What Do The Duggars Really Think About LGBTQ Rights?
Members of the Duggar family are staunch Independent Baptists, meaning their strict Christian faith governs every aspect of their lives.
After appearing on "19 Kids and Counting" and its spinoff, "Counting On," the Duggars brought increased attention to their way of life and arguably dubious stances on marriage, divorce, and women's rights, as detailed by SheKnows. One of the most talked-about aspects of the family's faith is their opinion of queer people, with Reddit users even debating whether they're all simply homophobic.
Problems arose in 2014 when, as The Hollywood Reporter shared at the time, matriarch Michelle Duggar was caught on tape espousing transphobic beliefs. As a result, tens of thousands of fans signed a petition calling on TLC to cancel "19 Kids and Counting." The show was ultimately axed because of Josh Duggar's sex abuse scandal, per Page Six, but the damage was done.
Although "Counting On" has since been canceled, too (via Us Weekly), fans are still wondering how the Duggars feel about LGBTQ rights.
Derick Dillard was criticized for his transphobic comments
In 2017, Jill Duggar's husband, Derick Dillard, came under fire for transphobic tweets about fellow TLC star Jazz Jennings. "Jazz is being taken advantage of, as part of a larger agenda. I really have nothing against the kid and wish him all the best in life. I just hate seeing him used this way," Derick wrote during an intense back-and-forth with another user, notably misgendering the trans reality star.
In response, Jill's cousin, Amy Duggar King, tweeted, "You might not agree with someone or their lifestyle but you SHOULD be compassionate and show God's love regardless to everyone." She followed it up by noting, "I have friends that are gay and I still love them as a person."
Derick had a history of tweeting about Jazz, which ultimately led TLC to make a statement decrying the reality star and clarifying he hadn't been a part of "Counting On" for a while, nor would he be again.
"We want to reiterate that Derick's personal statements do not reflect the views of the network. TLC is proud to share the story of Jazz Jennings and her family and will continue to do so," the network confirmed.
Per People, Derick continued defending his comments even after being fired by TLC for them, reasoning he was just saying what most people were thinking. Jill and Derick maintain that the real reason they left "Counting On" had more to do with their future plans than anything else.
Amy Duggar King tweeted in support of gay pride
Amy Duggar King made her feelings on LGBTQ rights clear when she liked a post in celebration of Pride Month. Eagle-eyed Reddit users shared screen grabs demonstrating that Amy liked a tweet from Bank of America which read, "Love is universal. We're proud to celebrate love of all kinds on June 8 at @CapitalPrideDC."
She appeared on "Counting On" numerous times, but she's known to be much more laidback than some of the more hardcore Duggar family members, so it's not terribly surprising that she supports gay rights. According to In Touch Weekly, Amy previously showed her support for Pride with a tweet filled with pro-gay emojis, including rainbows.
However, although several fans were supportive, there were others who urged Amy to encourage the rest of her extended family to be more open-minded. In particular, Jill Duggar's husband, Derick Dillard, was called out for tweeting in support of a Supreme Court ruling that failed to discipline a Colorado-based baker who discriminated against a gay couple by refusing to make a cake for them due to his religious beliefs.
At the time, Derick described it as a "huge victory for religious freedom," arguing, "Government cannot and should not discriminate against religious faith; it is a constitutional right."
As one of the most outspoken members of the family, Amy didn't hold back her opinion of Josh Duggar's sentencing, so it makes sense that she's made her stance on queer rights clear, too.
Fans speculate that Jana Duggar is secretly gay
The Duggars' stance on the LGBTQ community is particularly problematic considering that certain fans believe Jana Duggar is in the closet. She is famously the eldest Duggar daughter not yet paired off, with In Touch Weekly charting her parents' many attempts to betroth her over the years.
A former Duggar employee told The Hollywood Gossip precisely why she's not married. "I feel sorry for her. She's gay, and she just doesn't know how she's gonna admit that she's gay, but she's in love with her best friend," the insider revealed, referring to Laura DeMasie, who featured on "Counting On" and frequently pops up on social media alongside Jana and her extended family.
Per Hollywood Life, the reality star shot down the rumors in 2019 in response to a curious fan on Instagram. "I have no interest in girls that way whatsoever," the eldest Duggar daughter reportedly wrote. Laura also denied the rumors, alongside Jill Duggar and husband Derick Dillard.
Jana clarified, "I have 'courted' or 'dated' a few guys, but so far nothing has gone into a serious relationship. Just continuing to wait and pray for the right guy to come along."
There's been speculation that her father, Jim Bob Duggar, stopped things from getting serious between the two women, but we'll likely never know the truth. The Hollywood Gossip source did note, though, that Jim Bob isn't pleased that Jana hasn't settled down just yet, considering that marriage is a major tenet of their faith.