Okay, the family connections of this story make it kind of complicated, so let’s go back to school on this one. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are parents to Jill Duggar, who is married to Derek Dillard and they are expecting their first. Jill is also a practicing midwife. Jim-Bob and Michelle’s oldest son is Josh Duggar, and Josh is married to Anna. Anna has a sister named Susanna Keller. Which means that Susanna is Josh’s sister-in-law, but they don’t have a name for what Susanna is to the rest of the family. Let’s just say Susanna is vaguely related to the rest of the Duggars and the Kellers and Duggars have always been close. Well, Susanna got herself knocked up a few years back and Jill Duggar, being a midwife, wanted to help out with Susanna’s delivery. But Jim-Bob and Michelle banned Jill from even going near Susanna. Why is that? Because Susanna got knocked up out of wedlock. UNCLEAN!
The Duggars claim to practice Christian love in their everyday life. But that kindness apparently doesn’t extend to unwed mothers— even if the woman is a family member!
Insiders exclusively tell RadarOnline.com that daughter Jill Duggar, a practicing midwife, wanted to help sister-in-law Anna Duggar‘s younger sister Susanna Keller give birth to her first child two years ago— but Jim Bob and Michelle wouldn’t allow it.
“Jill was very excited to assist Susanna through the birth,” a source reveals to Radar of the newly married 23-year-old, now pregnant with her first child. “Michelle and Jim Bob, however, wouldn’t let her participate. They thought Jill shouldn’t be exposed to an unmarried mother in that condition.”
As Radar previously reported, the conservative Christian family iced previously close friend Susanna out of the family when she decided to ditch tradition and live like a normal teenager. When she became pregnant with daughter Noelle out of wedlock in 2012, sources say the family banned the 22-year-old from their TLC reality show, 19 Kids And Counting, and refused to say her name on air.
When Susanna ran into the family at an event in Texas last year, they were cordial, but became appalled when the young mom allowed her daughter now nearly 2, to dance. (The family considers dancing to be “too sensual.”) The family has come under fire recently for blocking LGBT fans from their Facebook page and comparing abortion to the Holocaust.
This might seem like a picayune squabble between Bible-thumping wingnuts (and it is), but I can’t tell you how disturbing I find this. It was just last week that we heard about a Duggar YET AGAIN attending some anti-choice rally and making anti-choice statements. All of the Duggars are pro-life/anti-choice. It’s one of their big political issues and they work with a lot of conservative politicians too. But this is just an example of how it’s really not about “babies,” and it’s really not about all life being sacred or any of that. If it was, it wouldn’t matter if the pregnant lady was married or not. It wouldn’t matter if she was gay or straight or how she got pregnant. If it was really about LIFE, then wouldn’t any woman who chose to carry a fetus to term be celebrated?
Photos courtesy of the Duggars’ social media.
Disgusting.
Okay, I find them disgusting too, but to be clear, I think there is nothing to this story. Firstly, Susanna Keller lives in Florida and the Duggar’s live in Arkansas. That right there is enough for me to call BS to this story. I mean, really your mid wife needs to live in the community that you live in. Secondly, Jill is not a mid-wife, she is in training to be a mid-wife. I mean for what it’s worth, Jill has mentioned attending a birth of a 14 year old, unwed mother before – shocking I know. Gosh . . .found the reference, read here:
http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/19-kids-and-counting/michelle-duggars-blog/jill-jana-duggar-midwifery/
Not sure I really believe what’s written, but it’s on the TLC website, surely they’re doing some sort of fact checking.
Their blog states that she is a licensed midwife, a CPM. Which is a bullshit credential anyway.
What’s more disgusting is that they have fans.
These people make me want to rip my hair out. Or punch someone in the face
These people are freaks who know nothing but pumping out babies at an alarming rate. It looks like Anna is on her way to beating her mother-in-law’s record of 19. Next up will be the one who married the 19 year old. With their prejudice against other human beings, I don’t know why TLC hasn’t pulled them off the air yet.
BINGO! You nailed it Kaiser! I wish you could ask one of these A-holes about this just to hear their ridiculous explanation.
It’s about controlling women. Simple.
