The Duggar family has been making headlines for well over a decade.
TLC made the family famous when they did specials about how many kids the Duggars had. After seeing the popularity and fascination with Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their growing family, they decided to give them their own show, 19 Kids and Counting.
There have been plenty of mishaps within the family, especially in recent years. As the children grow up and get married, their lives remain the focus of critics and fans alike.
While the Duggars are mostly known for their number of children, and now grandchildren, there have been some pretty scandalous things happen in their lives.
From a whole revamp of the show to a private feud being made public, the Duggars have battled a lot within the public eye.
These are the five biggest scandals from within the Duggar family.
1. Josh Duggar inappropriately touching several of his sisters
In May 2015, the Duggars were exposed in conjunction with a scandal they had covered up a decade prior. Josh Duggar had inappropriately touched several of his sisters. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar had reportedly handled things on their own, or so they thought.
When the police reports were leaked to the press, it wasn’t hard to put things together about who the girls were that he touched. The victims included Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joy-Anna, and a family friend. Names were redacted, but other comments and information led to the revelation the victims were Josh’s younger sisters.
Both Jill Duggar and Jessa Duggar spoke out about what happened to them with Megyn Kelly. They each talked about how they felt and went in-depth about what the incident did to them.
Many believe it was a last-ditch effort to rope in the public and revamp their show. It worked, and after the interviews were completed, TLC decided to give the Duggars another show.
Jill & Jessa: Counting On was born.
2. Josh Duggar’s Ashley Madison account
Things did not go well for Josh Duggar in 2015. Not only had it been revealed that he molested his sisters, but it was also revealed that he was a part of the Ashley Madison website. He was exposed when the names of men who had accounts with the extramarital affair site were made public.
After all Anna Duggar had been through with her husband with the molestation scandal and standing by his side, she was forced to deal with the reality that he had the intent to cheat on her at the very least.
She was pregnant with their fourth child, Meredith Duggar, at the time. This news prompted Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar to act quickly, and they sent Josh Duggar off to rehab in Rockford, Illinois to deal with his sex addiction issues.
Several fans and critics of the family called for Anna Duggar to leave Josh. She decided to stick things out and moved in with her in-laws.
Currently, the couple is still married and reportedly living on the Duggar property, just not at the Duggar compound. They recently celebrated 12 years of marriage, and their sixth child will celebrate her first birthday at the end of November.
3. Jill Duggar speaking out against Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar
Just a few weeks ago, Jill Duggar decided to speak her truth about her relationship with her parents. Speculation had been raging about the situation between her and them since last year. Eagle-eyed Counting On fans realized Jill had not been present for any of the holidays and that caused heightened suspicion.
Derick Dillard had let little tidbits of truth out about the current state of his and Jill’s relationship with her parents, but she remained quiet for a long time.
Recently, she and Derick have been answering questions on YouTube. She invites fans to send them in and the couple will answer them with as much truth as possible, even explaining some things in depth.
It was confirmed that Jill Duggar is not on the best terms with her parents. She did an exclusive with People Magazine about it, which also led to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar issuing a statement that also confirmed the rift.
There is hope that their relationship will be restored. For now, Jill acknowledges that not everyone agrees with her choices, including some of her siblings.
4. Duggar women wearing pants
As absurd as this may sound, Jinger Duggar breaking the rules she was raised by caused quite a stir. After marrying Jeremy Vuolo, she was liberated and her actions made waves all over social media. From wearing pants to sporting trendy sneakers, Jinger Duggar was the “rebel” of the bunch.
The pants were discussed so much, Counting On producers even asked Michelle and Jinger about it in a confessional for the show. It became a running joke, and when the other Duggar women decided to jump on the pants bandwagon, it grew even bigger.
Now, Jana, Jill, and Joy-Anna Duggar have all been seen wearing pants. Jessa Duggar still remains true to the skirt and dress rule, but that isn’t surprising to anyone who follows the family.
Of all of the daughters, Jinger Duggar is one of the freest with her choices.
5. Jim Bob Duggar doesn’t pay his children for their reality television appearances
Aside from the stuff with Josh Duggar, this is one of the most shocking things that Duggar fans have learned in the years they have followed the family.
Money isn’t something the Duggars talk about — ever. Jim Bob has provided homes for his children to live in and set them up, but as for money in their pockets, that’s another story entirely.
In fact, Jill Duggar recently confirmed that she and Derick Dillard had to retain a lawyer to get the money she earned while appearing on reality television. It was recovered, but from whom was not released. The amount came out to a little more than minimum wage, which was disappointing.
Over the years, Derick has always hinted they never had control over their birth announcements or lives, and this coincides with his claims. Jill did reveal that they were often traveling for free and given other comps as perks, but they were never paid a cent for working on the Duggar reality shows.
It is estimated that Jim Bob Duggar made anywhere from $20,000 to $45,000 per episode of the reality shows. While his financials have not been released, the accusations made by Jill Duggar has fans talking.
Currently, Counting On has run 11 seasons since it’s inception in 2015. TLC has yet to renew the show for a 12th season, but it is likely. With all of the events in the Duggars’ lives, viewers will continue to watch as the family grows exponentially.