These Fan Theories About The Duggars Are Actually Pretty Fascinating

Love them or hate them, you've most likely heard about the Duggar family. I mean, based on sheer numbers alone you would probably have heard of a family with 19 kids, but their reality shows on TLC, 19 Kids & Counting and Counting On, has cemented them in the pop culture vernacular. And with that fame comes a deep and abiding curiosity, perhaps especially so because the Duggars appear to be something of an unusual family. There are almost as many theories about the Duggars as there are children, but there are a few standout theories that fans continue to discuss.

The Duggars first became known to America during the early 2000s, when TLC introduced them on 19 Kids & Counting. Back then, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar were the stars of the show, as well as their sizable grocery bill every week (because who wouldn't be fascinated by that?). As their children have grown and started families of their own, in some cases, the story has evolved along with them. Counting On follows the older Duggar daughters, Jinger, Jessa, Jill, Joy Anna, and their husbands, as well as sons Joseph, John, and Josiah. The family continues to expound on their devoutly religious ways, with most of the daughters following rules reportedly laid down by Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar about maintaining their modesty.

Well... all except one. Here are some of the most interesting and wild fan theories about the Duggars.

Jinger The Rebel?

The Duggar women abide by a strict dress code. They must keep their shoulders, cleavage, and thighs covered at all times (although they are allowed to do their hair and wear makeup so I guess that's something). Jinger Duggar Vuelo, however, has eased away from those rules ever since marrying former professional soccer player Jeremy Vuolo and moving to Laredo, Texas. Jinger has shown up on social media wearing pants, shorts, and even skirts that only go down to her knees. There's also a fan theory that Jinger takes birth control pills, another serious no-no in the Duggar family. Because of her *rebellious* ways, some fans have theorized that Jinger has been disowned from the family. The Duggar family hasn't responded to Romper's request for comment regarding the birth control theory.

Raising A "Quiverfull"

While the Duggars have been very open about their religious beliefs regarding courtship, birth control, and modesty, they have never publicly said which religion they practice. But many fans have theorized they follow the controversial Quiverfull movement. According to People, the Quiverfull movement is based on a quote from the Old Testament which compares children to arrows, and reads, "Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." The movement took off in the '80s, and University of Southern California professor of religion Cavan Concannon explained to People:

In the Quiverfull movement, your kids are blessings from God and they are also weapons in the culture war. Some people in the movement would say that part of having a lot of kids is an attempt to birth more conservative Christians in a world that doesn’t have enough of them.

The Mysterious Jana

Jana Duggar is 27 years old and still living at home with her parents. Which, in the world of the Duggars, would be considered quite old to be unmarried with no children. There have been plenty of rumors about Jana's potential courtship, but nothing has come to fruition yet. She reportedly helps take care of her siblings, many of whom still live at home. And some fans theorize that Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar are keeping Jana at home to help, regardless of how she might feel about things. Some fans have even taken to calling her "Cinderella."

Jim Bob Is King

It's no secret that Jim Bob Duggar wears the pants in the family (on account of he and Michele don't want the women in the family wear to pants at all), but there have been reports of Jim Bob ruling his family with an iron fist. A source close to the family told People back in 2015:

Jim Bob’s favorite word is ‘no.' He’s like a dictator. He once saw a guy kissing a girl before marriage and confronted him about it. And the guy said, ‘Jim Bob, show me that verse in the Bible that says we can’t kiss. Get out your Bible.’ And Jim Bob was like, ‘Uhhhh …’ because no one ever confronts Jim Bob. No one.

The source also told the media outlet that Jim Bob, who famously controls his single children's texting and emailing, will not allow talk of sexuality in the household. He even trained his daughters to monitor their brothers and make sure they never saw anything that might trigger their lust. According to the 2014 book Growing Up Duggar by Jill and Jessa Duggar, the girls were taught to simply say "Nike" if they were walking buy while wearing immodest clothing, and the boys were to immediately stare at their shoes.

Because Jim Bob, according to the source, will always be the boss of the family. No matter what.

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