This.
Exactly. And punishing them for being sexual. These people are perverts.
THEY ARE OBSESSED WITH SEX.
Totally on a shallow level, but why does she always make her eyebrows into the ‘surprised look’? It’s obvious that she is taking selfies, so she is expecting the photo to be taken. Why does she have the appearance of astonishment in damn near every shot?
I’m surprised that the women wear makeup and (based on photos above) get pedicures. The women in very strict religions usually shun wearing pants, cosmetics, getting short haircuts, etc.
Maybe they just pick and choose what they want to follow (or what Dim Bulb tells them to do to suit him).
Christin
I’d think it’s by the preference of the men they wear makeup and get mani/pedis.
It’s ok to do as long as it’s what the man wants or is kept behind closed doors. I also think you’re confusing religions. Long hair and no pants is both a preference and a sect.
Ugh these people.
I try to tune out these folks, but my curiosity took over. They are supposedly independent Baptists and adhere to Christian patriarchy. So, it truly is what the husband / father dictates. Ugh.
It is all about female sexuality being “evil” and “sinful”.
Yep
They wear a ton of cosmetics.
Yeah, they’re not “pro-” life unless you obey their idiotic rules for women and girls, which means you’re an obedient brood mare. The anti-choice movement couldn’t care less about “babies’ if they’re brown-skinned, or, you know, actually living outside the mother’s body.
This!
These people are so gross. It kills me that people are dumb enough to fall for their hate speech because they cover it with bad hair and soft voices.
I haven’t fell for the duggars hat for other people i am so lucky i live in uk
oh the To Dereck From God package note on her bump. yes, all from god, nothing else.
God banged Jill and got her pregnant? GROSS!!
Actually the woman who was pregnant is a Jim Bob’s sister’s daughter so she and Jill are cousins. Shame on Jim Bob and Michelle for thinking they have the right to judge everyone. This was family they turned their backs on. Nothing is worse to me than that.
Wait, so Josh Duggar married his FIRST COUSIN?!
Is it strange that this doesn’t surprise me at all?
Nothing about this shocks me.
WHAT!!!! Which sister is it? I’ve googled him, it mentions 1 sister. Did he blacklist some of his family members?
No, Kaiser is correct, but Deanna, Jim Bob’s sister, got pregnant out of wedlock with Cousin Amy a year before he and Michelle had Josh. It’s a bit hypocritical since they’re still talking with Deanna and Amy, but not Susanna, Anna’s sister.
Susanna just posted a bunch of pictures of her with Josh and Anna and her daughter playing with Josh and Anna’s kids. It would seem they still talk to her, unless they took all those pictures without ever saying a word to each other…
Amy did not get pregnant. And your sister-in-law’s sister is not your cousin.
Repulsive people. I hate their smug faces.
Yes, to Derek from God because that child will be Derek’s property just as his wife is. Let the brainwashing commence!
I completely agree with you.
Most, not all, pro-lifers very rarely care about the babies more so than the act which will always be insane to me.
You don’t get to make proclamations about the value of life while perpetually supporting legislation that would help to ensure the quality of said lives were better (i.e, social programming). The hypocrisy of it all…
Furthermore, while I’m no bible thumper and let go of religion in my teens, I still remember much of what was taught–let he without sin cast the first stone is in there for a reason 😒, so is love thy neighbor 😤
Pro- ‘lifers’ give no actual f**** about life at all!
I really don’t understand politically conservative Christians. They’re the worst cherry pickers of the Bible, only supporting hate and judgement while turning their cheeks to love, kindness and understanding.
It makes me sad that people think all Christians are like that. I grew up in a very conservative Christian family. I was taught sex before marriage was wrong, and my family was very pro-life. When I found out I was pregnant at 23(unmarried), I really expected my parents to lose their minds. I assumed I’d have judgement raining down on me. When I told them their response was entirely the opposite. They told me they loved me, that children were always a blessing, and they would support me in any way I needed. And they did, through years of being a single mother, they were my lifeline and biggest supporters. Never a word of recrimination, just love. That’s what a true Christian should be. Anything else is not what God intended. And my parents and i also regularly help with donations at a pregnancy helpline type of place. One that actually aims to help woman that choose to keep their baby. Not just tell them abortion is wrong , and send them on their way with no actual help . That blows my mind. I think Christians could really stand to put their money where their mouth is. Instead they just judge and shun, which is very sad and not at all Christ like.
