These days Michelle Duggar is the very picture of peity and domesticity.
But the mother of twenty’s past isn’t as squeaky clean as you might expect.
Sources say Michelle has cut ties with the family that raised her and is doing her best to distance herself form her upbringing.
But it’s hard to keep anything a secret when your one of reality TV’s mst famous moms…
Jim Bob’s Bride
These days, Michelle lives a life of quiet domesticity. But her past wasn’t always quite so peaceful.
Michelle the Cheerleader
Michelle was the one who decided her daughters should only wear below-the-knee skirts. Interestingly, she didn’t always follow such a strict dress code herself.
She Wore What?!
And it wasn’t just while she was cheerleading that Michelle refused to cover up. “The neighbors used to complain because she would mow the lawn in her bikini and wear short skirts,” a neighbor tells Star magazine.
The Rebel
It seems Michelle’s parents were no fans of her fashion sense. “They were always trying to get her to cover up her legs,” says the source. So THAT’S where she gets it!
The Protesant Reformation
Michelle has changed so much since marrying Jim Bob that those who knew her growing up say they can hardly believe it. “I’ve seen commercials for the show, but I never in a million years would’ve believed that’s Michelle,” says former classmate Joe Roblee.
A Modest Wedding
Of course, Michelle put all that behind her when she met Jim Bob. The two were married on July 21, 1984 after just a few months of dating. But as much as she’s tried to leave her past behind her, reminders of her former life still pop up from time to time.
Double Standards?
Michelle and Jim Bob strictly forbid their children from engaging in any sort of physical contact with the opposite sex prior to marriage. But those who knew them way back when say that they definitely did NOT follow any such rules themselves.
Dating Before Jim Bob?!
Not only was Michelle “physical” with Jim Bob before saying “I do,” sources say he was far from her first boyfriend. One former friend describes her as a “pretty and popular cheerleader who definitely dated a few guys before Jim Bob.”
Changing the Rules
In the early days of their marriage, Jim Bob and Michelle even used birth control, a practice they say they no longer believe in. The couple blames “the pill” for a miscarriage that Michelle suffered in her youth. “Something we didn’t know is that the pill can cause women to get pregnant, but then it can be aborted,” the Duggars confusingly wrote in their first book.
A Family Forgotten
Michelle is obviously extremely close with her husband and children, but she maintains virtually no contact with the family that raised her. Insiders say there’s a very clear reason for this.
Bigoted Beliefs
Michelle has made no secret of her strong anti-gay beliefs, even going so far as to record a radio ad for an Arkansas politician who sought to ban transgender people from using the bathroom that corresponds to their gender. She has stated that she believes homosexuality is an abomination and a mortal sin.
Differing Beliefs
No one knows if Michelle’s family cut ties with her or vice-versa. But she has one sibling who has very good reason to distance herself from the reality star.
Long Lost Sister
Evelyn Ruark is Michelle’s openly gay sister. Needless to say, Evelyn and her famous sibling aren’t particularly close these days.
A “Hateful Bigot?”
Michelle’s high school friend Sherri McFerrin says she has no interest in rekindling her relationship with Michelle due to the fact that she’s transformed into a “hateful bigot.”
A Changed Woman
“She was honestly one of the loveliest, sweetest people you could ever hope to meet,” McFerrin says of Michelle. “I don’t understand what has happened to her heart.”
A Campaign of Hatred?
“People can believe whatever they want,” McFerrin continued, “but when your beliefs are hateful and bigoted and you use your words, actions, money and fame to further discriminate against an already marginalized group of people, you are a hateful bigot.”
Michelle Keeps Mum
Michelle has mostly kept quiet about her adolescence. In fact the only aspect of her teen years that she’s been willing to talk about is her struggle with bulimia.
A Dangerous Obsession
“She began to envy the girl who controlled her weight through what turned out to be a destructive eating disorder,” the Duggars wrote of teenage Michelle in their memoir.
A Painful Time
“Soon, her obsession to stay thin started controlling her life,” the couple continued.
A Severed Past
Michelle deserves credit for sharing that aspect of her difficult past, but it’s interesting that she won’t talk about her youth in greater detail. It seems she’s burned a lot of bridges and would prefer not to look back. We can’t say we blame her, but she might benefit from reflecting on the disconnect between her past and present selves.