It may be quite hard to keep up with religious beliefs, and the Duggars are another family that is difficult to follow. They are renowned for being fervently traditionalist Christians. For those in that religion, the appearance of women is within the area of strict standards that must be followed.The Duggars have made several rules for them to adhere to, including dating rules, dress codes, and many more. The ultra-conservative family is famous for keeping tight control over the content their children consume (not to mention what they are allowed to look like), so now, fans are wondering what their religion really thinks about women wearing makeup.
The Duggar Family’s Strict Rules For Women
Rules are essential in keeping a household harmonious and functioning, especially for a family as big as the Duggars. The Duggar family, headed by Jim Bob and Michelle, is best known for its TLC show, 19 Kids and Counting. The reality TV show documented the lifestyle of the conservative Christian family.
There are many things the Duggar are barred from doing. Viewers of the show know hot the children are not allowed to hold hands with partners until they are engaged and share their very first kiss at the altar. But that’s not all. They all have their text messages read by their father Jim Bob, who is happy to reply to anything he disapproves of.
There are also strict standards for women’s appearances, and they must keep shoulders, cleavage, and thighs covered. Explaining the reason behind it, the eldest four girls, Jinger, Jana, Jessa, and Jill, wrote a book together about their family’s lifestyle called Growing Up Duggar that covers their beliefs about modesty, which they say is a personal choice.
In the book, they stated: “We do not dress modestly because we are ashamed of the body God has given us; quite the contrary. “We realize that our body is a special gift from God and that He intends for it to be shared only with our future husband.”
They further explained, “…We avoid low-cut, cleavage-showing, gaping, or bare-shouldered tops; and when needed, we wear an undershirt. We try to make it a habit to always cover the top of our shirt with our hand when we bend over. We don’t want to play [a] peekaboo game with our neckline.”
The Duggar Family On Women Wearing Makeup
While there are things that women are not allowed to do, one thing that is encouraged for them to do is a beauty regime. As Bustle noted, the Duggar religion apparently doesn’t have a problem with makeup and hair because their religious beliefs are highly dictated by the male gaze and cater to upholding a very strict definition of how a woman should look and act.
Though the women have to maintain their modesty by following the dress codes and other rules, they are allowed to decide for themselves regarding makeup and hair. Makeup can be a subtle, nonsexual method to play up the eyes or lips to appear more feminine and attractive, which is what women are intended to be: pleasant to men without making themselves too “tempting.”
In the book Growing Up Duggar, the sisters describe how makeup “honors the Lord” by emphasizing the beauty they were born with. In fact, they do take time to apply it every morning to look pleasing and feminine, believing that they are doing it for a higher purpose. With so many rules to follow, it is no wonder the Duggar women rely on makeup when they want to get creative with their looks.
The Duggar Women Start Breaking The Rules
Unfortunately, it appears some of the Duggar women are fed up with the strict rules in the family. Some of them are now wearing pants and even cut their hair short. As time has passed, these are some of the modesty rules they have abandoned; Jinger, Jill, and Jana were seen wearing pants.
Recently, Anna Duggar’s supporters were excited to see her stepping away from the rules set by her in-laws. They believe that it is a massive turnaround for Anna as it may symbolize her personal freedom. The Duggar women’s new and more conventional choices are a hit with fans who have hoped they would gain independence.