Chip and Joanna Gaines, the beloved hosts of HGTV’s Fixer Upper, found themselves at the center of controversy after a BuzzFeed article speculated about their views on homosexuality. The piece highlighted the Gaines’ church, which teaches that homosexuality is a sin, sometimes linked to abuse, and potentially “curable” through conversion therapy.
Although the article never quoted the Gaines directly, it raised questions about whether the couple personally shared those views—and whether their television careers might be impacted.
Pushback Against the BuzzFeed Article
The BuzzFeed story quickly drew criticism, including a Washington Post editorial by Brandon Ambrosino, a gay journalist known for defending conservative viewpoints.
Ambrosino argued that the article amounted to a “hit piece” designed to pressure the Gaineses into publicly endorsing LGBTQ equality—or face backlash if they did not.
He noted that while public support for same-sex marriage continues to grow, nearly one in four Americans still oppose it. For Ambrosino, that raises a serious question:
“Is the suggestion here that 40 percent of Americans are unemployable because of their religious convictions on marriage? That the companies that employ them deserve to be boycotted until they yield to the other side of the debate?”
A Larger Debate: Religious Freedom vs. Cultural Pressure
The controversy sparked by BuzzFeed touches a broader issue: the tension between freedom of religion and speech in a pluralistic society.
Ambrosino suggested that BuzzFeed’s approach not only violates the standards of good journalism but also reinforces what then President-elect Donald Trump and many conservatives claimed—that mainstream media outlets often function as biased, left-leaning platforms.
For Chip and Joanna Gaines, the situation highlights the complex intersection of faith, public influence, and cultural debate. While the couple themselves have remained quiet on the issue, the controversy underscores how religious convictions are increasingly placed under the spotlight in America’s shifting cultural landscape.
