Chip Gaines appears to have defended his new series, “Back to the Frontier,” for including a same-sex couple after the casting sparked backlash on social media.
The show features families who quit using technology while trying to live like 19th century pioneers. “Back to the Frontier” includes married couple, Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, along with their twin 10-year-old sons.
Franklin Graham, the son of evangelical pastor Billy Graham, put the spotlight on the show when he spoke out against the inclusion of the couple.
“I hope this isn’t true, but I read today that Chip and Joanna Gaines are featuring a gay couple in their new series,” he wrote July 12 on X.
“If It is true, it is very disappointing. While we are to love people, we should love them enough to tell them the truth of God’s Word. His Word is absolute truth. God loves us, and His design for marriage is between one man and one woman. Promoting something that God defines as sin is in itself sin,” Graham continued.
Chip Gaines did not directly respond to Graham’s post nor did he mention his name or the name of his show when he appeared to discuss the matter in his own X post on July 13.
“Talk, ask qustns, listen.. maybe even learn,” he wrote. “Too much to ask of modern American Christian culture. Judge 1st, understand later/never It’s a sad sunday when “non believers” have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian.”
“Back to the Frontier” premiered July 10 on the Magnolia Network and HBO Max. Gaines did not respond to TODAY.com’s request for comment on the matter.
He was more direct about addressing the backlash when interacting with users on X.
Gaines replied to one user who said he “can’t” watch the show, and he had an exchange with one person who asked why he was “promoting homosexuality,” which Gaines responded to with a Bible verse.
“It’s my favorite verse and it’s in my bio. He clearly went to my bio and tried to use it against me…” the same user later wrote.
“Ha.. I didn’t try to use it against you, I did use it against you.. it’s pretty weird to have a life verse that has specific messaging and instruction that you don’t even come close to applying. But it does seem like you love the attention so enjoy,” Gaines responded.
On Instagram, Hanna and Riggs thanked the Gaineses for including them in “Back to the Frontier.”
“We are extremely honored to be one of the three modern day families going #BacktotheFrontier because visibility matters and so important,” they said.
Before the backlash over the casting of “Back to the Frontier,” the Gaineses have been accused of not supporting members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The accusations that get thrown at you, like you’re a racist or you don’t like people in the LGBTQ community, that’s the stuff that really eats my lunch — because it’s so far from who we really are. That’s the stuff that keeps me up,” Joanna Gaines told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.
