For years now, Jana Duggar courtship rumors have been circulating non-stop on social media.
Generally, fans want what they feel is best for Jana, but at times the tone of the discussion can get more than a little overbearing.
Case in point, the current obsession with Jana and Nathan Bates.
The Duggars have been close friends with the Bates family for several years, and the two clans share an awful lot in common.
The Bates also star in a reality series that focuses on their fundamentalist lifestyle and the difficulties they experience as a family of 21.
The Bates may have never reached the same level of fame as the Duggars, but it’s not hard to see
As you may recall, fans were previously obsessed with the idea of Jana dating Lawson Bates.
Lawson and Jana are slightly closer in age, but both parties long ago made it clear that they’re not romantically involved.
And so, fans have shifted their focus to Lawson’s younger brother, 24-year-old Nathan, and the Duggar discussion boards on Reddit are currently buzzing with speculaiton about the potential couple.
The talk comes on the heels of reports of Jana courting Caleb Williams.
That relationship never materialized, so now fans are forcing Jana and Nathan together.
There’s no rhyme or reason to it, and it’s hard to imagine that Jana isn’t at least a little creeped out by the whole thing.
Some fans have skipped right over the hope that Jana and Nathan will get together and proceeded directly to expressing their disapproval of the relationship.
A relationship that, again, doesn’t actually exist in the real world.
“He’s younger and most likely less mature,” said one Reddit user.
“I think Jana is too smart for Nathan Bates. He seems like a nice guy, but not the brightest bulb,” commented another.
It’s enough to make you wonder if Jana has anything to say about her own love life.
While she hasn’t spoken on Nathan directly, she recently made it clear that she’s unattached.
“There have been different guys come along and ask but yeah it’s just not… they haven’t been the right one,” said Jana.
“I’m not just out to get married to the first one that comes along.”
So there you have it.
That should be enough to silence the rumors on social media … for about 15 minutes.
Watch Counting On online for more from reality TV’s most controversial family.
