Over time, we've gotten to know the Duggar family and watch the children grow up, starting with 19 Kids and Counting and transitioning to Counting On. We've seen a few rebels emerge — like sisters Jill and Jinger, who have gone on to do their own thing, even when it means making decisions that their parents, Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, might not approve of. Then there's Jana, the oldest sister, who has recently become the reality TV family's newest rebel, even if the ways she fights back against her family's rules are a bit more subtle.
Of course, Jana does switch things up with the family's conservative dress code, too. We've seen her in pants more than once recently, and dare we say we've even noticed her shoulders out and about in broad daylight? But more than that, she seems to be quietly defying her parents in her everyday actions and some of the decisions she's made — both recently and a long time ago — about the way she lives her life, and we have to give her props for that.
Here are all the ways that Jana has rebelled. Lately, we've been seeing more of this kind of behavior from her, and we're loving it. We can't wait to see what other moves she might make in the future — whether her parents approve of it or not.
Still Hanging With Jill
Over the last few years, Jana's younger sister, Jill, has become persona non grata with dad Jim Bob. In fact, there are rumors that Jill isn't even allowed to visit her parents' house and her siblings without his approval. Still, that hasn't stopped Jana from keeping this sisterly bond alive.
Going Behind the Scenes
Though Jim Bob and Michelle signed on to share their family on reality TV years ago, they've never been much for showing how the sausage is made — but Jana is the exact opposite. She's willing to pull back the curtain and show her social media followers how Counting On was filmed, and we have a feeling her parents may not love the fact that she exposes that some of the show was an illusion.
Friends Outside Her Family
The Duggars are a tight-knit bunch, but even Jana goes outside the family to find friends. Many of them live lives much different than the one she's used to — as we can clearly see by the outfit being worn in this photo from a wedding Jana attended in Austin. Perhaps being exposed to new things through her friends is helping Jana to evolve?
Friendship With Laura DeMasie
Thanks to the rumors that Jana and Laura are an item — which Jana has denied — there have been reports that Jim Bob would prefer these women not hang out together. (There are even rumors that he's actively tried to keep them separated.) Still, nothing has been able to come between Jana and her BFF so far, which says a lot about the strength of their friendship.
Developing Her Own Skills
The Duggars have made it clear that while their children are more than welcome to have hobbies, developing skills that could turn into careers is a no-no for their daughters. Even so, Jana has gotten incredibly good at anything and everything DIY and interior design — even down to renovating a schoolhouse with her brothers. If she wanted to, she could easily turn this into a way to make money independently from her parents.
Hanging Out With Cousin Amy
It's not just Jill who Jim Bob isn't a big fan of. We've also heard rumors that his niece, Amy Duggar, is on his bad list, too, due to the ways she's spoken out against the Duggars. But that hasn't stopped Jana from having a friendship with her, and there's a good chance that bothers her dad — at least a little.
Exposing Her Shoulders
Duggar dress code is very strict, and it means that the women in the family need to stay covered up, shoulders included. But during a day at the lake, Jana threw caution to the wind and wore a sleeveless top. (And are those shorts we see?) It may actually be a skirt or a sleeveless dress, but either way, Jana's showing off her shoulders, and it's a very big deal.
Wearing Pants
One of the most shocking ways Jana's rebelled? The fact that she's been wearing pants lately — and on multiple occasions, at that. As we've seen with Jana's sisters Jill and Jinger, pants end up being the gateway to much bigger acts of wardrobe rebellion, and we can't wait to see if Jana ends up buying her own pair of jeans one of these days.
Taking an Unchaperoned Vacation
In summer 2020, Jana shared a photo of herself on Instagram in what looked like a tropical location, holding a fresh coconut. It didn't seem like any members of her family were with her — breaking yet another rule, an unchaperoned vacation for an unmarried woman. (The horror!) Of course, Jana is in her 30s, so outside of the Duggar family, this isn't a big deal — but for her, it's a bit rebellious.
She Has an Instagram Account
Until Jana, we noticed that all of the Duggar ladies waited until they were courting or married to sign up for Instagram. But in Jana's case, enough was definitely enough. She is single and proud of it, so she decided to open her own account on the social media platform. We're so glad she did, because we love following along with her.
Watching TV
Those of us who watched 19 Kids and Counting since the beginning know that the Duggars have always prided themselves on keeping their kids away from mainstream TV, movies, and music, but Jana has taken matters into her own hands. In fact, she's pretty outspoken about how much she loves Fixer Upper and everything Chip and Joanna Gaines — proving that, at the least, she watches HGTV.
Being Sassy
The women in the Duggar family might be encouraged to stay sweet at all times, but Jana doesn't necessarily take that advice to heart. In fact, when people push her limits on social media and leave her Instagram comments that rub her the wrong way, Jana doesn't hesitate to respond, and she usually has a sassy clapback ready. Our kind of woman!
Doing Anything the Boys Do
Growing up, it was clear that the Duggar family divided chores and "jurisdictions" based on whether it was stereotypically done by males or females, but Jana's thrown all of that to the wind and does what she pleases. If her brothers are volunteering after a disaster — even in a dangerous situation — she's right there with them.
Possibly Pursuing an Actual Career
In early 2020, Jana visited Las Vegas to attend the Las Vegas Home and Gift Market, where she said she "learned from so many designers and inspirational entrepreneurs." To us, that sounds like Jana's laying the groundwork to start her own interior design business. Could she be planning to be the first Duggar woman with her own career?
Not Rushing Into Marriage
Though the expectation would be for Jana to court, marry, and start having kids ASAP, she's doing things her own way. On more than one occasion, Jana said she's in no rush to get married. She seems to be loving this chapter of her life, and she doesn't appear to be too anxious about what the future holds, no matter what her parents might think.
Contact With the Opposite Sex
The Duggar rules around opposite sex contact are pretty solidly defined as "don't do it if you're not married." The couples often wait to hold hands until they're engaged, and don't even think about front hugs and kisses until after they've said their wedding vows. So when Jana was spotted with her arms around a man at a football game, let's just say there was talk.
In the end, fans' detective work led to the discovery that the guy she's embracing is her second cousin — but as we've seen with family members, this type of contact isn't typical.
Her New Hairstyle
In general, the Duggar women have left their hair untouched by dye — and usually, they don't get it professionally cut, either. So when Jana headed to the salon for highlights and a cut in August 2021, fans were pretty taken aback. Her makeover looked really good, though!