I have always liked this blog post about abortion and how some pro life people are such hypocrites
http://waiterrant.net/2005/11/all-hallows-eve/
This prolife attitude is very widespread. My daughter became pregnant at 16. She was very involved in her teen group at our church. They pretty much shunned her and made her feel like a low life even though the church is prolife. One would think that they would embrace these young women who chose to have their babies. It bothers me to no end that they are prochoice only when it suits them and their agenda
Such hypocrisy. And they pretend they are so concerned about the life of babies. But as Jackie said above, it’s only about controlling women. And punishing them for being sexual.
I know, right? You would think they would commend your daughter for having the courage to go through with the pregnancy. She could quite easily have gone ahead, had an abortion then slipped back into her life without anyone being the wiser. Women worldwide have got to help each other as much as they can.
Luckily we had lots of support and she had a beautiful baby boy. He has grown up to be a wonderful young man.
You know, the funny thing is, if swack’s daughter did get an abortion, the church would have probably shunned her just as much, if not more than they did during her pregnancy. You can’t win, but swack, i am glad that you and your daughter had a wonderful support system to stand with you during what must have been a very difficult time.
This is so typical and the way a lot of the anti-choicers are around here. I’ve said it before but most of the anti-choicers’s concern for babies ends at the birth canal. Once that child is born they run for the hills and the mother and child are both snubbed b/c now she brought a child into the world *gasps* out of wedlock. then comes the scrutiny on how she will support and raise said child since there may not be a father in the picture.
This family makes me sick. Why their narrow minded views are put out in the public is beyond me. I dont care what anyone says, that Jim Bob and Michelle’s fake smirks are creepier than Woody Allen and Terry Richards combined. Mark my words, there will be some scandal with Jim Bob at some point. That one is phonier than a 2 dollar bill.
I would LOVE a scandal about either of those two judgy dimwits.
Oh dear. $2 bills do actually still exist. Let’s make that a $3 bill, yes?
Oh yes, please! And it will be epic too like that @sshole Holly Fisher!
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/01/19/1358840/-Family-Values-Shocker-pro-life-gun-loving-Tea-Partier-Holly-Fisher-admits-cheating-on-husband
right, because it’s not really about life being sacred, it’s about those damn slutty women controlling their own sexuality.
That is really sad. You know, Jesus washed the feet of prostitutes(not at ALL comparing unwed moms to prostitutes so please no one freak out) . It’s like these church’s are entirely missing the point. They think they know the bible but are forgetting the example Jesus set was one of love and acceptance. Modern day Pharisees indeed. Glad everything turned out well for your daughter swack
My boyfriend witnessed extreme shaming at his church when he was very young.
His church made a pregnant teenage girl get up on the stage by herself in front of the entire congregation, while they ridiculed her for how sinful and immoral she was. He didn’t fully understand what was going on (how she got pregnant), but it really made an impact on him to see a young and frightened person being publicly shamed and attacked in her time of need instead of embraced. That was the seed of his later atheism. The hypocrisy in what the church said they stood for and what they actually did was so clear.
Frightening. Sounds just short of stoning, & I bet it wouldn’t have taken much for that to happen.
They’re gross.
A two year old can’t dance because it’s too sensual? What kind of lunatic sexualizes anything a two year old does? That’s really sick. My four year olds dance all the time and trust me, there is nothing sensual about it. These people are just so completely insane.
These two sexualise everything. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if/when the stories come out from the kids who break away.
I hope the kids do break away
Pedophiles sexualize the actions of two year olds.
Ding!
These people are disgusting. If you think there is something ‘sensual’ about a 2 year old dancing, you can have a seat next to Stephen Collins.
yup, THEY are the ones that make everything into a “sexual” thing. who looks at a two year old dancing and thinks “sensual” but a pedophile? egad.
