Duggars By the Dozen - General Discussion - Part 8

[grandmadugger]

Oh damn, what episode was that?

Duggar's World Tour Duggar's Abroad 11/13/11

[melon]

I saw that episode when they were in Scotland.Lol

You what my son said regarding Jana?

This is what he said,He said I don't think Jana will get married.He said she will be there to take care of Josie until Josie is 18.

I hope that doesnt happen.

I'd like to see her get married,and have a family too.She is almost 25 so she probably wouldnt have as many children as Michelle.but you never know.

[pea3]

First post ever....hope I do it right!!

I had never seen any of the early episodes, 16 children and moving in, etc. I was shocked at the clothes they were wearing and the hair! Good Lord, michelle's was awful.

I am really curious, what do you think brought the big change in that. The girls are quite stylish now, beautiful hair and makeup. I don't know if I buy into the whole "TLC made them change". These peel seem pretty set in their ways. Any ideas? The change really is big.

[Rescinded and Mended]

First post ever....hope I do it right!!

I had never seen any of the early episodes, 16 children and moving in, etc. I was shocked at the clothes they were wearing and the hair! Good Lord, michelle's was awful.

I am really curious, what do you think brought the big change in that. The girls are quite stylish now, beautiful hair and makeup. I don't know if I buy into the whole "TLC made them change". These peel seem pretty set in their ways. Any ideas? The change really is big.

Welcome, pea3!

I've always been under the impression that the makeovers for the girls and women in the Duggar family were the result of TLC's influence. After the first couple of specials, and once TLC realized that there was enough interest in the Duggar family for a regular television series, it's likely that TLC coached the Duggars to update their appearances in order to attract more viewers across a wider demographic. If they looked like fundamentalists, then conservatives were more likely to watch. A more modern, stylish look would draw in new, interested viewers everywhere who wouldn't immediately be put off by the ultra-conservative lifestyle their clothing represented. Jim Bob and Michelle, ever eager to find new ways to sell out and follow the money trail, were happy to go along with the new look, despite the hypocrisy behind plunging necklines, rising skirt hemlines, and sleeves that disappeared altogether.

Shows like Breaking Amish are more about leaving one's religious beliefs behind, therefore there's less of an emphasis on looks and style, except for maybe after the departure. The Duggars are selling themselves as a wholesome, attractive, modern-modest family. Image is everything to them.

[It'sFunToRun]

First post ever....hope I do it right!!

I had never seen any of the early episodes, 16 children and moving in, etc. I was shocked at the clothes they were wearing and the hair! Good Lord, michelle's was awful.

I am really curious, what do you think brought the big change in that. The girls are quite stylish now, beautiful hair and makeup. I don't know if I buy into the whole "TLC made them change". These peel seem pretty set in their ways. Any ideas? The change really is big.

I see what Rescinded and Mended says as a big factor, but Gothardism is very big on legalism, and the legalism says "skirts that cover the knees" not "frumpers", so the Duggars are still within the guidelines (bar the few times we have seen them be naughty with barely showing knees or sleeveless). Nut and Nutschelle see the show as their ministry, so maybe it occurred to them that they will be able to appeal to more souls if they dress modernly but still within their guidelines.

[alba]

Welcome, pea3!

I've always been under the impression that the makeovers for the girls and women in the Duggar family were the result of TLC's influence. After the first couple of specials, and once TLC realized that there was enough interest in the Duggar family for a regular television series, it's likely that TLC coached the Duggars to update their appearances in order to attract more viewers across a wider demographic. If they looked like fundamentalists, then conservatives were more likely to watch. A more modern, stylish look would draw in new, interested viewers everywhere who wouldn't immediately be put off by the ultra-conservative lifestyle their clothing represented. Jim Bob and Michelle, ever eager to find new ways to sell out and follow the money trail, were happy to go along with the new look, despite the hypocrisy behind plunging necklines, rising skirt hemlines, and sleeves that disappeared altogether.

Shows like Breaking Amish are more about leaving one's religious beliefs behind, therefore there's less of an emphasis on looks and style, except for maybe after the departure. The Duggars are selling themselves as a wholesome, attractive, modern-modest family. Image is everything to them.

I'm not sure it was hypocritical, at least not in the early seasons where they traded frumpers and Peter Pan collars for polo shirts and long skirts. At some point they mellowed further, but I don't know if that was a TLC thing or just that they had more exposure to the real world and changed their attire; Jichelle and Dim Bulb still seem to dress much as they did when the regular series started.

[RosyDaisy]

Add inbreeding to the dumbing down of each generation, and ATI/IBLP and groups like it will implode.

[Rescinded and Mended]

I'm not sure it was hypocritical, at least not in the early seasons where they traded frumpers and Peter Pan collars for polo shirts and long skirts. At some point they mellowed further, but I don't know if that was a TLC thing or just that they had more exposure to the real world and changed their attire; Jichelle and Dim Bulb still seem to dress much as they did when the regular series started.

