Jill Duggar Dillard – like some of her other relatives from the long-running TLC reality show 19 Kids and Counting – has been seeking to tell her story. The former reality TV star has been incredibly candid about her experiences growing up with her large family and has discussed a range of topics. Among them is the former TV brood’s handling of the molestation charges against her brother, Josh Duggar, who’s currently convicted for sexually abusing Jill and three of their siblings. Jill has also been incredibly candid about where she stands with her parents, Jim Bob and Michele. In her new book, she opens up about past experiences with them and, in a recently released excerpt, claims her folks treated her worse than her “pedophile” brother. And the two parents issued a response.
What Jill Duggar Said About Her Parents In Her Upcoming Book?
Over the course of this past year alone, Jill Duggar Dillard has made a number of pointed statements in regard to her family and its former TV show. On a specific occasion, she claimed she wasn’t paid for being on the series. She also opened up about the “suicide mission” that was her and husband Derek Dillard’s 2015 interview with Meygn Kelly, during which she defended Josh, apparently at the behest of her father. But much of that energy has been channeled into her book, Counting the Cost, which hit bookshelves this week.
People obtained an exclusive excerpt, which details a particularly tense-sounding moment between the author and her parents that apparently occurred amid the height of their disputes. The three – along with Derek Dillard – attended a mediation session, during which Jim Bob Duggar allegedly took issue with Jill for accusing him of being verbally abusive towards her. Jill recalled being “nervous” over that declaration, which she’d apparently sent in a text message. When she hesitated to give a response when her father asked if she’d apologize, the Duggar patriarch apparently lashed out:
Pops must have sensed what I was thinking, because he suddenly stood up. ‘You’re not going to apologize? Really?’ His voice was loud, and there was an edge to it that I’d rarely heard. The moderator looked pale and was stuck on mute. Derick tensed, and I could feel him getting ready to step in. I squeezed his hand, hoping he’d get the message. … We were facing each other from opposite couches, open space between us. Pops took a step toward me, closing the gap. It wasn’t a gesture of reconciliation. It was an act of aggression. He towered over me, his whole body fueled with anger. My face flushed red. My eyes filled with tears. Then there was a long, awful silence that I wanted to fill but just couldn’t yet. Derick’s hand was shaking in mine, and I squeezed as hard as I ever had, desperate for him to hold his tongue. ‘You know why you’re crying, don’t you? Your conscience is talking to you. That’s why.’
Jill Duggar Dillard described her father’s words as being “like blows” and that she subsequently tried to protect herself and “block him out.” From there, Jim Bob allegedly pointed his finger at her and yelled, “You’re guilty,” while Michele apparently cried. Jill writes that she eventually responded to her father and made that claim about him treating her worse than Josh:
‘You want to know why I’m crying?’ My voice was cracked, my eyes burning. ‘It’s that you think I’m some kind of horrible person just because I wear pants and have a nose ring, and yet you see that girl outside and praise her. That’s why I’m crying, Daddy. I’m evolving and changing, just like that girl out there, but you can’t see it. You treat me like I’m a prodigal who’s turned her back on you. You treat me worse than you treat my pedophile brother.’
Since her book was announced, Jill Duggar Dillard hasn’t held back when talking about the work that’s gone into it. She even admitted to hauling the manuscript around in a plastic bag while making final edits. As the book becomes available for the masses and people start analyzing her account, her parents had some thoughts to share.
How Did Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar React To Accusations That Have Been Made?
Jim Bob Duggar was taking flak even before details of his daughter’s book started making the rounds. He also faced backlash amid the release of the documentary Shiny Happy People, which features accounts from multiple family members. The patriarch, along with his wife, didn’t specifically address that reported moment with Jill when they released a statement to People. However, they did shoot down the notion of there be any kind of conflict between them and their children:
We love all of our children very much. As with any family, few things are more painful than conflicts or problems among those you love. ... We do not believe the best way to resolve conflicts, facilitate forgiveness and reconciliation, or to communicate through difficulties is through the media or in a public forum so we will not comment.
As of this writing, Jill Duggar Dillard has yet to respond to the sentiment above. All the while, Josh Duggar is in prison and isn’t expected to be released until 2032. He’ll have 20 years of probation to serve after prison. Though he’s been denied a new trial, it seems as though his legal team is still looking to “petition for a rehearing.”
Counting the Cost is available from bookstores and online retailers now.
