Episode 61 | I Was 8 When They Picked the Cousin I Had to Marry | Michelle Michaels

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On The Jaden Jeffs Podcast, Jaden talks with Michelle Michaels (known as “Ava” on Escaping Polygamy), who was born and raised in the Kingston polygamist group (The Order). Michelle explains her family ties to leadership, including that her father Jesse (Paul Kingston’s brother) had over 200 children and that her mother is his niece. She describes severe physical abuse in her home, including punishments with belts and boards, being told at age eight who she would marry, and learning that fathers often delivered babies. Michelle recounts her mother going to jail after an 18‑month‑old child died in their care, alleging her father beat the child, and explains how fake names and inaccurate birth certificates were used. She details planning her escape, creating a fake Facebook profile to contact ex-members, working to gain emancipation, appearing on Escaping Polygamy, and struggling with emotional disconnection, dating, and learning “normal” life after leaving in 2017.

01:16 Podcast Introductions
02:52 Escaping Polygamy Fame
04:22 Hair Rules and Culture Shock
06:08 Blunt Questions After Leaving
08:25 Dating and Birth Traditions
21:37 Mom Jailed Baby Death
25:02 Incest Laws and Plea Deal
39:19 Beatings and Learning Not to Cry
43:41 Dad’s Favoritism and Abuse
44:34 Hardest Ages Growing Up
46:08 Weapons and Beatings
47:40 Assigned Marriage at Eight
49:50 Perfection Wife Expectations
51:37 Mom’s Dangerous Pregnancies
55:10 Life at Fifteen and Fear
59:09 Comic Con Toy Runs
01:05:41 Toys Over Family Values
01:11:14 Wives Servants and Control
01:14:37 Marriage Pressure at Seventeen
01:26:52 Planning the Escape
01:29:21 Leaving With Escaping Polygamy
01:35:49 Aftermath and Tattoo Talk
01:38:28 Tattoos After Leaving
01:41:03 Biker Stereotypes Flip
01:44:22 Dating Outside the Cult
01:52:08 Vulnerability and Trust
01:57:46 Sharing Your Cult Past
02:02:44 Finding Joy and Favorites
02:04:58 Food Choices and Control
02:09:18 Hobbies and Peace
02:11:58 Bluntness and Empathy
02:25:54 Fake Birth Certificates
02:28:28 Fake Dad on Paperwork
02:28:50 Jail and Kid Injuries
02:29:26 Drinks and Being Blunt
02:31:24 Tattoos and First Impressions
02:35:25 Caffeine and Panic Attacks
02:40:06 Dating Struggles
02:41:40 Therapy Debate
02:52:53 Love Feels Like a Cult
02:55:44 AI as Therapist
03:03:26 Bad Doctors Story
03:08:02 Kingston vs FLDS Brain
03:08:27 Men and Therapy
03:09:49 Leaving FLDS and Healing
03:11:03 Logic Versus Emotions
03:16:54 Combining Empathy and Reason
03:19:39 Victim Advocate Explained
03:22:13 Morality After Cults
03:24:41 Bad Therapists and Stigma
03:30:05 Politics and Human Respect



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