I remember one show where they went to a normal school and played (not very well) their instruments at the school assembly. The teachers up the school kids to stand up before it started and do this shake out hands, type hoky poky dance thing. It was to get the children to get all their energy out before the assembly started. It was so awkward because the whole dugger family stood up but none of them moved. They all just stood there watching and not participating. How the bananas does that lead into temptation…?
This is obviously what Jesus meant. Right? They’re assholes, there’s no other word for it.
I despise these people!
can we please stop referring to them as “pro-life”?
they are “pro-straight-white-christian-non-illegitimate-babies”. nothing more.
Only if we can stop referring to them as Christians. I truly believe they are perverting and manipulating Christ’s teachings to suit their own agenda.
excellent point. how about “pro-straight-white-perverted-Christian-non-illegitimate-babies”?
that way, the “perverted” can have a double meaning.
Agree, GNAT. The cherry picking and distortion of Jesus’ teachings is very apparent in these type of ‘beliefs’.
I don’t understand the “pro life” title either, once a child is born they don’t care about what kind of life it’s been forced into and that makes me sick. They don’t understand how ridiculously stupid they look.
But notice that Jill did want to help and must not have been all judgey about it like her parents. So the kids can think outside the tiny Duggar box.
I agree with all of you.
“A Duggar Family Makeover” is the only show of theirs that I would watch.
Ok, so if an unwed (or wed, for that matter) woman becomes pregnant, they don’t want the unwed mother terminate it, BUT, they also refuse to help the innocent unborn come into life, and choose to punish the mother and the baby for carrying the child to term? How that does that logic work? These people are monumental hypocrites or gargantuan proportions! I understand that people are against sex outside marriage/unwed mothers, but, surely you are helping an innocent child that wasn’t terminated into the world. How on earth can that be wrong? The message they should be sending is FORGIVENESS and kindness and charity for the mother and the innocent newborn. But, no. they want to punish the baby and the mother for the way it was conceived, even though it was saved. Don’t they have any self-awareness or situational awareness?
IMO, it’s the complete opposite of Christian, so what’s that….evil?
What I find worrying is her listening to her parents when it comes to her job. She’s a midwife, she should be allowed to make all midwife-related calls by herself.
On an unrelated note: I fount out recently that here where I live (a secular country thanks to decades of socialism, very few people are actually religious) doctors can object to write a note to direct a patient to fertility clinic (the woman who told me this is married and all, not that it matters). Because it’s unethical and sh!t. I knew they can object to abortion but artificial insemination? And not to perform it, just to direct a woman to the clinic. Made me mad. And sad.
How was she a midwife at 21? I don’t get it.
Midwifes are not regulated in the US in the same way as they are in most other countries. You can call yourself a midwife with very little training.
Some midwives aren’t (like private ones) but any that work in a hospital setting or have hospital privileges are. They have advanced degrees and are skilled just like a doctor in delivering babies and handling uncomplicated pregnancies.
I had a nurse midwife for both my children and they were both amazing! And yes they are very highly trained with hospital privileges. I don’t know about a regular midwife or what training is actually required to call yourself one. But if you can find one with hospital privileges I highly recommend! They still have a dr oversee the birth in case of any complications, but for me having the midwife was fantastic…more of a birth coach and far more hands on that a regular dr
I should rephrase my comment – yes, there are some highly educated and licensed midwives in the US (Certified Midwife/Certified Nurse Midwife). Jill is neither of those, as far as I know. She is a homebirth midwife (or a “lay midwife”), which requires little more than a high school education (and they don’t have to carry malpractice insurance, so if something goes wrong there is no recourse).
I agree that highly trained nurse midwives within a hospital can be fantastic, and often a better choice for uncomplicated births.
Midwives are regulated in the US, and it would have been illegal for Jill to deliver Susanna’s baby. Not to mention that Susanna lives in Florida, so it would have been very difficult for Jill, who lives in Arkansas, to help her anyways. All that, plus Jill’s story of how she first got interested in midwifery (helping an unwed, pregnant 14-year-old friend through labor) just go to show that nothing about this story is true.
