Duggar Fans STUNNED by Rare Glimpse at 15-Year-Old Austin Forsyth

These days, Austin Forsyth is best known as Joy-Anna’s husband as the couple continues to process Josh Duggar’s crimes.

But his time on reality television began long before he was a father, or even part of the Duggar family.

Austin suffered a childhood that we wouldn’t wish on a war criminal, and was featured on TV at the time.

Social media users are stunned by Austin’s past appearance, and you can see why.

reddit post on Austin Forsyth at 15

In a Reddit post, in a subreddit dedicated to roasting the extended Duggar family as they deserve, one redditor dug up old footage of Austin.

When he was just 15 years old, he and his family were featured on a show called World’s Strictest Parents.

Sadly, the show was not an undercover sting designed to rescue children from these environments, but rather to document their lives for “entertainment.”

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 01 of 10

The blast from the past clip includes Terry Forsyth, Austin’s father, explaining their lives.

In his mind, his authority as a father makes him second only to God.

Decidedly after him in the hierarchy is his wife, Roxanne.

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 02 of 10

He describes Roxanne as a woman with a “servant’s heart.”

That may sound like a Countess Bathory reference, but it’s clear that Terry means it as a compliment.

Together, the fundamentalist parents raise their children, 15-year-old Austin and 17-year-old Meagan.

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 04 of 10

Viewers get only a glimpse at Austin and Meagan’s sad life of perpetual isolation.

Robbed of personhood just like Austin’s future wife and in-laws, their lives are defined solely by their father’s interpretation of the bible.

That means that their work is endless, and the family is never apart.

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 03 of 10

But what really struck social media users on Reddit (and elsewhere) is the faces of the family.

They more or less all have the same face.

While similarities are certainly common among families, Austin’s sister looks like him in a (bad) wig.

reddit comments on Austin Forsyth at 15

Commenters observed that striking similarity and more in the replies to the original Reddit post.

“How did Austin look like an old man even back then?” one asked.

Another observed: “The Forsyth genes are so strong that they frighten me the whole family looks exactly the same.”

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 06 of 10

“Man they all FOUR have the same nose!” declared another.

The same redditor asked: “Like does joys baby get their nose from grandma or grandpa?”

The comment concluded: “And seriously Austin’s sister looks like him wearing a wig.”

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 08 of 10

“The mom brought some strong genes,” a redditor pointed out.

Another joked: “They’re all secretly Austin in various wigs.”

An additional commenter wrote: “One of the YT comments is: ‘Why do they all have the same face?!'”

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 05 of 10

Certainly, Austin has changed a great deal since his foray into the world of television at the tender age of 15.

While he arguably never had an actual childhood, as evidenced by his own father’s description of their lives of toil and restriction, he certainly grew up.

He has become an adult, a husband, and a father.

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 09 of 10

Some of the commentary on Austin and his family’s features may come across as mean-spirited.

In a sense, it is.

After all, unlike Terry and Roxanne’s decisions that made them bad parents and bad people, nobody chooses their facial features.

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 07 of 10

But while some of the observations were neutral, some of the commentary on their faces was, well, deliberately snarky.

All of these people are adults now, and some people find it cathartic to roast people for strange aspects of their looks instead of the heart of why they are disliked.

Is it right to slam someone’s looks instead of their actions? No. But we’ve seen worse.

Forsyth family on World's Strictest Parents 10 of 10

It is sort of pitiful to see this glimpse at Austin’s youth and be reminded that he never had a chance to have a normal life or be his own person.

We are reminded of this often with the Duggar children, though their time on reality TV tried to frame their captivity within a cult in a more positive light.

It’s probably healthier to focus upon sympathy for those wronged by parents and cults than upon who has whose nose, but the latter must have felt like a welcome distraction.

Joy-Anna Duggar & Husband Release Statement On Guilty Verdict In Josh Duggar’s Child Porn Trial

Another one of Josh Duggar‘s family members is speaking out after the disgraced former reality TV star’s conviction last week for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Joy-Anna Duggar Forsyth and her husband, Austin Forsyth, released a joint statement via her Instagram account on Sunday night, several days after Josh was found guilty of receiving and possessing child pornography […]

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The post Joy-Anna Duggar & Husband Release Statement On Guilty Verdict In Josh Duggar’s Child Porn Trial appeared first on Perez Hilton.

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth: Josh Belongs in Jail! Pray for Anna!

On Thursday, December 9, disgraced former reality star Josh Duggar was convicted in a court of law.

It will be months before his sentencing. Meanwhile, his family is still processing this news.

Following Josh’s arrest, many of the Duggars said nothing — or worse, made vague statements that were tone deaf and opportunistic.

Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth have had months to consider how to comment on Josh finally facing justice in court.

Now, their role as public figures and as human beings means that it’s time to say something.

Like many of their relatives, Joy-Anna and Austin did not exactly live tweet Josh’s trials.

Instead, they took days before publishing an official statement on the creep’s conviction.

On their respective Instagram Stories, husband and wife posted the exact same joint statement.

“Over this last year, as you can imagine, there have been a lot of unanswered questions in our minds regarding Josh,” the Forsyths began.

“We were able to sit through the trial,” Joy-Anna and Austin shared, “to hear the evidence for ourselves.”

Joy-Anna Duggar IG statement on Josh conviction

“We agree with the judicial system’s verdict,” Joy-Anna and Austin Forsyth’s joint statement affirmed.

“And,” they continued, “we are thankful for the men and women who work tirelessly to protect children.”

The Forsyths added: “and help prevent child sexual abuse material.”

“Our hearts break for all CSAM victims,” Joy-Anna and Austin wrote.

CSAM stands for child sexual abuse material, a much more appropriate title for what is too often called “child porn.”

They concluded: “We are praying for Anna and her children.”

That is a very thoughtful and carefully constructed public statement.

Importantly, it affirms that jury’s verdict and thus Josh’s guilt before directing attention to the victims.

We all know that there was at least some denial following his arrest.

First and foremost, the Forsyths redirected attention to children who are abused and exploited.

CSAM isn’t illegal because it’s disgusting; it’s illegal because lives are ruined in its making, and made worse as it is perpetuated.

Secondly, to Josh’s family — who as his dependents have had their lives turned upside down by his crimes.

What is interesting here is that Joy-Anna and Austin employed precise language here.

CSAM is not a universally recognized acronym for this grim topic, though of course most people can work it out.

Calling it “child pornography” diminishes the horror of what it is, as if this were about teens irresponsibly filming themselves instead of the gruesome reality.

For this reason, CSAM survivors and advocates have spent years calling for the topic to be more appropriately reframed.

This has actually been highlighted during Josh’s trial, as more and more coverage has adopted CSAM language.

This means that Joy-Anna and Austin had the compassion and forethought to understand the topic and address it appropriately.

For contrast, look no further than Jessa Duggar and Ben Seewald’s sickeningly opportunistic statement after Josh’s arrest.

“We are saddened to hear of the charges against Josh,” the couple wrote at the time.

“As Christians, we stand against any form of pornography or abuse and we desire for the truth to be exposed,” the Seewalds said, “whatever that may be.”

The contrast here is that Jessa and Ben’s statement, made much earlier this year, was centered upon their views.

Condemning “all pornography” is essentially changing the subject, comparing the sexual assault and torture of children to consenting adults paying the rent.

If they don’t like porn, that’s fine. This is not the time or context to talk about that effectively unrelated topic.