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Jana Duggar turned 30 in January 2020. While many of her younger siblings are now married with families of their own, Jana remains single. Without a courtship on the horizon, at least not one that she is willing to share with the public, family followers have taken to speculating about exactly why Jana remains unmarried. Some of the theories seem plausible, while others are a bit more far-fetched.

Fan theory: Jim Bob won’t allow Jana to court because she’s too important to the family

Jana’s relationship with Jim Bob Duggar has been called into question in recent months. Jim Bob has seemingly chaperoned several trips that Jana has taken, and some fans question just how overprotective he is of his now 30-year-old daughter.

While Jim Bob’s interest in Jana is questionable, fans have long theorized that Jana hasn’t married yet because she’s simply too crucial to the family. Jana, as the family’s eldest daughter, has taken on a lot of family responsibility and appears to be the one Duggar daughter who is genuinely indispensable. While none of the Duggar kids are babies right now, she still seems to be busy keeping the house running.

Fan theory: Jana doesn’t want to get married because she doesn’t want to have children

Reddit fans have theorized that Jana is actively avoiding getting married because she isn’t interested in having children. The Duggar family doesn’t believe in birth control, and most of the Duggar kids who have gotten married have had a child within the first year of marriage. The only Duggar who hasn’t had a child within months of their first wedding anniversary is Jinger Duggar.

Jana may be avoiding marriage because she isn’t interested in motherhood after raising several of her siblings. Jana has never commented on this theory, and by all accounts, she has no issue with children. After all, she’s been seen regularly caring for at least one of her siblings for the better part of two decades.

Fan theory: Jana is in a relationship with a female friend  

Some fans believe that Jana hasn’t entered a relationship with a man because she is already in a relationship. The theory, which began popping up in 2018, suggests that Jana is actually involved in a romance with her friend, Laura DeMaise.

Laura was living with the Duggar family for several months before she moved for a job opportunity. Some fans believe the also-single woman was sent away from the Duggar compound when the relationship between the duo was discovered. Jana has vehemently denied this claim. The pair still appear to be friends.

Jana has voiced her own opinion on the subject

Late last year, Jana took to Instagram to inform her fans that she was not, in fact, in a relationship with her bestie, Laura. She claims that she has had several interested suitors, but none of them have become serious. Jana alleged that she just hadn’t met the right person yet, but that she is actively looking. The statement led fans to run wild with speculation about who she may have dated in the past.

It has been theorized that long before the Bates family became famous, that their eldest son was interested in Jana. Zach Bates, who had one failed courtship, is now married with several children. TV Show Ace reported that fans believe Jana shut Zach down because she was interested in another member of their social circle. That person, Chad Paine, went on to marry Zach’s sister, Erin Bates.

Rumors also swirled that Jana dated a man named Andrew when they were teens, but that he ended the courtship because he wasn’t ready to get married. The identity of the man has never been revealed. Fans have speculated that the Andrew in question has also gone on to get married ahead of Jana.

Several other family friends have been pegged as potential courtship for Jana. Jonathan Hartono, a family friend who was spotted out and about with the family in 2017. Nothing ever came from the rumors, according to In Touch.

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