Yes. It’s entertainment . It’s escape. It’s ok.
But.. as a feminist and, ya know, a modern day woman, it begs the question, why WOULD I want to watch a show about a family who thinks the woman’s place is to spend her life pregnant and raising children, and the only appropriate job is as a midwife assistant as to prep them for their future job of popping out kids every 13 months or so?
I am not exactly sure. But I love watching the Duggars. I’m not a crazy fan. I don’t know exactly when it airs live (Tuesdays 9pm on TLC), and I usually catch up and binge watch 5 episodes at a time, but you better believe I’m watching Jill’s wedding next Tuesday LIVE and live tweeting every emo moment with my sisters: SHES LEAVING YOU GUYS. It’s REAL! Her Poor sisters! My heart can barely take it. HOW WILL JANA HANDLE IT?
So let’s explore why I might love them just a little bit:
1) I’m trying to guess which Duggar is gay
They have almost 20 kids so statistically at least one of them isn’t straight. I’m thinking it’s one of the boys and I struggle between the older oafy one {John David} who doesn’t seem to want to date and the really animated young kid {Jackson} who rocked this bow tie like a boss.
2) I really hope to see one rebel
Which could go hand in hand with a gay Duggar because there is no way a kid like that would stay or be welcomed in that family. But I actually would rather see a good ol’ fashioned teenage rebellion- Duggar style. Maybe Joy is like “F*ck it, we’re not having country rolls tonight- it’s croissants for us all! I don’t care if the French gave us syphilis.” Or Josie is like, “YOU KNOW WHAT, MOM? I’m NOT sitting on a blanket in the middle of our living room and having playtime alone. I have EIGHTEEN SIBLINGS, 4 DOGS, A BUNCH OF CATS AND A RABBIT, I’m going out to PLAY.” {Michelle does this thing called “Blanket time” which teaches kids self-sufficiency and I’m pretty sure I’ll introduce it into my family some day because I have made a vow to myself & Nikki that as a mother I will shower daily.}
3) I’m waiting for them to film the Duggar sex talk
We’re in the NINTH Season? And we haven’t seen the family sex talk yet? They’re running out of content as evidenced by an entire season revolving around a wedding that in reality they planned in 6 weeks, and I bet by season 16: “19 kids & counting plus these 3 Chinese girls we adopted*” we’ll FINALLY see Jim Bob take the big oaf plus the little boys who aren’t married yet out to shoot their rifles to tell them what happens when a man loves a woman and side hugs turn to front hugs turn to special hugs and so much more but in one position and one position only.
*they’ve talked about this so it’s happening OR Michelle gives birth to a special needs child at age 52. I have money down on it.
4) I kinda get it
My upbringing was not like the Duggars though it was conservative, but I was home-schooled through 9th grade and I knew people like the Duggars. They were very patriarchal (I know girls who actually went to school and got a “secretary degree. In the 2000s) and the girls were never seen in anything other than long denim skirts.
Hot
But I see elements of their fundamentalist beliefs in things I was taught, and while it’s not what I believe now and there are some very dangerous misinterpretations they preach, it brings a little bit of comfort because it’s not all too unfamiliar. It sometimes feels like I’m looking at my sort-of-past with fondness and gratitude that I can do so while wearing a sexy negligee*, drinking a few glasses of wine and doing some last minute work for my WOMAN’S JOB running my own business with my WOMAN PARTNER {business, not life}
*obviously i mean flannel pj pants and an old ratty tshirt
5) Jessa and Ben are totally gonna kiss one of these days
It’s accidentally happened like 12 times on camera. She’s so sensual with those full lips, and he’s like TWELVE and hopefully the washing of his socks (because he’s living with the Duggars) doesn’t fall to Jinger or anything poor girl. I can’t wait to see it next season when it’s all about the Jessa/Ben wedding.
6) It’s Good Clean Fun
The TV magic people somehow make mundane things like pizza night out with the family interesting. It’s probably because pizza night with 19 kids is anything but boring, but watching someone else’s life that is SO different than mine is so fascinating. There is no swearing, no fighting, no “sin” whatsoever and it’s not even until I watch it that I realize how refreshing it is to have that break, even a TV-manufactured short lived 60 minutes a week (or 300 minutes of binge-watching every few weeks). Plus there are 19 kids… so they do things a little differently... Soda machine in their kitchen differently; Boys bedroom with so many bunk beds it looks like an army barracks differently; a system for cleaning/cooking/buddies with the Older and Smaller kids differently; 40 loads of laundry PER WEEK differently; 144 months of pregnancy in Michelle Duggar’s life different OMG kill me… she’s probably had more days of NO showers than days WITH showers.
I will say: it seems that the more they are in the public, and as the kids get older and they are all on social media, the more their hard-core conservative side is showing. And it’s getting harder to ignore their real off-camera personas. But Kim and Kanye spent more on their wedding than I’ll make in a lifetime you guys…..It’s all entertainment…. And The Duggars is one that this modern day woman is okay with.
Who is watching the wedding with me next week ?? See you next Tuesday!
19 Kids and Counting is on TLC in the US at 9 pm on Tuesday nights. Jill gets married next week, you guys. She’s already pregnant with baby #1 so we know that Derrick Dillard got the “Side Hugs turn to Front Hugs Turn to Special Hugs” talk from someone!
