TLC
Welcome to Plathville’s Olivia Plath Slams ‘Fundamentalist Cult’ Upbringing: ‘Debilitating at Times’
Welcome to Plathville star Olivia Plath slammed her former “fundamentalist cult” upbringing, admitting it is still “debilitating at times.”
The TLC personality, 25, was asked by a fan how she’s able to be herself after “growing up in a cult,” via an Instagram Q&A session on Tuesday, February 20, and she admitted it was still a work in progress.
“The biggest thing I’ve been able to finally put words to and recognize this past year is how much shame I’m still carrying with me from the fundamentalist cult,” she wrote in a lengthy response. “It permeates every aspect of my life, from how I express myself, to what I feel comfortable wearing to, how I act in relationships, etc.”
She ended her message with a call to action, telling her followers, “Every time you are aware of shame calling the shots in your life, send it packing and tell yourself the affirmations you need to be able to make your own choices. That’s what I’m working on!”
Olivia and her sister Lydia Meggs first confirmed in June 2023 that the controversial non-denominational Christian organization, the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) – famously connected to the Duggar family – was also a part of their life growing up.
“I have struggled over the years to identify how we grew up,” Olivia said during an Instagram Live alongside her sister at the time. “I think my parents were hesitant to use the label, but we grew up in that world.”
Lydia simply nodded her head when asked by Olivia if they spent their childhoods within the organization founded by Bill Gothard. “We didn’t listen to Bill Gothard, but other people in that world,” Olivia continued.
Olivia has been outspoken about her rejection of IBLP’s controversial teachings and how she has gone through a series of unlearning as an adult to disentangle her relationship with religion. Her estranged husband, Ethan Plath, was raised similarly by his parents, Barry and Kim Plath, under a strict religious environment and Olivia quickly butted heads with them as she started introducing Ethan to things his parents never allowed.
However, Ethan and Olivia’s differences would soon catch up with them as she revealed their incompatible personal beliefs were a driving force to announcing their October 2023 split.
“Ethan and I have decided to go our separate ways. I have ambivalent memories of us being 18 years old, innocently dreaming of forever – but the partner you choose is a reflection of the world you want to live in, and at 18 I didn’t know who I was or what kind of life I wanted to create for myself,” she told her followers at the time. “7 years later, I’ve already begun my journey of questioning, deconstructing and rebuilding and I know that is a process that I will continue to prioritize throughout my life.”
The wedding photographer later shared in a December 2023 interview how she’s become far more progressive in her political beliefs, which now run opposite to those of Ethan.
“I was raised that way and I didn’t have autonomy, so I’m obviously gonna have an issue with it. But at the end of the day, like if that’s how Ethan wants to live, that’s how Ethan wants to live. And I think I was in denial for a long time, and I always told him like, look, we’re night and day when it comes to politics,” Olivia revealed on the “Pink Shade” podcast. “I would consider myself very open-minded and progressive. I would consider myself an ally to the LGBTQ+ community. I would consider myself, you know, pro education. I would consider myself more democratic or liberal, and that was starkly different from him. And I think I was in denial for a long time.”
Have a tip? Send it to us! Email In Touch at contact@intouchweekly.com.
