Derick Dillard Slams Gay TLC Couple, Fans Chime in
Derick Dillard is in hot water again following another controversial tweet.Former Counting On cast [...]
Derick Dillard is in hot water again following another controversial tweet.
Former Counting On cast member Derick Dillard is facing backlash after he took to Twitter to slam the couple at the front of TLC's new series, Nate and Jeremiah By Design, which follows Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent as they juggle married life and raising their daughter, Poppy, all while helping distressed homeowners renovate their homes.
According to Dillard, however, their lifestyle as parents and members of the LGBT community is a "travesty" and "degrading to children."
What a travesty of family. It’s sad how blatant the liberal agenda is, such that it both highlights and celebrates a lifestyle so degrading to children on public television as if it should be normal. https://t.co/xicRm1nsW7
— Derick Dillard (@derickmdillard) April 27, 2018
Dillard's tweet quickly drew backlash from social media, with Counting On fans not hesitating to speak out against Dillard's words, leading to back-and-forth conversation between Derick and social users.
"As a Christian I can't just sit back & watch your judgemental ways. We serve not only a loving, forgiving God but have also been instructed not to judge. You will never reach people spreading hate. This bashing who U think R sinners will get U nowhere in reaching people," one person commented.
I’m not bashing the people, I’m just calling out the public agenda at play and how a network chooses what they highlight. Christians should love all as Christ loved all. Take advantage of capitalism: boycott what you don’t believe in, but don’t boycott relationships.
— Derick Dillard (@derickmdillard) April 27, 2018
One fan pointed out that the couple's lifestyle in no way affects Dillard's, though he responded by stating that it affects their child's life.
They affect this poor child, as well as what perversions are celebrated. If it were adultery, I doubt a network would be so quick to focus on the reality of it as if it were ok.
— Derick Dillard (@derickmdillard) April 27, 2018
Another person was quick to remind Dillard that "God loves everyone," regardless of their sexual orientation.
He does Derick ! pic.twitter.com/LMC7BV3AVL
— Gina riva (@Ginariva3) April 27, 2018
This is not the first time that Dillard, who is married to Jill (Duggar) Dillard, has faced backlash over his tweets. He was fired from Counting On last year after making transphobic comments about I Am Jazz star Jazz Jennings.
"We want to let our viewers know that Derick Dillard has not participated in Counting On for months and the network has no plans to feature him in the future," the network said in a November statement. "We want to reiterate that Derick's personal statements do not reflect the views of the network. TLC is proud to share the story of Jazz Jennings and her family and will continue to do so."
He and wife Jill (Duggar) Dillard were later absent in a promotional picture for the popular TLC series.
In his controversial tweets, Dillard had claimed that the I Am Jazz cast member was not mentally developed enough to come out as transgender and that she was being used as propaganda by TLC and her parents.
Dillard had been previously slammed in August for disregarding Jennings' identification as a transgender girl.
"What an oxymoron... a 'reality' show which follows a non-reality," Dillard tweeted in response to a promotional tweet for I Am Jazz. " 'Transgender' is a myth. Gender is not fluid; it's ordained by God."