Jessa Duggar: Is She Joining Jill & Jinger’s Anti-Jim Bob Rebellion?

While the rest of the world frets about the possibility of contracting COVID-19, Jim Bob Duggar is trying to contain a different kind of threat.

If you're a longtime Counting On fan, you know that Jim Bob values nothing more than control over his family, particularly his daughters.

And these days, the patriarch has reason to believe that his era of unquestioned supremacy is rapidly coming to an end.

There's disagreement among fans as to when exactly the rebellion began.

Some say it all started when Jinger Duggar wore pants for the first time.

Others say it was Derick Dillard who kicked things off when he launched his ongoing feud with Jim Bob.

Michelle Duggar and Jim Bob Duggar in Silver Dollar City

Whatever the case, it's no longer taken for granted that Jim Bob will continue to lord over his children for the rest of their lives.

Jill, Jessa, and Josiah all seem to be forging their own paths these days.

And it looks like some of the rebels' siblings are eyeing their newfound freedom with envy.

Ever since Jill chose to side with her husband in his battle against Jim Bob, Jessa Duggar has been regarded as her parents' last, best hope for a traditional Duggar daughter with no aspirations outside of being a dutiful wife and daughter.

But then the unthinkable happened -- Jessa wore pants.

Ever since the Jinger Rebellion of 2017, pants have been a symbol of liberation for women in the Duggar family.

The infamous Duggar dress code requires women to wear long skirts at all times -- but as Jinger discovered, there's a loophole.

Once Duggar women are married, it's their husbands, not their father who decide how they're allowed to dress.

Jessa Duggar, Crazy-Eyes

Which means that unless they married a misogynistic control freak like Jim Bob, they should be allowed to dress just about however they want.

And we suppose that's how we wound up with the above video of Jessa wearing pants.

Yes, she's at home, and yes, she's refurbishing a piece of furniture, but for most of her life, Jessa wore a long skirt at all times, even while engaging in physical activities like sports.

So her decision to wear pants in a video that she knew would be seen by fans represents a major step forward.

Jessa Duggar on TLC

The move is particularly surprising since Jessa quite literally wrote the book on what the Duggars euphemistically refer to as "modest attire."

"It’s okay to enhance or accent whatever beauty God has given us, but we try to be careful not to wear clothes that are too tight or draw attention to the wrong places," she wrote in the memoir Growing Up Duggar, a collaboration with three of her sisters.

"But this does not mean we go out dressing frumpy or trying to look formless," Jessa continued.

"Clothes can be cute, trendy and stylish but still entirely modest."

Jessa Duggar in 2012

Ideas about "modest" dress were hammered into the Duggar girls' heads from the time they were old enough to talk.

So you can appreciate the courage it required for them to publicly break from their parents ideals.

When Jinger took that first step, the move was so controversial that insiders claim she was briefly disowned by Jim Bob and Michelle.

Recently, however, the elder Duggars paid a visit to their daughter in Los Angeles, and Jinger and Michelle hashed out their differences on camera.

Jinger v Michelle

"It’s okay that my kids may have different convictions than me," Michelle said at the time.

"I know that he’s leading them and that’s the most important thing — their walk, their relationship with God. And they really love the Lord. And I can honestly say I can have no greater joy."

As for Jessa, she's obviously becoming a more modern woman, but she's still very much a Duggar.

Jessa Duggar Holds Son

Last month, Jessa filmed a cameo on Say Yes to the Dress, where she helped her sister-in-law choose an ensemble for her upcoming wedding.

In a preview clip, Jessa chastises her husband's sister for selecting a dress that she deems too revealing.

Some things never change.

Especially in the ultra-conservative Duggar clan.