Do the Duggars associate with Michelle's family?

[xDreamerx]

I know they were featured some but do they see them regularly? What about the sister who is a lesbian? Do they see her or just pretend she doesn't exist? I know ISB, but I've always been curious.

[Jessica]

The only clip I've ever seen of them with Michelle's family outside the "Big Family Reunion" episode was back in one of the early specials (Raising 16 Children, I think) where she goes to lunch with his sister Pamela for her birthday.

[tabitha2]

Enough so Josh named his daughter after a cousin from that side and he has another Ruark cousin working with them.They also had Michelles dad with them for awhile.

[Chrystal-J]

I was wondering the same thing (if the family ever visits Michelle's side). Maybe they do visit, but that side of the family wants to stay out of the limelight.

[bananacat]

I wonder if they try to avoid her more than her avoiding them. I mean, I think a super-fecund woman is more of a freak than a lesbian in this society, and a lot of their kids are out of control too. If Michelle were my sister, I might be tempted to visit less often.

[xDreamerx]

I wonder if they try to avoid her more than her avoiding them. I mean, I think a super-fecund woman is more of a freak than a lesbian in this society, and a lot of their kids are out of control too. If Michelle were my sister, I might be tempted to visit less often.

Very true. On the family reunion episode it seemed like maybe not everyone in her family likes her since she began to chug kool aid. I was just curious how Gothard and other fundies usually "deal" with gays and lesbians if they're adults with free will that hasn't been beaten out of them. They can't make them pray the gay away...so do they just ignore them or ignore their "lifestyle"?

[Kitten]

Also, as I recall, Michelle is MUCH younger than her siblings, so she doesn't really have brother/sister relationships with them - more like aunts and uncles, I think she said once.

I don't remember her dad ever being with them at their home - I remember when they went up for their family reunion thingie, he was pretty well out of it at that point, and that was early in the show's life, so I can't imagine he made many trips to Arkansas. OTOH, I stopped watching the show after the first year or so. Now I only watch the show occasionally in reruns, so there are quite a few I haven't seen.

[ophelia]

I can imagine that there was more contact than we really saw. Maybe the rest of the family really wanted to stay out of the spotlight. I think Michelle is the youngest and also has a huge age difference between herself and her oldest sister. Something about 20 years.

Who is the cousin that works with them?? Never heard of that..

[IReallyAmHopewell]

Her eldest sister was on one of the early specials, the family reunion was shown and we may she her Dad's funeral this season--they were here in Ohio for it. We've seen her nephew (I believe it's her nephew--could be a cousin of J-B I guess) when John towed his truck. I think the sister closest in age lives not too far from them. Her father was living with them for a while before Jim-Bob's dad. He had been in a car accident and they took care of him for several months. There is a big age gap in her family though--he eldest sister was having her 1st or 2nd child when Michelle was born and the "older" siblings mostly live here in Ohio. That's probably the big reasons--age and distance. Her sister (on the early special) wasn't "sure" about their lifestyle, but eventually accepted it--like her father. Her mother has been dead many years.

[tabitha2]

Who is the cousin that works with them?? Never heard of that..

His name is also Josh-the son of one of Michelle's sisters.He was in one episode.

don't remember her dad ever being with them at their home - I remember when they went up for their family reunion thingie, he was pretty well out of it at that point, and that was early in the show's life, so I can't imagine he made many trips to Arkansas.

It was a few years before the show began and it was decided for unclear reasons he would be better off with the rest of the family in Ohio.It is explained more fully in the book.

[emmiedahl]

I have a lesbian cousin who is uncomfortable with some family members because she knows that they have moral judgments about her lifestyle. She doesn't want to expose her wife and children to that. I wonder if Michelle's lesbian sister has a family that she is protecting from hatred and judgment.

[copyed]

There's a picture on Picasa of Michelle with her siblings. She's even standing next to the one who got outed as a lesbian.

[tabitha2]

http://i658.photobucket.com/albums/uu30 ... 251001.jpg

Take this with a sand dune full off salt this being the Enquirer.

[forever ago]

[/edit stupidity]

Anyway, being the Enquirer, it's probably a fake. I'm certain if it was real, it wouldn't in the Enquirer but all over the Duggar family blog. Either way I feel bad for Evelyn.

[luckylassie]

I saw the episode where all of the family was in Ohio for a family reunion with Michelle's sisters. I don't know about the lesbian story though. I would hope that the Duggars would have their kids accept anyone (even a homosexual).

[ophelia]

I would hope that too. But on the old board we had a thread how the Duggars are supporting anti gay hategroups and that stuff so I don't see that ever happen.. also they would never admit that on TV!

[bananacat]

I also wouldn't be surprised if her relatives try to avoid seeing the family because of Jim Bob. I doubt he was a very likable person even before he chugged all that kool-aid.

[xDreamerx]

Even though it is a tabloid, the part about them being QF dominionists is absolutely true. It's hardly tabloid journalism on that account as we all know.

[lilwriter85]

I also wouldn't be surprised if her relatives try to avoid seeing the family because of Jim Bob. I doubt he was a very likable person even before he chugged all that kool-aid.

I have always wondered if they have issues with Jim Bob and his beliefs because they are very different from the parents and Michelle's siblings.

[tabitha2]

They can't be too vocal about it if they want to see their nieces and nephews and cousins ever.I imagine it's like most families-they might not like it but they don't want to butt in,cause a huge family rift or hurt/anger the loved one involved in the situation.Plus most of them live several hundred miles away so it is usually not an issue how they feel.