Fixer Upper stars and Magnolia executives Chip and Joanna Gaines have come under fire from their evangelical fanbase for including a homosexual couple on their new HBO show, Back to the Frontier. Chip has defended his family’s position repeatedly on X, to the confusion and disappointment of many fans and pastors.
Chip and Joanna settled into a pattern of success in 2013–2015, when they started their HGTV show Fixer Upper and opened Magnolia Market in Waco, Texas. After Magnolia Market launched, there were numerous other successful Magnolia ventures taken by the couple, and their business empire was successfully established.
The couple has not hesitated to share their Christian testimony with their consumers throughout their business journey. Because of the transparency surrounding the Gaines’s faith, a large portion of their fan base consists of evangelical Christians who are attracted to the couple’s personal journeys as much as their products.
Though sometimes lauded as an ideal Southern Christian family, the Gaineses have demonstrated an aptitude for progressivism before. During the heat of the Black Lives Matter movement, Joanna posted a black square to her social media account, promising to “listen and learn.” During the Target boycott, the couple was severely scrutinized for their partnership with the company, which remained unchanged despite Target’s promotion of pride propaganda and products.
With the launch of their new show, Back to the Frontier, affiliations with the LGBTQ+ movement have landed the celebrity couple in hot water once again.
Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs were one of three couples chosen to lead the series. The couple was inspired to apply for the show after seeing a gay couple included in the flyer. Hanna and Riggs are not just a gay couple; the two men are famous on social media for their “family” content and are notorious activists. The couple was provided with two boys through surrogacy, and participated in a legal battle to have both of the...