Back to the Frontier has become one of the most buzzed-about shows on Joanna and Chip Gaines’ Magnolia Network in recent years, although not all of it has been positive.
An official logline for the series reads: “Families leave the 21st century behind to live as 1800s pioneers in a social experiment that tests their strength, stamina and sense of humor.”
The show has sparked backlash online, however, for its inclusion of a same-sex couple and their two children, with several conservative figures and orthodox Christian platforms rebelling against the show, most notably due to the Gaines’ own Christian faith.
Take a look inside the lives of Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, the center of Back to the Frontier’s controversy, their family, and how they’ve responded to it all…
Who are Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs?
Husbands Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs have been together for over 15 years, first becoming a couple in 2010. The pair are currently based out of Dallas, tying the knot in 2013 and becoming parents the year after.
© Getty ImagesThe pair welcomed their twin sons Lucas and Ethan, now 11, in 2014 via surrogacy, although they were at first denied legal parenthood of their children due to Texas law not recognizing gay marriage at the time. In 2015, they were finally recognized as their boys’ fathers.
Both work in corporate environments, with Jason working for a private equity firm and Joe in enterprise risk management, although they’re also founders and heads of the popular Teddy Bear Party, an annual fund-raising event that benefits Texas Equality and Marriage Equality charities.
© InstagramThe pair were also popular social media influencers even before getting on the show, with their page “2 Dallas Dads” boasting nearly 100k followers on Instagram alone, where they often post adorable snippets of their family life.
How have Jason and Joe responded to the Magnolia Network backlash?
Jason took to social media alongside a news headline that showed the reaction of conservative circles to their casting, and wrote with it: “Representation matters deeply – especially for those who are still finding the courage to live their truth. When families like ours are visible, it opens doors for others to feel safe, loved, and validated.”
© Magnolia Network/HBO MaxSpeaking with Queerty before the show’s premiere, Jason added: “We’re super honored that, when they were choosing three modern day families, they did choose the same size couple as a modern-day family – because we are; we’re your neighbors, and your coworkers. And so it was this amazing opportunity to [continue to] normalize same-sex couples and same-sex families.”
How have Joanna and Chip responded to the reaction?
While Joanna has not yet commented on the reception to Joe and Jason’s inclusion, Chip has shared several social media posts throwing his support behind them and defending them from online vitriol, defending the idea of American faith being more open-minded.
© Instagram“Talk, ask [questions], listen… maybe even learn,” he wrote on X. “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.”
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