It's well documented that the Duggars have a lot of strict views when it comes to marriage and sex. The family-of-21 considers themselves followers of Christ and the Bible, though their exact religion has never been revealed.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar enforce a lot of rules on their kids, especially the girls, regarding how to act when courting. For example, none of the kids are allowed to have social media accounts until they're engaged. They also are not allowed any physical contact with their partners, including hand-holding, until they're married.
Another interesting rule the Duggar girls are expected to follow is "be available," as in be ready for sex whenever your husband wants sex. Michelle advises her daughters to have sex with their husbands whenever he wants, regardless of if THEY want to. The only time you're allowed to say no is on your period, and a slight break after childbirth.
"Be available," the Duggar matriarch tells Today. "Anyone can fix him lunch, but only one person can meet that physical need of love that he has, and you always need to be available when he calls."
Of course, sex is seen as a sacred act for the family so birth control is also out of the question, as they believe the point of sex is procreation. That would also explain why they do not believe in premarital sex, which frankly isn't an uncommon point of view. However, some of the Duggar sisters have a more extreme opinion on why you should't have premarital sex.
It'll kill you.
Jana, Jill, Jessa, and Jinger Duggar co-wrote a book together called Growing Up Duggar, which "talks about their faith their dreams for the future and what its like growing up a Duggar." In the book, the four eldest Duggar daughters address their views on sex out of wedlock, and it sounds like Jim Bob and Michelle really did a number on these girls.
They write:
God has created physical intimacy to be a wonderful wedding gift for pleasure and bonding and to procreate children. But if it is done prematurely or with multiple partners, the very thing that was created to bring joy can bring sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV, herpes, and human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause infertility, cervical cancer, and a life sentence of pain and suffering.HPV is just one of many sexually transmitted viruses, but it has recently become a notorious killer of women. According to the National Cancer Institute, 'Virtually all cervical cancers are caused by HPV infections.'
The American Cancer Society estimates that 4,030 women will die from cervical cancer this year. STDs like HPV also carry a high risk of being passed on to loved ones, including the woman's husband or her children.
Using the threat of death and cancer to stop their kids from having sex seems pretty extreme for Jim Bob and Michelle, especially considering these diseases aren't restricted to only those who have premarital sex. It's not like your wedding ring is a magical force-field that stops you from getting HPV.
Besides, according to the Center for Disease Control, "in most cases, HPV goes away on its own and does not cause any health problems."
And let's get something straight here, I'm not saying the Duggar sisters are wrong. There are people who die from cervical cancer caused by HPV and a lot of them most likely contracted HPV from premarital sex. But it shouldn't take fear-mongering to get your point across. Your beliefs and the desire to save yourself until you find the one person you're going to spend your life with should be reason enough to abstain.
