Joy-Anna Duggar, 19, seems really excited about her new courtship with longtime friend, Austin, 22. Last month, the Counting On star announced her new relationship status during an episode of the family’s spin-off show.
In case you’re still in the closet about exactly what "courting" is, it’s a much less sexier version of dating. In fact, it’s a sexless version, period. The very religious Duggars practice courtship in order to “wait for the one God has for you” according to Duggar patriarch Jim Bob. Aside from no sex, there is also no kissing or hand-holding involved, although friendly hugs get a pass. It’s basically what I imagine people doing after they connect on ChristianMingle.com. Oh, and there’s one other caveat to courtship: chaperones. After all, we can’t trust these singles not to jump each other’s bones when left alone.
In the Duggar family, an older member is usually the designated overseer of courtship dates. Luckily for Joy-Anna, she’s already had a couple of volunteers. Following the news of her new courtship Joy-Anna’s older sister Jessa and brother-in-law Ben Seewald took to YouTube to congratulate the new couple. They’re excited about the possibility of going on double dates together and Ben is looking forward to some “good conversations.”
This can be translated one of two ways. It can mean that the Seewalds plan on bearing down on the young couple to make sure their morals are in tact. Or it could mean that the Seewalds have some tips on how to get this whole courtship thing over with in order to get to the good stuff… hand-holding.
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