Duggar family news: Family faces criticism for their birthday wishes for Kendra Caldwell

Duggar family matriarch Michelle explains the family's wedding dress tradition in an episode of "Counting On" YouTube/TLC

The family known for having many children and for their incredibly conservative Christian beliefs are facing heat once again. The Duggars were slammed by fans for their description of Kendra Caldwell, eldest son Joe Duggar's fiancée, and their "generic" birthday message for her.

One would think that by now, the spouses and partners of the older children would be close to both Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. However, that does not seem to be the case, especially with Caldwell. The family recently shared a few photos of Caldwell for her birthday. Those who have seen the posts on Facebook appeared to have spotted something wrong with them. They also criticized the family for not sharing a solo photo of Caldwell in place of her photos with Joe. 

One commenter expressed their disappointment, seeing that it was Caldwell's birthday and not her fiance's. However, that was not the only thing that struck a nerve with fans, as another criticism they had for the Duggars was the birthday message that came with it. The Duggars called Caldwell a "precious young lady," and to the fans, it seemed that they were implying that she was beneath them. 

Another commenter stated that the Duggars' birthday message to Caldwell just backed up the belief that the family objectifies women. Then again, Duggar and Caldwell's relationship has been controversial from the get-go, as Duggar proposed to Caldwell during his sister Joy-Anna's wedding, stealing the attention from the bride. 

Onto a more serious reason for the Duggar family receiving some criticism involved the troubling Charlottesville protest by white supremacists. The Duggars were criticized for keeping their silence about the issue. They are being called to practice what they preach and to denounce the wave of racism and hate that has stricken the country in recent years. Until now, they have remained silent regarding the events. 

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