19 Kids and Counting star Amy Duggar King is speaking out against the Institute of Basic Life Principles and has a heartfelt message for its survivors.
Read her Instagram post here and learn more about the docuseries set to expose her family and their teachings…
Cousin Amy
During the days when 19 Kids and Counting was on the air, Amy Duggar (King) was featured as “Cousin Amy.” While she grew up alongside the Duggars, she was always seen as a bit of a wild card and definitely a “rebel” as far as the conservative family was concerned.
Duggar King is related to the family though patriarch Jim Bob… her mother Deanna Duggar is his sister.
While her childhood was filled with far less rules than the Counting On crew, there were many exceptions Amy needed to make in order to stay in good graces with her family.
Institute of Basic Life Principles
The Duggars are followers of the Institute of Basic Life Principles. This is a strict religious organization that is also supported by other famous fundie families like the Bates and the Plaths.
The IBLP is at the core of why the Duggars are the way they are – the program is imbedded into their homeschooling philosophy and promotes things like traditional gender roles, modesty standards, and even corporal punishment.
While many of the fundies have denounced the group, the Duggar parents and children still living at home still support Gothard and his teachings. In fact, Gil Bates, patriarch of the Bringing Up Bates clan, currently sits on their board of directors.
Amy’s message to survivors
Amy Duggar King and her cousin Jill Dillard are participating in a docuseries that is set to blow the lid off the secrets of the IBLP… something that ex-members refer to as a “cult.”
In a recent Instagram post, Duggar King penned a heartfelt message to the other participants in the documentary… read what she wrote below.
To the IBLP survivors:
I just wanted you to know you are seen and you matter. Sharing your truth has got to be so unbelievably stressful and hard to talk about . But I think standing up for what is right is even harder because there’s so much backlash that can come along with it. The world will know what you have endured and will know very personal information about you and that alone is triggering. But I believe God can use this documentary for the greater good. Your story is so so beyond powerful and I’m thankful for the ones who are being loud enough to tell it. I think you are all incredibly strong and bold, and your vulnerability is beautiful and you’re going to help open eyes and comfort millions of people. I admire all of you. Thank you for sharing your story with us .
I’ll be tuned in to watch and cry along with you this Friday. #Iblpsurvivors #shinyhappypeople
June2nd #amazonprime #iblp
Shiny, Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is set to debut on Amazon Prime June 2nd.
Ashley Marie is a writer for Starcasm and the personality behind Twitter’s @RealityByAshley. You can contact Ashley via Twitter or email at realitybyashley(at)gmail.com
