Candace Cameron Bure said she loved people of all identities and did not intend to hurt anyone after criticism of her remarks about Great American Family’s holiday programming. The controversy began when she said the network would keep “traditional marriage at the core.”
What Bure said about Great American Family’s Christmas movies
In a November 2022 Wall Street Journal interview, Bure was asked whether Great American Family would put same-sex couples at the center of its holiday movies. She replied, “I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core,” according to TheWrap’s report.
The remark drew criticism from public figures and LGBTQ advocates. For critics, the issue was not simply a preference for a particular kind of holiday story: they saw the comment as signaling that LGBTQ relationships would be excluded from the network’s central romantic narratives.
Bure’s public response
On November 16, 2022, Bure issued a statement saying, “All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people. It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone.” TheWrap reported that she also criticized what she described as a divisive media climate around Christmas movies.
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Bure said she had also expressed support during the interview for people of all ethnicities and identities to contribute to the network, both on camera and behind the scenes. That is her account of what she said; the complete original interview transcript is not established in the contemporary reporting cited here. Today reported her account.
How GLAAD and other public figures reacted
GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis called Bure’s remarks irresponsible and hurtful. In a statement quoted by Good Morning America, Ellis said, “It’s irresponsible and hurtful for Candace Cameron Bure to use tradition as a guise for exclusion.” Ellis also urged people considering business with Great American Family to consider whether they wanted to associate with a network that would intentionally exclude LGBTQ stories.
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![Candance Cameron Bure 4-Movie Collection 2: The Christmas Contest, If I Only Had Christmas, Christmas Town, A Shoe Addict’s Christmas [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51KZNGojahL._SL160_.jpg)
- The Christmas Contest - A Hallmark Channel original movie. Exes Lara (Candace Cameron Bure) and Ben (John Brotherton) compete in a Christmas contest to win money for the charity of their choosing. The city watches them battle and choose what is more important, victory or love.
Other public figures, including JoJo Siwa, also criticized Bure’s comments, according to Good Morning America’s coverage. The exchange reflected a disagreement over representation: Bure emphasized her stated affection for all people and support for participation across identities, while Ellis focused on what the network’s stated programming approach could mean for LGBTQ stories.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the exchange does—and does not—establish
The reporting documents Bure’s 2022 remark, her November 16 response, and immediate criticism. It does not establish that her statement resolved the dispute or changed Great American Family’s programming, nor does this account cover the network’s full programming history.
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