Entertainment

Joy-Anna Duggar's Latest Photo Of Her Bump Has Fans Riled Up For An Absurd Reason

by Cameron Norsworthy

Speculations about Joy-Anna Duggar's pregnancy with her husband Austin Forsyth have been mounting since before the two even got married. Their family timeline seemed a bit rushed to some fans so, naturally, viewers are looking everywhere for hints about the baby-to-be. Therefore, Joy-Anna Duggar's latest photo of her bump is being examined closely by all of her fans. People definitely have developed some theories, both probable and downright conspiratorial. Sure, you can't please everyone, but commenters are criticizing Joy-Anna for a pretty absurd reason. Romper has reached out to Joy-Anna's representation for comment on her pregnancy but has not heard back at this time.

The black and white photo, posted on Instagram over the weekend, features 20-year-old Joy-Anna, 23-year-old Austin, and Joy-Anna's grandfather — an Army veteran. She also put up a video from a Veteran's Day parade. "We are so thankful for the men and women who have served to defend our freedom," she captioned the photo, along with a Bible verse and a quote from President Ronald Reagan.

Though the photo seemed like a pretty neutral thing to share — focusing on Veteran's Day, of all things — it did show off Joy-Anna's ever-growing pregnancy bump, and fans were eager to offer their commentary. One conversation that erupted, though, turned pretty absurd.

"The girl didn't get to enjoy her relationship for very long without a huge belly in the way," one Instagram user wrote, "and soon [she'll have] a kid to worry about." Belly aside, a couple can certainly enjoy a romantic relationship, regardless of size.

But the comments continued, speculating: "She was deprived of a normal relationship because of all the courtship rules and just when she's finally permitted to enjoy the physical aspects of her relationship: bam she's pregnant." Meanwhile, another follower very bluntly commented, "she’s just fat."

Many of Joy-Anna's fans were quick to come to her defense, however, with one writing, "Not everyone values [being] young married or a pre-pregnancy body." Another commented, "Its [sic] sad that people feel the need to comment hateful things. Some people want to be mothers. And we wear our post partum [sic] bodies well."

Though the Duggars' courtship rules are pretty strict, this level of assumption isn't exactly fair. Joy-Anna has not commented on the "physical aspects" of her relationship, married or unmarried, and nor should she feel the need to.

This isn't the first time speculations about Joy-Anna's pregnancy have emerged. Fans repeatedly insist that Joy-Anna's further along than she's willing to admit, theorizing that she might have gotten pregnant before her nuptials took place. Though reports first surfaced that her wedding was set for the fall, Joy-Anna and Austin actually got married in May, according to People. The couple announced their pregnancy in August, and have yet to share their due date, stirring the pot even more.

One commenter went in on Joy-Anna's post, speculating: "She's carrying big, because she's further along her in pregnancy than she wants people to know. No shame in it, just think her family live in a glasshouse with the skinniest panes of glass." One thing's for sure: viewers are intent on calling out Joy-Anna and Austin, left and right.

But despite all of this turmoil, other moms have been happy to come to support Joy-Anna and ward off trolls. "I'm 17 weeks along and look like I'm about 6 months along," a user shared on the latest post, continuing: "People need to shut their mouths and realize that every person's body handles pregnancy differently."

Being a young, pregnant mom in the spotlight isn't easy to navigate — reality star or otherwise. Joy-Anna manages to avoid responding to the haters, though, and stays focused on her growing family. Besides, all of these speculations will be a thing of the past when the new baby does arrive.

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