I tend to think of them as hypocritical now, but mainly due to their carrying on about modest wear and not showing arms or kneecaps when the outfits on the women in the family keep shrinking and Michelle keeps giving birth on camera. I agree that the polo shirts and long skirts weren't that big of a deal in terms of change in the beginning, but I have a really hard time believing that TLC didn't step in and tell the Duggars to change their look on some level at the beginning.

But once the network insisted on the clothing changes, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Jessa, Jinger, etc. just took the ball and ran with it. Girls love to experiment with clothes and makeup, and it probably didn't take much for them to convince JB and M that cute, girly clothing was for the good of the show and their ministry. :lol:

[singsingsing]

Well, the entire concept of 'modesty' is completely subjective, so I can't really call them hypocritical for slowly changing their definition of it. I doubt TLC demanded the changes, either. More likely the girls just got older and started to notice fashion/style more, and wanted to make the changes themselves. I'm sure TLC and whatever other media they encountered helped them along the way, but they're definitely not the only fundie family who has traded in frumpers for more stylish apparel. Even the Maxwells have to some extent.

[Coconut Flan]

I think part of it was that the jumpers weren't at the thrift shops any more and Jana no longer had time to sew with her mother producing more and more babies. They moved on to what was in the thrift stores for awhile and then Jana got a driver's license and Michelle turned the shopping over to her and Jill.

[Fluffypaws]

Thought I would share my experience with class this morning to everyone. Topic: Duggars :D

The class and the professor got on the discussion of the Duggars and no one likes them. :cracking-up:

They all agree that they are a cult that use the oldest girls as a parent and can't believe Michelle getting pregnant with a STRONG chance something could be wrong or not make it to term. An older classmate expressed her VERY strong hatred for JimBob and Michelle and how she thinks Michelle's battered uterus drags in the name of Gods blessings. :lol: Me, the older student, 2 others and the professor stayed after class for a few to discuss them and Kate+8 ( which were also negative).

I was not expecting a class agreement about them because I live in the red state of Kansas. Very interesting discussion and nice to know that the class and professor feel the same about them as I do.

[Cheetah]

Thought I would share my experience with class this morning to everyone. Topic: Duggars :D

The class and the professor got on the discussion of the Duggars and no one likes them. :cracking-up:

They all agree that they are a cult that use the oldest girls as a parent and can't believe Michelle getting pregnant with a STRONG chance something could be wrong or not make it to term. An older classmate expressed her VERY strong hatred for JimBob and Michelle and how she thinks Michelle's battered uterus drags in the name of Gods blessings. :lol: Me, the older student, 2 others and the professor stayed after class for a few to discuss them and Kate+8 ( which were also negative).

I was not expecting a class agreement about them because I live in the red state of Kansas. Very interesting discussion and nice to know that the class and professor feel the same about them as I do.

What sort of class is this? (American studies? Sociology?) Just curious. And were the Duggars the intended focus of discussion, or did you meander onto the topic from something else?

[grandmadugger]

Thought I would share my experience with class this morning to everyone. Topic: Duggars :D

The class and the professor got on the discussion of the Duggars and no one likes them. :cracking-up:

They all agree that they are a cult that use the oldest girls as a parent and can't believe Michelle getting pregnant with a STRONG chance something could be wrong or not make it to term. An older classmate expressed her VERY strong hatred for JimBob and Michelle and how she thinks Michelle's battered uterus drags in the name of Gods blessings. :lol: Me, the older student, 2 others and the professor stayed after class for a few to discuss them and Kate+8 ( which were also negative).

I was not expecting a class agreement about them because I live in the red state of Kansas. Very interesting discussion and nice to know that the class and professor feel the same about them as I do.

What school? I'm in Kansas as well!

[Fluffypaws]

The class was human sexuality ( I had to take it. lol ) We were watching a film that featured a man with 2 kids from a previous marriage and a woman also with 2 kids. They got married and wanted a baby together and were pregnant with triplets. The pregnancy was going wrong and had very high chance of all 3 babies dying or something wrong and the mothers life was in great danger too. It was like an extreme ectopic pregnancy. The babies were NOT growing where they should be, but they were still alive. It was a medical phenomenon. She delivered very early with a team of 15 doctors on hand and they did survive, but they didn't seem quite healthy when they showed the triplets at 6 years old. The class started discussing what maybe they would have done and how they felt maybe the parents were being selfish with very strong odds against them and had 4 other kids that could be without their mother. Cue the Duggar topic

I'm a student at Butler community college before transferring to a 4 year. :D

[pineapple450]

I tend to think of them as hypocritical now, but mainly due to their carrying on about modest wear and not showing arms or kneecaps when the outfits on the women in the family keep shrinking and Michelle keeps giving birth on camera. I agree that the polo shirts and long skirts weren't that big of a deal in terms of change in the beginning, but I have a really hard time believing that TLC didn't step in and tell the Duggars to change their look on some level at the beginning.

