Jinger Duggar Says Women in IBLP Feel ‘Worthless’ Unless Married and Having Babies: Is She Referring to Sister Jana?
In her book Becoming Free Indeed, Jinger Duggar discussed her experiences as a member of the IBLP [Institute in Basic Life Priciples]. This religious organization was devoutly followed by her parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. In turn, they expected their 19 children to follow these practices. However, in one passage, Jinger shared that women in this religious organization feel “worthless” unless they are married and have babies. Is she referring to her oldest sister Jana Duggar?
Jinger Duggar says women in IBLP feel ‘worthless’ unless married. Is this a thinly-veiled reference to Jana Duggar?
Much ado has been made about the fact that while most of the sisters in her age range have married and had their own families, Jana remains single. However, none of her siblings have directly spoken out about Jana’s single status. In fact, Jessa was the only Duggar sister to comment on what Jana looked for in a man.
During an episode of Counting On, Jessa revealed: “She prefers a guy that gets his hands dirty.” Jana responded that she was interested in “dirt under the nails.”
It appears that Jana’s sister Jinger has also indirectly commented about Jana being single in her book Becoming Free Indeed. In a passage, she discussed how women in the IBLP are raised to have one purpose: to marry and have children, and how they feel when that doesn’t work out for them.
Jinger wrote, “Women were told by Gothard, and others, that marriage and child-rearing were God’s primary purposes for them. As the years passed, they remained single.”
“They felt worthless,” Jinger continued. “Like they couldn’t fulfill their God-given purpose until a man took interest.”
“While they waited for marriage,” Jinger said, “they could not start a career or even go to school.” These women also remain under their parent’s authority “no matter their age.”
Jana Duggar is unmarried and currently lives on the Duggar family property
To this day, Jana Duggar remains unmarried and still lives in a home on the land owned by her parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. The family owns extensive property in Tonitown, AK.
Reportedly, Jana no longer lives with her younger siblings in her parent’s home. She lives in a smaller house on the property.
If Jana remained home at 33, she would be required to sleep in the communal girls’ bedroom with sisters more than a decade younger than her. Therefore, having her own space at this stage of life appears to be a natural progression for the former reality star.
Most of her female siblings are married
Jana Duggar’s younger siblings, Jessa, Jinger, Jill, and Joy-Anna, are all married with children. Johanna is the next Duggar daughter in age, after a series of boys in their family. She was born in 2005.
Jill was the first to wed. She is married to Derick Dillard, and they have three sons: Israel, Samuel, and Frederick. Jessa is married to Ben Seewald, and they are parents to four children: Spurgeon, Henry, Ivy, and Fern.
Jinger is married to Jeremy Vuolo, and they have two daughters named Felicity and Evangeline Jo. Sister Joy-Anna is married to Austin Forsyth, and together they have three children: Gideon, Evelyn, and Gunner.
Reportedly, Jana is financially dependent on her parents as she cannot work outside the home. Per a contract signed by all the Duggar children, they are contractually bound to the family for a determinate number of years.
Jim Bob Duggar was the only person paid for the family’s work during their years on TLC. He was supposed to pay all his children out of a lump sum payout from the family’s earnings but reportedly did not.
The lives of the Duggar family and their ties to the IBLP are explored in the Prime Video docuseries Shiny Happy People.