Religious nuts make me sick and also terrify me. Doesn’t mind the religion they choose, because it seems there are more non-christians nuts nowadays, but I think they should be banned from our societies completely. If they want to return to Middle-Age, fine, but far from us please.
Can this site please stop covering this horrible family. They represent everything wrong with this country. And yes I know by reading and commenting I’m keeping them a part of this site but I had to say something they make my skin crawl.
I agree. They are hateful and intolerant and they mask it under phony big-happy-family BS–argh! I’m not rational when the Duggars are the subject.
Agreed. I third the motion. They’re absolutely repulsive and vile.
Tsk tsk. That’s not what Jesus would do! ‘Christians’ like them are just like the Pharicees in Jesus’ time, more about rules and rituals than anything else. It’s a shame.
+1,000,000 on the “they’re just like the Pharisees” comment. Sadly, I think the irony of that is completely lost on these people. Instead of accepting unwed mothers into their good graces with love and generosity as Jesus would have done, so-called Christians like these people instead do the modern day version of dragging her out in the public square to stone her. Why not make her wear a big red A while you’re at it?
And…do these ‘Christians’ not recall that Jesus’ own mother was an unwed pregnant teen? Granted there was (allegedly) so sex involved, but the situations are not as different as they like to pretend.
And the no dancing thing–even for little kids? I just can’t with that…What is their obsession with sex, sex, sex everywhere and in everything??
These people are just plain scary and am sure there is going to be some scandal around this family at some point – the father looks the type to do a Joe Simpson (run off with another man).
It’s a shame that I even have to say this but people like the Duggars are the reason I left the Christian church so many years ago. I couldn’t abide the hypocrisy, the hate and the judgement. I’m not saying that all Christians are like this because my grandfather was a textbook example of what I think a true Christian is and he is the only reason I went to church to begin with. I love God and Jesus but the followers who spew hatred like the Duggars often make me want to become an atheist. Instead I chose to follow Buddhism after many years of contemplation. I still look to my grandfather as an example of how to be a good person even though he passed away many years ago. It’s people like him that encourage me to have faith not the Duggars. What would Jesus Do indeed.
They give Christians a bad name. I wish we could stop labeling them as Christians because their beliefs and actions are the opposite of Jesus’. They are a cult obsessed with sex and male superiority.
I got sucked into watching a few of the shows and I gotta say Jill seems really sweet, I think her husband truly cares about her and the marriage will last, buuuuut I hope she grows a backbone and gets away from her controlling dad a little bit. She seems like a great midwife and I hate that he forbid her from helping in this situation, I’m sure that poor girl could’ve used support from family and friends, Jim Bob is a jerk.
It’s very sad that she didn’t/couldn’t stand up to her creepy father and say she was helping this girl despite his opinions on it. I mean, what about what Jill wants, thinks, and needs?! How as a married 21 year old does her loser father still have so much control over her life???
As someone who grew up in a religion very similar (Baptist) it amazed me how utterly hateful and spiteful the most religious of them could be. Sanctimonious doesn’t even begin to cover how awful they are. And despite it all, most of their children ended up getting pregnant outside of marriage. Disgusting judgmental people who parade around like hypocrites.
That hair is scary, but their ideas are even worse.
Interesting since Jill has stated that the whole reason she first became interested in midwifery in the first place is because she acted as a doula for an unmarried, pregnant teenage friend whose boyfriend had left her. There’s enough about the Duggars for people to criticize, do you really need to make stuff like this up?
Well, let aside the midwifery thing, I think it is didic that they “ban” dancing. I know they are not the only ones, tho. A member of my family banned non-religious music from his home. When I stayed there I was not allowed to listen to the freaking radio.
.
I see this aspect of some religions as trying to control women, as diminishing of women, as some said upthread. What I find the saddest, is that these women are taught to continue this silliness (to put it lightly).
If this story isn’t true, then I wish that Jill or Susannah would come out and deny it.
Radar makes up stuff about the Real Housewives all the time, so who knows, but this story is making the rounds and if they denied the Tim Tebow story dating the one sister, they should deny this too.
