Candace Cameron Bure Causes a Stir Saying GAC Family Movies Will Not Feature Gay Couples

Candace Cameron Bure confirmed that GAC Family movies will not feature gay couples in a new Wall Street Journal profile, setting off a wave of anger from those pushing for greater representation. In the profile, GAC Family chief Bill Abbott also angered many by dismissing LGBT representation as a "trend." Bure joined GAC Media in April, and also became the network's chief content officer after over a decade at Hallmark Channel, Abbott's previous employer.

While Hallmark prepares to finally debut its first movie featuring an LGBT love story, The Holiday Sitter, Bure said GAC is going in the opposite direction. When the Journal asked her if GAC Family movies would ever include same-sex couples as lead characters, she said no. "I think that Great American Family will keep traditional marriage at the core," she said.

Abbott tried to be more diplomatic, but his answer still could be seen as a firm no. "It's certainly the year 2022, so we're aware of the trends," he said. "There's no whiteboard that says, 'Yes, this' or 'No, we'll never go here.'"

During Abbott's tenure at Hallmark, the channel was frequently criticized for presenting an almost all-white view of America and rarely ever embracing diversity. That came to a head in late 2019, when Hallmark refused to air a commercial for the wedding-planning website Zola featuring two brides kissing. Hallmark was pushed to apologize and reinstated the ad. Less than a month later, Abbott suddenly left. He told the Journal it was a coincidence and he wanted a new challenge.