Chip Gaines is choosing to remain chipper in the face of ongoing adversity.
The HGTV star, one half of the popular couple at the center of home renovation and design show Fixer Upper, found himself in all kinds of headlines last week…
… despite not actually doing or saying anything of note.
But Buzzfeed published a lengthy article that highlighted the pastor who leads the church in Texas often frequented by Chip, his wife Joanna and their children.
The feature piece went into depth regarding Jimmy Seibert, specifically two beliefs he holds when it comes to homosexuals:
- He does not support gay marriage.
- He thinks gay people can be converted into straight people.
Doe Chip and Joanna share these controversial beliefs?
Would a gay couple ever be featured on Fixer Upper?
How dare Buzzfeed run what basically amounted to a hit piece on Chip and Joanna simply based on the church they attend?
Many questions were asked in light of this article. Many sides were taken.
In response, HGTV issued a statement that read:
“We don’t discriminate against members of the LGBT community in any of our shows. HGTV is proud to have a crystal clear, consistent record of including people from all walks of life in its series.”
And it’s true: plenty of same-sex couples have been featured on such programs as Love It or List It and Property Brothers.
Chip and Joanna, meanwhile, have said next to nothing in reply to this scandal.
Some, however, have interpreted a couple Chip Tweets as confirmation that he agrees with his pastor’s stances in relation to the gay lifestyle.
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. DO EVERYTHING IN LOVE,” he wrote the day the Buzzfeed article went viral, later adding:
“U know.. even as all hell ‘appears’ to be breaking loose. All I have to do is look at my 4 precious babies sleeping, or kiss Jo good morning and at least at that moment, at my house, all is right with the world.”
These Tweets are obviously not an admission of any viewpoint.
But many are wondering why Chip would not simply come out and express his support for gay marriage if that, indeed, is what he believes.
(Others, conversely, are wondering why on earth Chip has to make this opinion public.)
On December 3, meanwhile, Gaines did directly address the Buzzfeed article that started this hullabaloo, along with one of that website’s writers.
And he did so in a broad, very positive manner.
“Regardless of our decision to make a statement about all this craziness, or not, I ask that people please! respect [BuzzFeed’s] @KateAurthur & [Cosmopolitan’s] @ginamei,” Gaines wrote.
That’s a very nice and reasonable sentiment.
The following morning, the reality stars headed to their controversial church for Sunday mass.
“In times of trouble … you’ll find the gaines family at church,” Chip wrote.
In June of last year, Seibert told churchgoers the following:
“God defined marriage, not you and I. God defined masculine and feminine, male and female, not you and I. Truth No. 1: Homosexuality is a sin. The lie: Homosexuality is not a sin.
A similar statement was shared on the nondenominational, evangelical church’s website.
Fixer Upper airs on HGTV Tuesdays at 9/8c.
Will your viewing of it depend on whether or not Chip and Joanna share this belief?