Most people are aware that the Duggar family is a very conservative bunch, practicing an independent Baptist religious sect that has conservative codes for dressing, dating, and behavior. The Duggars are famous for their practice of being “quiverfull,” a term used to describe the situation in which a husband and wife do not practice birth control but allow as many children to come into the family as possible. For the Duggars, that seems to have stalled out at nineteen children, and several of the oldest have gotten married and began their own “quiverfull” households, sharing the family’s faith. Michelle and Jim Bob have become grandparents to a handful and more on the way.
The have very strict standards for dating for their children. In fact, there is no dating — there’s courting, “or dating with the purpose of marriage.” Physical contact is strictly forbidden unless it is side-hugging, a term for embracing someone by one shoulder only, when the front of your bodies do not touch. Women in the family have long hair and wear dresses, never pants, as they believe that is part of their feminine role. They look to the man of their household, be it their father or husband, to be the spiritual leader and essentially call the shots. All of that has seemed to work out pretty well for the Duggars regarding their children. They’ve had no major rebellion that we are aware of.
However, there’s one Duggar that they can’t really control: Jim Bob’s niece, Amy Duggar, who has appeared on the show and is claiming to be working at becoming a success in Nashville as a country music star. While Amy shares the same faith as her aunt, uncle, and cousins, she’s not nearly as conservative, and she makes no apology for it, which no doubt causes some controversy and raises some eyebrows from time to time. However, regardless of the situation, the Duggars appear to embrace and love Amy, even if they do not publicly comment on her choices, either to approve or disapprove.
The most recent “break from the Duggar mold” that Amy has done was to post a picture of herself on Instagram in a minidress and ankle boots. While the picture is not overtly sexual in anyway, it definitely strays from the Duggar family’s rule of women not showing their knees.
Jim Bob has discussed with 28-year-old Amy a picture of her kissing her fiancé on New Year’s Eve, and posting it, but Amy’s not budging an inch, be it her fashion or smooching habits.
“I kinda get under his skin, but he’s not going to control me, and I don’t think he wants to control me, he has no reins over me. He doesn’t know what I’m going to do next.”
[Photo via Instagram/Amy Duggar]