Chip Gaines slams critics of gay couple in new Magnolia Network reality show

Love is love.

Chip Gaines spoke out against the backlash to the same-sex couple featured on the new Magnolia Network reality show “Back to the Frontier.”

“Talk, ask questions, listen.. maybe even learn,” the 50-year-old wrote on X Sunday. “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,” the TV personality added.

Chip’s defense came after Evangelical figure Franklin Graham, the son of late pastor Billy Graham, criticized Chip and his wife Joanna, 47, for including gay married couple Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs in the cast of “Back to the Frontier.”

The series, which premiered July 10 on HBO Max and Magnolia Network, follows three modern-day families attempting to live like 19th-century pioneers. Hanna and Riggs live in Dallas, Texas and have 10-year-old twin boys.

“I hope this isn’t true, but I read today that Chip and Joanna Gaines are featuring a gay couple in their new series,” Franklin tweeted last week, “If It is true, it is very disappointing.”

He continued: “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.”

Chip continued to stand up for the couple while replying to fan comments on X.

After one user accused Chip of promoting homosexuality,” the father of three responded with a Bible verse about “gentleness and respect.”

When that same user accused Chip of using the Bible verse “against” him, Chip wrote back, “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.”

In a different exchange, Chip clapped back at a fan who claimed the show was a “PR nightmare” for the couple.

“Ha.. you don’t know us very well if you think PR and ‘carefully crafted statements’ will have anything to do with this,” he said.

Hanna and Riggs also spoke out about the backlash in a statement on their Instagram Stories.

“Representation matters deeply–especially for those who are still finding the courage to live their truth,” the couple said. “When families like ours are visible, it opens doors for others to feel safe, loved, and validated. Visibility isn’t just about being seen; it’s about making sure no one feels alone.”

In a July 11 interview with Queerty, Hanna noted the importance of him and his husband being featured on the show.

“This was a great, amazing opportunity to normalize same-sex couples and same-sex families,” he stated. “I’m super honored that when they were choosing three modern-day families, they did choose a same-sex couple as a modern-day family, because we are. We are your neighbors and your coworkers.”

Chip and Joanna rose to fame on their HGTV series “Fixer Upper” which premiered in 2013. They launched Magnolia Network in 2022.