I somehow doubt that either Susanna or Jill reads “Celebitchy.” But here’s her original statement: http://www.tlc.com/tv-shows/19-kids-and-counting/michelle-duggars-blog/jill-jana-duggar-midwifery/
Thanks Sarah. You’re right, she does state that her friend was pregnant and she helped her deliver.
Awful people.
Oh, how very “pro life” of them.
How in the world is this girl a midwife? As I understood it, midwives have to have advanced nursing degrees to qualify and judging by the Duggar home schooling, I’m suprised any of those kids can spell their own name.
Someone please explain how this chick is a midwife???
Maybe they mean a dulla, which is barely regulated and any ole body can be.
They call it midwifery, but watching the show, it looks like they’re doulas. Midwifery probably has a quainter association and that’s why they call it that.
There are CNM-certified nurse midwives that go to nursing school etc. They usually have hospital privileges. And then Lay midwives-basically anyone off the street can say they are a midwife with ‘training’ then. Clearly she’s in the later category.
She was training to be a CPM (certified professional midwife) but never finished her training. It would have been illegal, especially 2 years ago when she wasn’t trained at all, for her to deliver Susanna’s baby. This story is made-up.
Well, infidelity and whoreishness could fly out of her vagina along with the baby, and threaten the whole Duggar system!
I really want Jinger or Jana, or one of the boys, to break out of this kooky cult. It’s sad to think about, because I feel like they never will, and the lives that they’re destined for are just not good.
Im really liking that “anti choice”. That about sums it up. Nicely done.
I’ve seen right-wing Christians blame others for attacking Christianity and making it look bad.
But from a bigger perspective and with history to back it up, I say that it’s so-called Christians, especially the right-wing ones, that make Christianity look bad.
As for the anti-choice/pro-life and out-of-wedlock thing, aren’t the Duggars against birth control in the first place, but then they would be against the cousin for having an abortion at the same time punishing her for not having an abortion.
Thank goodness the Duggars of the world don’t run the world. If they did, I can imagine them punishing the child of their cousin for even existing. And thank goodness there are laws against stoning people. I can also imagine them pelting both the mother and the child.
These people are the worst, obviously.
But it’s really distracting me that there are sisters named Anna and Susanna. And apparently the mom is Deanna? STOP THE GIMMICK NAMING.
Susanna Keller forever unclean!
So children born out of wedlock… they aren’t a gift from God? What do we do with those children?
Do they have a bible that teaches them not to forgive? I’m thinking they are giving Christianity a bad name.
For anyone who has an issue with the pro-life/anti choice stance here, please read up on the difference between a CPM (which i believe Jill is) and a CNM. Hint: CPMs are grossly unregulated and have been responsible for many needless deaths of babies due to negligence. CPMs get off scot free too, typically. In no other developed country in the world would a CPM be allowed to call herself a midwife. If the Duggars call themselves pro-life, they are hypocrites.
I’m glad someone brought this up. CPMs are so not equivalent to CNMs in the U.S.
What they really feared was that if Jill spent appreciable time in Susanna Keller’s house, she would have come home wanting to date, wear pants, enroll in a REAL nursing school and manage her own finances. On top of that, she would probably have stopped in a book store, and come home with a copy of “The Handmaid’s Tale”.
This entire family disgusts me with their hypocrisy. They are all about the fetus, but care nothing for people who are already alive. Shouldn’t they be thrilled that she decided to have the baby? Isn’t procreation all that they are about? Oh, I mean other than campaigning against the human rights of LGBT people. Jill literally looks like an idiotic robot now. Raised eyebrows, glazed, bugged out eyes and gaping mouth in every photo. I guess the cult Kool-aid has taken a permanent hold and there is no longer any hope for her.
Oh what a crime to be pro-choice. “Babies lives matter” or is it only adults???? Is surely isn’t black babies that matter
A transgender individual just had a private audience with the Pope, for crying out loud, but these people have such weak faith, and yet think they are such saints they can’t even be around “sinners.”
I loathe this form of religiosity. They decry abortion, but when a woman chooses to have a baby they refuse to help. This is certainly not Christianity no matter what they are calling themselves. The biblical litmus test: you will KNOW they are Christians by their love. This is anything but.
She’s a grown adult now. Why can’t she make her own mind?!