To say 2021 has been a big year for the Duggars is an understatement. Though we didn't get to see much of them on TV (Counting On's cancellation took care of that), we did get to keep up with them in the news and on social media. A lot has happened in this famous reality TV family — and so much of it has caused criticism and raised eyebrows from their once-loyal fans.
Of course, the biggest shock of the year had to be Josh Duggar's arrest on federal child pornography charges and the trial that followed, but that's not the only thing that happened in this family. There was plenty of mom shaming (as per usual), along with surprise weddings, interesting baby name choices, and Instagram posts they probably should have avoided sharing — and that's just scratching the surface of what this giant family has been up to.
Here are the most controversial moments the Duggar family had in 2021. Josh might be behind bars now, but we have a feeling this once-low-key family is still going to find ways to shock us in the year ahead.
Justin's Wedding
As shocked as fans were when Justin got engaged before his 18th birthday in 2020, they were even more surprised when they found out how quickly he got married. In February 2021, he and Claire Spivey tied the knot in a big wedding in Texas, even though they were only 18 and 20 at the time, which caused a lot of people to raise an eyebrow.
Jeremy's Treatment of Jinger
Fans spent a lot of 2021 feeling a bit suspicious of Jeremy Vuolo and the way he treated wife Jinger. There was major speculation going on about why Jinger often looked tired, thin, and unhappy in Instagram photos — and fans couldn't help but question if Jeremy was helping her out enough at home.
Jennifer's Birthday
When one of the family's youngest daughters, Jennifer, turned 14 in August, many people weren't impressed with the way her birthday was celebrated. Instead of a party — or even a nice dinner out — the Duggars shared a couple of quick photos of Jennifer with her small, low-effort cake without the traditional celebratory post they usually write for one of their children's birthdays.
Anna's Pregnancy Announcement
The Duggars and their adult children are known for having children in quick succession, and so far, Josh and Anna are in the lead with seven kids. In April, Anna announced she was pregnant with her seventh child, another baby girl, which came with a lot of criticism, considering that her marriage to Josh had been on shaky ground due to his past scandals.
Jed's Secret Wedding
The second Duggar wedding to happen in 2021 was a total secret — and so was the courtship that led to it. Jed didn't announce that he was courting or engaged until after his wedding to Katey Nakatsu, leaving fans upset they hadn't been included the way they once were when this sort of thing would have been filmed for Counting On.
Josh's Arrest
Perhaps the biggest Duggar-related scandal of the year was Josh's arrest on federal child pornography charges at the end of April. He was released on bail to stay with family friends LaCount and Maria Reber, though when his case went to trial later in the year, he was convicted on both charges. Sentencing is set to take place in early 2022, and he'll remain behind bars until that happens.
The Cancellation of 'Counting On'
With Josh's arrest came a big consequence: TLC decided to cancel Counting On in June. This left much of the family without an income, and it marked the second time that one of Josh's scandals had knocked one of his family's reality shows off the air.
Joy's Parenting
It seemed to be a big year for mom shaming for Joy — though this is something the Duggar moms have always had to deal with. Whether it was letting baby Evelyn put her mouth on a chain-link fence or allowing her kids to go without shoes, fans just didn't let up on her.
Jeremy & Jinger's TikTok Accounts
Though they've certainly gained a following on Instagram, it doesn't seem like TikTok is quite Jinger and Jeremy's crowd, so when they appeared on the app, fans had a lot of criticism. For example? Jeremy's thoughts on religion were believed to be disrespectful, so he avoided posting again for months.
Jim Bob's Senate Run
It's hard to imagine a worse time to run for office than when your son is about to stand trial on charges of downloading and possessing child pornography. But for some reason, that's exactly what Jim Bob decided to do when a seat in the Arkansas State Senate suddenly opened up.
Anna's Baby Name Choice
When Anna and Josh's seventh child made her big entrance in the fall, her name was more than a little surprising to fans. Anna chose to name her daughter Madyson Lily — a pretty shocking choice, given that Josh was part of the Ashley Madison scandal that exposed his infidelity years ago.
Jackson Posing With a Dead Deer
Hunting is always a very controversial topic online, and it becomes even more so when a polarizing family like the Duggars gets in on it. After Jackson posed with a dead deer for an Instagram photo, fans couldn't hold back their feelings on just how inappropriate it was.
Jim Bob's Campaign Website
The only thing more shocking than Jim Bob's political announcement was his campaign website. In a statement posted on the site, he wrote that he believed his family was being unfairly targeted, seemingly referencing Josh's trial.
"I will not allow the liberal left, social media, or fake news to define me and my family. Like so many other families, we too have faced crises, difficulties, and heartbreak. 'Cancel culture' and the radical left want to keep us from being involved in politics," he wrote.
"They say because our family has faced problems we should shrink away — this is why they are often so relentlessly unkind, but we cannot sit on the sidelines during a time when one of America's most important battles is taking place!"
Lauren's Mass Instagram Exodus
Lauren and Josiah suddenly deleted almost everything from their Instagram accounts in the fall, leaving just six photos behind. This included all evidence of their daughter, Bella, and every photo of Lauren except for one. Of course, this left fans wondering what was really going on, but so far, they're both remaining silent.
Jim Bob's Testimony
Jim Bob was set to testify in the trial against Josh — until he proved in an evidentiary hearing that he wasn't a credible witness. In his testimony, he claimed that he couldn't remember the finer details of his son's molestation scandal and even argued with the judge. Ultimately, prosecutors decided against using him as a witness at all.
Justin's Thumbs-Up Pose
During Josh's trial, younger brother Justin was spotted leaving the courthouse giving the cameras waiting outside a big smile and a thumbs-up. That's not the expression many fans were expecting during a time that is supposed to be solemn and serious — and the backlash was instant.
Jed Attempting To Distract From Josh's Trial
During Josh's trial, Jed decided to release the video of his wedding — an event that had taken place months earlier. Immediately, fans accused him of trying to distract from the real issue at hand, but that didn't stop him from posting the footage.
