Candace Cameron Bure Claps Back at Media over 'No Gays' Reports

Candace Cameron Bure clapped back at media reports that she intends to keep cable channel Great American Family a queer-free zone.

As previously reported, Bure, having left the Hallmark Channel for Great American Family, where she now serves as chief creative officer, told the Wall Street Journal in a recent interview that she wants the channel's holiday movies to "tell stories that have more meaning and purpose and depth behind them" that also ignore same-sex attraction, love, and coupledom.

But homophobia, Bure suggested in a Nov. 16 statement, isn't the reason for leaving such a large swath of potential viewers unrepresented in the channel's offerings.

"All of you who know me, know beyond question that I have great love and affection for all people," Bure declared in the statement, according to Variety. "It absolutely breaks my heart that anyone would ever think I intentionally would want to offend and hurt anyone."

Bure blamed the messenger for the backlash that resulted from her comments.

"It saddens me that the media is often seeking to divide us, even around a subject as comforting and merry as Christmas movies," the "Fuller House" actor said. "But, given the toxic climate in our culture right now, I shouldn't be surprised."

"We need Christmas more than ever," Bure went on to say. "I am a devoted Christian. Which means that I believe that every human being bears the image of God. Because of that, I am called to love all people, and I do. If you know me, you know that I am a person who loves fiercely and indiscriminately. My heart yearns to build bridges and bring people one step closer to God, to love others well, and to simply be a reflection of God's huge love for all of us."

But Bure herself has said such universality around love is not part of her vision for the channel.

"I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core," Bure told the WSJ, marking a contrast between her new home and previous employer Hallmark Channel, which she left, she said, because Hallmark had undergone "a change of leadership..."

On the other hand, Bure said, "I knew that the people behind Great American Family were Christians that love the Lord and wanted to promote faith programming and good family entertainment."

But Bure's blame of the news media came with a sugar coating.

"To the members of the media responsible for using this opportunity to fan flames of conflict and hate, I have a simple message: I love you anyway," the cable channel exec went on to say. "To those who hate what I value and who are attacking me online: I love you. To those who have tried to assassinate my character: I love you. To everyone reading this, of any race, creed, sexuality, or political party, including those who have tried to bully me with name-calling, I love you."