As Jinger Duggar promotes her new book Becoming Free Indeed, she has been asked many questions regarding her strict religious upbringing within the Duggar family. Perhaps the most interesting correlation made thus far was the similarities between the TLC star and pop sensation Britney Spears. Both lived under strict authoritarian rules by their respective fathers. In a new interview for her tell-all book, Jinger said the “free Jinger” movement mirrored the “pain” Britney felt during conservatorship.
Jinger Duggar was the subject of a concerned fan movement during ’19 Kids and Counting’
The Free Jinger movement came about after the Duggar daughter once discussed her love for big cities and the excitement they offer. This led some fans to believe she sought a way out of her ultra-conservative clan. The topic originated in 2005 as a thread on the now-defunct Television Without Pity forums and quickly gained momentum.
Jinger admits to knowing about the movement. However, she never looked into it due to the restrictions put upon her by her parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar, regarding internet use. Also, she was so devout to the IBLP that she would have never attempted to leave her family’s religious teachings.
“I knew Free Jinger existed,” she said during an appearance on the Tamron Hall Show. “I hadn’t looked at it when I was younger, partly due to the restrictive nature of my life. But I thought, ‘how sad’ people want me to be free of my life.”
Jinger said fans took her interest in the world outside of her small Arkansas town as trying to “get out.” She said retrospectively, “I think they just wanted what was best for me.”
Jinger Duggar sees ‘Free Jinger’ movement mirrors the ‘pain’ Britney Spears felt during conservatorship
As Jinger promotes her book, she delves further into the backstory of her ultra-conservative upbringing. Page Six correlated Jinger’s experience to that of pop star Britney Spears. Both were under the rule of the family patriarch and couldn’t speak out. Jinger commented on the similarities in an interview with the outlet.
“It’s interesting. I see people in the public eye and have stories, and I can relate to them at different points, maybe on smaller scales,” the emotional former reality star said of the similarities.
“And I think that’s the beauty of it. You see that so many people have walked through so much pain and hardship and just coming out on the other side, I want to say that we can come out stronger on the other side.”
However, while Britney was held under a conservatorship run by her father, which oversaw every element of her life, Jinger’s story was vastly different. Britney’s personal, economic, and legal decision-making power was taken away from her.
Jinger was held under religious control by her belief in the teachings of the IBLP and living under the authority of her parents, Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar. While different from Britney’s experience, both women were under damaging control by family members.
Jinger realizes that while fans weren’t looking to separate her from her supersized clan, they were invested enough in the show to care for her welfare.
The former reality star looks back at fan support, saying they were ‘very kind’
The former Counting On star told Page Six that fan concern was “very kind” and realized fans had “the best intentions in mind.”
“I’m not bothered by that at all,” she shares. “I think it’s kind that they would think, ‘OK, we want to help her be free of what we think is binding her.’ So I think that’s great. I don’t have any hard feelings toward anyone.”
