‘Counting On’: Jana Duggar is Chaperoned Even When She’s Hanging Out With Her Best Friend, Laura, Claims a Source
In April 2019, Jana Duggar took to Instagram to squash rumors that she was dating her best friend, Laura DeMasie. In the post, Jana insisted that she and Laura were just great friends and that she was only romantically interested in men. In the same breath, she also suggested she had courted several potential suitors, but none of them stuck. The post concluded with a Michael Buble quote, informing fans that she wasn’t married yet because she just “hadn’t met (him) yet.” While that may have put the rumors to rest, an inside source speaking to The Hollywood Gossip suggests Jim Bob Duggar may not necessarily believe his oldest daughter’s statements about her romantic intentions. He allegedly continues to chaperone Jana’s outings with DeMasie, regardless of the fact that both women are long past childhood.
Jana remains unmarried at 30 years old
In mainstream society, a woman unmarried at the age of 30 isn’t even a blip on the radar. According to The Balance, the average woman is nearly 28 when she ties the knot. Their male counterparts are slightly older at 29 years and eight months at the time of their first marriage. That’s not the case in Jana’s insular, ultra-conservative Christian circle, though. With the exception of John David Duggar, who married Abbie Burnett when he was 28, the Duggar kids who are already married all walked down the aisle before turning 25.
All sorts of rumors about the reason behind Jana’s single status have flown in recent years. Some family followers have argued that Jana doesn’t want to get married because she’s sick of raising children and doesn’t want any of her own. Other critics hypothesize that Jim Bob and Michelle don’t want Jana to move away because she’s too valuable as the family manager. Others still argue that Jana has a romantic interest in women, something that would not be supported by her parents and siblings.
A Source claims Jim Bob chaperones Jana’s friendship with Laura to ensure nothing romantic happens
While Jana seems adamant that she isn’t romantically interested in Laura, it looks like Jim Bob might not believe her. A source, speaking to The Hollywood Gossip, claims that Jim Bob doesn’t allow Jana to spend alone time with Laura and that he, personally, often accompanies the pair when they head out together.
Rumors about a romantic relationship first began swirling when Jana began featuring Laura on her Instagram. The pair seem to travel together fairly extensively, but reportedly the pals are never alone together. Jim Bob was on most of the trips featured on Instagram, albeit out of frame. He even accompanied the two women on a trip to a design show in Las Vegas.
The source claims Jim Bob tags along to ensure nothing romantic happens between the pair, but there is no evidence that he is explicitly targeting Jana. In fact, it’s been rumored that Jim Bob didn’t allow any of his children to have one on one time with friends while they were living under his roof. Amy Duggar, Jim Bob’s rebellious niece, told Katie Joy of Without a Crystal Ball that she was rarely allowed to see her cousins outside of their home. Jim Bob and Michelle preferred to be present when she was around the Duggar kids. The video in which that statement was mad has since been pulled from Katie Joy’s YouTube channel at Amy’s request.
Jana wouldn’t be able to keep a romance secret, even if it was happening
There is absolutely no concrete evidence to suggest that Jana is romantically involved with her best friend, Laura. Even if she were carrying on a romantic relationship, it wouldn’t be a secret in the Duggar family for long. Michelle and Jim Bob have openly admitted to tracking their children digitally, even when they reach adulthood.
If Jana were carrying on a clandestine relationship, it likely would be found out, and the ramifications would probably be harsh. It has been rumored that Jim Bob disowned Jinger Duggar for moving to Los Angeles, before allowing her back into the fold. It is also rumored that Jim Bob and Michelle have cut Jill Duggar out of the family for siding with her husband, Derick Dillard, in a bitter feud over cash. It’s safe to assume that a relationship between Jana and Laura would result in Jana being excommunicated from the family. That has not happened yet, and while she remains single, it’s always possible a courtship is just around the corner. When the Duggar kids get romantically involved with someone, they tend to move things along quickly.
