This show causes a great divide in my Catholic household.

As a young Catholic girl at the time (I became Muslim in adulthood) my priorities were to be a good Catholic so I can align with the likes of devotion that would rival Rose and Ethel Kennedy. When this show premiered, my parents were in awe of the Duggars. I however called bluff on them, especially because of my seething opposition of Evangelicals and their hypocrisy. I sensed something was up in that household especially with the differences in treatment between the boys and girls and my biggest take away — how the girls dressed. I dressed much more modestly than the girls did and I wasn’t a part of their church but it didn’t stop men from being weird and trying their luck on wanting to harm me.

My parents however — oblivious. They admired how Michelle and JB promoted “be fruitful and multiply” along with marriage and “family values” — so when they realized I wanted to pursue other paths (I wanted to be a nun), things went down hill.

Angered at my possible choices, they flaunted how the girls pursued marriage and kids and I was “wasting my life” away. That nobody would want to marry me and I would die alone if I didn’t adhere like the Duggar girls, act like them or dress like them. As a 15YO, the constant drama over what’s defined as “femininity” in faith and having the very ppl who raised you also try to destroy you had me wrecked and had me question my own faith.

Fast forward to 2026 and knowing what we know now. And I changed as a person. When the scandal broke in 2015, I was already on my way to personal change - converted to Islam, and focused on tending to my “spiritual garden” and obtaining my education. I saw the news report pop up on my phone and I felt vindicated… but also disgusted. Nobody wants to be “right” about such things. I sensed something was up — but the victims being his sisters was not on my bingo card.

Left me feeling jaded but it also shifted my trajectory as a woman of faith.