An online petition asking TLC to cancel the Duggars’ 19 Kids and Counting reality show saw its support numbers double overnight last night. The petition was started because of the alleged homophobic activities of Michelle Duggar and other Duggar family members.
When we told you about the petition yesterday there were just over 50,000 signatures gathered since it was started in August. That number is now at 123,789.
When the effort first began, the petitioners asked TLC to:
“End LGBTQ fear mongering by the Duggars. The Duggars have been using their fame to promote discrimination, hate, and fear-mongering against gays and transgendered people. You need to take a stand on the side of justice and cancel their show.”
Reasons given included Michelle Duggar’s support of a campaign against transgender equality in Arkansas. Duggar has recorded a robocall message for the campaign that warned Fayetteville residents that transgender people were convicted child predators who wanted to cross-dress so they could get into women’s restrooms and peek at little girls.
Her message said:
“The Fayetteville City Council is voting on an ordinance this Tuesday night that would allow men – yes I said men – to use women’s and girls’ restrooms, locker rooms, showers, sleeping areas and other areas that are designated for females only. I don’t believe the citizens of Fayetteville would want males with past child predator convictions that claim they are female to have a legal right to enter private areas that are reserved for women and girls.”
The petition was started by Jim Wissick of San Jose, California. He noted something that perhaps Michelle Duggar had not considered.
“Transgender people — who are far more likely to be the victims of harassment and violence if forced to use a bathroom that is inconsistent with their gender identity or expression— deserve to have the ability to use the bathroom in peace and safety.”
More recently, when Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar challenged their Facebook followers to post pictures of married couples kissing, gay couples cried foul when pictures they posted were deleted and posters banned. The media storm following that issue reignited interest in the already-existing petition. The attention is showing results.
“The Learning Channel & Discovery Networks need to separate themselves from this bigotry and put an end to the Duggar’s show,” the petition insists.