responded to allegations that they are racist, anti-LGBT and lack diversity in their hit series.

In a Hollywood Reporter profile post, the Christian couple was asked why they never featured same-sex couples in their Fixer Upper home improvement series. “

Sometimes I think to myself, can I just make a statement? ‘”Said Joanna,” tearing it up a bit, “described the post.

The accusations that are thrown at you, like you’re racist or don’t like people in the LGBTQ community, these are the things that really eat me up at noon because that’s so far from who we really are, ” she said, me standing.

Joanna is mixed race and said she too was harassed as a child because she was different.

My mom is so tough, but with a look or a comment, I would just see her die off, she recalls her South Korean mom. That’s why she didn’t know how to help me when I came home and said, So-and-so called me. It happened to him too. “

“Growing up half Asian, half Caucasian, I feel like I’m not accepted and loved,” she continued. “It’s the last thing I want someone to feel.

In 2016, the Waco, Texas-based couple faced criticism for attending the Antioch Community Church led by Jimmy Seibert. Pastor Seibert openly condemned homosexuality as a sin following the legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015.

Last year, at the height of nationwide social unrest and riots, Chip, Joanna and their children were featured on Emmanuel Acho’s YouTube series “Conversations with a Black Man”. During the conversation, the Gaines discussed their desire to teach their children about the race.

The couple were criticized earlier this year after donating $ 1,000 to a campaign led by Chip’s sister, who was running for the Fort Worth, Texas school board. Shortly after the donation, his sister spoke out against teaching critical race theory in schools.

The couple are preparing for the launch of their Magnolia network on July 15 on Discovery +. The network will be launched on cable next year.

In the Hollywood Reporter interview, Chip maintained that they wanted their new network to reflect their commitment to diversity and inclusion.

As a white American man, it’s hard to be perfectly diverse, he said. In our own company we have almost 700 employees and one of our biggest passions is making this group represent everyone.

The shows included on Magnolia Network will feature hosts from different backgrounds. Jonathan Morris, a black man, is the host of Self Employed, “while Road to Launch with Jamila Norman is directed by a woman of color. Openly gay interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn also has a broadcast on the Magnolia network.

Chip and Joanna also brought Fixer Upper back in a reboot of their network. The series featuring home improvement experts officially launched the network earlier this year.

Fixer Upper, the original series, ended in 2018 after five successful seasons on HGTV. At the time, Chip and Joanna announced that they were ending their show to focus on their family.

The show became one of the most-watched cable TV shows of 2017, as homeowners across the country set about renovating and decorating their homes to mimic the Gaines style.

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