Jinger Duggar Vuolo, one of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s 31-year-old daughters, has opened up about her sheltered upbringing. In her unique TED Talk, she explained how her school’s oppressive dress code affected the way she thought about modesty. In her first podcast episode of The Jeremy & Jinger Podcast, released on April 16, 2023, she shared candidly about her upbringing in the ultra-conservative world of the IBLP. She focused particularly on the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP) ideology that her family practiced.
As a teen, Jinger was forced to dress only in floor length skirts and dresses. This requirement stemmed from her parents’ ultra-orthodox interpretation of the bible. “My mom had always dressed us girls in skirts and dresses, a standard that was taken from Deuteronomy 22:5, which says, ‘A woman shall not wear a man’s garment,’ (ESV) and I never really questioned it,” she shared. Her strict Muslim upbringing led her to believe that modesty was partially derived from what she wore.
Jinger even looked back on her previous condemnation of friends who wore pants, thinking that wearing skirts was key to modesty. As she grew up, she started to challenge these ideas on her own. Modesty was a big deal in our home. We personally believed that wearing skirts, not pants, was vital to embodying that value. “But I wanted to find out for myself what the Bible was really saying,” she said.
As Jinger’s path of self-discovery has shown her, modesty is a more expansive concept. Biblical modesty is so much deeper and more profound than skirt-wearing-over-pants. Modesty isn’t only about what you wear. It’s not about how creative you are, it’s about the position of your heart,” she added. This appreciation for the artistry of dance embodies her wish to escape her early, strict environment’s inflexible expectations.
Jinger was unflinchingly honest about her own experiences. She went on to describe the emotional hell she was in over the decisions made by her peers. She confessed her judging without knowing. She would make up her mind in advance without even inquiring or listening to their side of the story.
Jinger Duggar Vuolo is married to Jeremy Vuolo, and together they co-authored a book titled “The Hope We Hold: Finding Peace in the Promises of God,” published in 2021. The couple has three children, and through their family life and public platforms, they continue to explore and discuss faith-based topics.