Amy Duggar King might not be one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar's 19 children, but she has a firsthand account of the family's controversy.
The Duggars' niece got some time in the spotlight on TLC's 19 Kids and Counting, and she was portrayed as a member of the family who was more rebellious for not conforming to its conservative ways. Fast forward about eight years, Amy Duggar King agreed to be featured in Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, alongside her cousin, Jill Duggar Dillard, one of Jim Bob and Michelle's daughters.
In the buzzy doc, which you can stream on Prime Video, the cousins cover everything from the problematic teachings from the Institute of Basic Life Principles (IBLP), they had to follow to Josh Duggar's horrific crimes that Amy claimed were brushed under the rug.
In response to the documentary, Jim Bob and Michelle released a statement ridiculing the media and insisting that they love and support all of the members of the family. They further added that they will not address any issues on a public platform—though they did just that on a TLC reality series from 2008 to 2015—but would rather work out things in person.
Duggar King took offense and revealed to Entertainment Tonight Canada that her aunt and uncle missed an opportunity to correct past mistakes and move forward, and ultimately, she compared their behavior to gaslighting.
“They just, like, are living in like, you know, their head in the clouds and not really thinking of the people that are actually hurting that went through hell, including their own daughters," she said. You know, it’s just really sad. And for me, it is gaslighting. It’s just completely being narcissistic about it.”
Here's everything we know about Amy Duggar King.
Who is Amy Duggar King?
Born to Terry Jordan and Deanna Duggar, Amy Duggar King is a 36-year-old activist, essayist and poet. She wed Dillon King in 2015, and the two welcomed their son, Daxton Ryan King, in 2019. She had attempted a music career in Nashville and later opened a clothing store alongside her husband in Arkansas. Eventually, 3130 Clothing shut down, as the landlord claimed rent was not paid and the Kings accused the landlord of trashing their space.
When it comes to her time on TV, 19 Kids and Counting was not her only appearance. Amy Duggar King also had a role on Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars shortly after getting hitched. It appeared odd to some that newlyweds would be on a show about couples therapy, but traumatic events from Amy's childhood seemed to be getting in the way of her everyday life. While on the show, she alleged that her father is the one who physically abused her. She recalled a particularly unsettling moment while filming Marriage Boot Camp.
*Trigger warning: physical assault*
"My dad was like, ‘Amy, did you brush your teeth?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah daddy.’ And he was like, ‘No you didn’t.’ And he picked me up by my throat, all the way up to the ceiling. He was like, ‘You will brush your teeth,’ ” Duggar King recalled, according to People. “And I was scared s—less.”
Nowadays, Amy has a close bond with her cousin Jill Duggar Dillard but claims to be protecting her son from the rest of the family.
"I don't know if he's ever really going to get to know them, which I hate to say," she further revealed to Entertainment Tonight Canada. "I hope eventually they can be honest and they can be upfront … but I don’t know. I don’t know."
She added: "The thing is, with trust, obviously it can be broken in an instant. Right? But it takes a long time to heal. It takes a long time to really trust someone."
Perhaps her own struggle and close ties with other victims, like her cousin Jill Duggar Dillard (who was molested by her brother, Josh Duggar), are the reason Amy is so vocal. Perhaps her willingness to give her son a good life is another reason why she won't give in to any unorthodox practices or forgive abusive behavior. In an interview with People, she said she'd be condoning abuse if she did not speak out against the family.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, you can reach the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7 at 800-799-7233.
Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets is now streaming on Prime Video.