But once the network insisted on the clothing changes, it wouldn't surprise me at all if Jessa, Jinger, etc. just took the ball and ran with it. Girls love to experiment with clothes and makeup, and it probably didn't take much for them to convince JB and M that cute, girly clothing was for the good of the show and their ministry. :lol:

I also think its a general trend in the fundie world. While most are not as scandalous as the Duggars, on almost all fundie-family blogs (even the Maxwells) you can see that they have all gravitated towards the skirt and shirt ensemble of varying modesty levels.

[grandmadugger]

The class was human sexuality ( I had to take it. lol ) We were watching a film that featured a man with 2 kids from a previous marriage and a woman also with 2 kids. They got married and wanted a baby together and were pregnant with triplets. The pregnancy was going wrong and had very high chance of all 3 babies dying or something wrong and the mothers life was in great danger too. It was like an extreme ectopic pregnancy. The babies were NOT growing where they should be, but they were still alive. It was a medical phenomenon. She delivered very early with a team of 15 doctors on hand and they did survive, but they didn't seem quite healthy when they showed the triplets at 6 years old. The class started discussing what maybe they would have done and how they felt maybe the parents were being selfish with very strong odds against them and had 4 other kids that could be without their mother. Cue the Duggar topic

I'm a student at Butler community college before transferring to a 4 year. :D

I've spent some time at Butler! I'm an FFA alumni.

[floridiot]

What school? I'm in Kansas as well!

How can you both tolerate sharing a state with Maxhell? It bothers me just sharing a country with those whackadoodles. :ew:

[Fluffypaws]

How can you both tolerate sharing a state with Maxhell? It bothers me just sharing a country with those whackadoodles. :ew:

Lol. Well at least I've never ran into them unlike the wonderful (sarcasm) Westboro Baptist church we also have. :pull-hair:

[grandmadugger]

How can you both tolerate sharing a state with Maxhell? It bothers me just sharing a country with those whackadoodles. :ew:

I didn't know the Maxwell's were here in KS until a little while ago. However, the WBC lives in my backyard just about so until I don't have to run into those whack-a-dos at the grocery store I can't worry about the Maxwells. lol

[HarryPotterFan]

WBC protested my high school because it's named after a gay poet. This was after I graduated, and a bunch of students had a counter protest.

If only WBC knew the principal is super pro-gay rights.

[grandmadugger]

WBC protested my high school because it's named after a gay poet. This was after I graduated, and a bunch of students had a counter protest.

If only WBC knew the principal is super pro-gay rights.

They haven't been protesting at home lately. They've threatened a few times but never did show up. :cracking-up:

[utter solitude]

They haven't been protesting at home lately. They've threatened a few times but never did show up. :cracking-up:

Apparently that's their new tactic. They know they'll (most likely) get some coverage just for the threat, so no need to actually show up to everything. >.>

[It'sFunToRun]

Speaking of the Westboro Baptist Church, did you guys hear that the daughters Megan and Grace are actually pretty cool? I would love to meet them in person. It makes me think that if Megan escaped, then anyone can. Megan was basically the Jill of WBC.

[N The Prayer Closet]

Thought I would share my experience with class this morning to everyone. Topic: Duggars :D

The class and the professor got on the discussion of the Duggars and no one likes them. :cracking-up:

They all agree that they are a cult that use the oldest girls as a parent and can't believe Michelle getting pregnant with a STRONG chance something could be wrong or not make it to term. An older classmate expressed her VERY strong hatred for JimBob and Michelle and how she thinks Michelle's battered uterus drags in the name of Gods blessings. :lol: Me, the older student, 2 others and the professor stayed after class for a few to discuss them and Kate+8 ( which were also negative).

I was not expecting a class agreement about them because I live in the red state of Kansas. Very interesting discussion and nice to know that the class and professor feel the same about them as I do.

That's awesome!! Where in KS are you? I'm a KU grad and have been snarking in Olathe since 2008. I am maybe 35 miles from the Maxwells? Eeeekkk! My husband and I went to The Nutcracker in Topeka about 10 years ago and WBC was protesting the freaking ballet, you know....because men in tights are ebil :roll: One of the founders sons is a leading atheist in Canada and he's really awesome. Super ashamed of all his family has done. Maybe Josiah will be the next president of Wisconsin's Freedom From Religion Foundation? :P

[Antimony]

I don't know if anybody has mentoned this but jessa's Instagram post ticked me off.

instagram.com/p/sgYKPoDflQ/

Cause...apparently only bad things happened to good people ONCE and it was Jesus. It just sounds soooo insensitive to me.