Courtney Stodden Talks Separation From Husband Doug Hutchison, Self Confidence

Courtney Stodden opens up about her split with husband Doug Hutchison and revealed that he wasn’t a fan of her plastic surgery.

“That’s actually one aspect of our relationship where we fought so much. He did not want me to, for instance, get hair extensions. He fought me tooth and nail, he’s like, ‘I do not want you to get hair extensions,’” Stodden said in an interview with E! News.

Stodden, 19, and Hutchison, 53, got married when Stodden was just 16 and their union attracted a lot of attention – mostly negative. The couple appeared on the reality series Couples Therapy, and Stodden has kept herself in the spotlight with frequent risqué photo shoots, mostly featuring Stodden dressed in a bikini, or wearing nothing at all.

Now, after two and a half years of marriage, Stodden and Hutchison have announced that they are legally separated.

Stodden recently spoke out about the split, commenting on how her image and appearance contributed to the problems in her relationship with her estranged husband. Over the summer, Stodden made headlines when she unveiled her new breasts after a breast augmentation surgery. And, while Hutchison was supportive, Stodden now says that he was strongly against the idea.

“He was so in love with me and he was, like, ‘You’re beautiful the way you are,’ kind of like the au naturel, organic thing. He was like, ‘You’re beautifully organically, why would you change something that’s perfect?’”

Stodden is glad she didn’t listen to her estranged husband, telling E! News, “But you know, I’m happier now.”

Stodden insists that her body is, mostly, all real, contrary to popular belief. She says the only cosmetic work she has had done is her breast implants and gotten a few lip injections. When asked about the public's perception of her (as a sex object, or as a young woman being taken advantage of sexually), Stodden admits she knows she is partly responsible, but also notes that she is happy the way she is.

“I’m responsible because I put myself out there like that, that’s how I look. So obviously I know that some people will have a problem with saying, ‘Oh, you’re like a sex object, how could you do that to yourself?’

“People are going to judge somebody regardless, if they’re in the media or otherwise. They just judge. But I’m happy with the way that I look,” she said.

Stodden insists that the only thing that matters is her happiness and confidence.

“I’m a confident girl, I’m happy. And honestly I think that’s all that matters – following your heart, looking the way you want to look, dress what you want to dress. As long as you aren’t hurting anybody else, I think you’re fine,” Stodden said firmly.

Stodden notes that, while her appearance didn’t play a role in her legal separation from her husband, the age difference between the two did play a part in their split.

“Our age difference obviously got in the way, so that was definitely something that affected our marriage…Because I’m 19… I want to be free and, you know, embrace my independence and not neglect my youth,” she told E! News, echoing the statement released by her rep when she announced the split.

“After two and a half years of marriage, Courtney and Doug have decided to become legally separated. This is a mutual and amicable decision that they’re making together… As you know, Courtney was married at a young age. Now, at nineteen, she’s interested in exploring life as an unmarried single young adult – with the freedom to explore her independence,” reads the statement.

Stodden says she wants to take the chance to embrace her youth:

“I feel like a little girl again, just being able to start over. When I was sixteen, I got my marriage license instead of a driver’s license, come on!”

As for Hutchison, he admitted to being blindsided by the separation. “I’ll be honest. I really had hoped in my heart that Court and I, like, against all odds, you know, could go the distance,” Hutchison told E! News.

Hutchison and Stodden will remain close – they remain living in the same home, though in separate bedrooms, and Hutchison will continue to co-manage her career as an aspiring actress, singer and celebrity personality.

“We’re not devastated, we’re going to try something new,” Hutchison said.

When asked if he still believed that Stodden was his soul mate, Hutchison stayed true to his word, saying, “Absolutely. That will never, ever change. That will remain consistent until the day I die.”

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

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