Jana Marie Duggar is an American reality TV star known for appearing in Counting On and 19 Kids and Counting. She has also authored the book, Growing Up Duggar: It’s All About Relationships, alongside her sisters Jill Michelle Dillard, Jinger Duggar Vuolo, and Jessa Lauren Seewald.
The Duggar family has been in the limelight since the reality show 14 Children and Pregnant Again launched in 2004. The family is famed for adhering to strict religious rules, especially when it comes to relationships. Therefore, the love-lives of the family members have attracted a lot of attention.
Jana Duggar has proven to be an exception to the rule when it comes to Duggar family relationships. Read on to find out why Jana’s single status is considered unusual and the theories surrounding her love-life.
Duggar is rumored to be courting Wissmann family pilot Stephen Wissmann
Rumors of a secret courtship between Jana and Stephen erupted in December 2020 after the Wissman family posted a photo on their blog showing the couple seated close together during Christmas. Hawk-eyed fans acquired the photo before the Wissmanns pulled it from their site.
The picture shows Stephen and Jana seated very close together. “I think this is the first time she’s ever been to Christmas at someone else’s home though,” a Redditor stated. The Wissmann family blog describes Stephen as follows:
“He enjoys being a pilot, assistant manager of Wissmann Enterprises, Inc., making small furniture, and being physically active through workouts and sports. He is gifted in initiating conversations that encourage and challenge, and he has a heart for ministry.”
Jana fanned the courtship rumors when she was spotted hanging out with Stephen at an event in Nebraska in July 2021. Stephen was performing at the event with the family band and had Jana by his side for company.
Jana’s brother, Jeremiah, was also at the event. He is rumored to be courting Stephen’s younger sister Hannah. However, he could also have been Jana’s chaperone at the event.
One of the Duggar dating rules is that a chaperone must accompany a courting sibling to a date to prevent anything scandalous from taking place. The chaperone, usually a younger family member, then reports back to Jim Bob and Michelle.
Jana seems to be in no rush to get into a relationship
Marie was born in Tontitown, Arkansas, to Jim Bon Duggar and Michelle Ruark. She grew up in a strict Christian household that didn’t allow its members to listen to music, watch television, or go to school. Jana and her siblings were homeschooled to ensure that they received appropriate Christian education.
Jana’s parents taught their children to approach relationships with the intention of marriage. Courtship was allowed as soon as the siblings were of legal age. Viewers of the family’s reality show expected Jana to be among the first to get married because she was the eldest daughter.
Marie has defied expected as, up to today, she is yet to marry or start a courtship. She is the eldest member in the Duggar household who hasn’t gotten married. Jana is currently 30 years of age, and fans consider her relationship status to be unusual.
In 2015, Jana stated the following in an episode of Counting On, “I’m not just out to get married to the first one that comes along.” From that statement, it seems like Jana is merely waiting for the right person to come along. Until Jana finds that person, we don’t expect her relationship status to change.
There have been several theories as to why Jana isn’t in a relationship
Jana seems to enjoy being single. There are many Instagram photos of her traveling and enjoying life. However, it hasn’t stopped people from concocting theories as to why Jana is single.
Some reports stated that Jana had been in several relationships, but they hadn’t work out. They further claimed that because of the Duggar family’s strict protection of its brand, Jana’s failed relationship weren’t allowed to feature on the show. According to CheatSheet, Jana confirmed that she had been in several unsuccessful relationships.
Another bizarre theory that had been mooted out was that Jana was a lesbian. The theory claimed that Jana and her best friend, Laura DeMasie, were in a relationship. The rumor appeared unlikely due to Jana’s strict Christian upbringing. According to CheatSheet, Jana replied to the story by stating, “No. And I would like to stop that rumor. I have no interest in girls that way whatsoever.”