Chad and Erin

[Mela99]

It bothered me that he called her a girl in one of his blogs. She's a woman.

I think fundies believe that only marriage and children makes someone a woman.

[Melissa1977]

I think Erin is very fundie and will remain fundie, she is a princess so she feels sure and content in this environment. But I don't see her having a lot of children, I think God "surprisingly" will send her few blessings. And I see her working as a piano teacher so she can afford a better life. I don't see Chad earning a lot of money and I think Erin wants nice things. She has always seemed jelous of Duggars, who have nicer clothes than Bates.

In my opinion Alyssa will turn fundie lite or just conservative when she will marry and live in a middle-class neighborhood. Few children also.

I like Josie and Katie very much, they are beautiful and seem to have personality. If Bates parents are busy with the new church, weddings and grandchildren to come, and trying for #20, maybe these young daughters will be more free.

[AVENues]

Erin should move to South Korea. She could earn a ton of money being a private piano teacher. People spend a lot of money on their kids' musical education. I haven't had a single student that was an expat from Korea and could not play a musical instrument. Piano is the most common, SK-an expats often look for apartments where a piano can be comfortably located. Also, knowing that they will be obliged to mate like rare species in the zoo, with googly eyes on them checking for a baby bump, I assume, they *can* wait with the marriage.

[miffy]

Erin should move to South Korea. She could earn a ton of money being a private piano teacher. People spend a lot of money on their kids' musical education. I haven't had a single student that was an expat from Korea and could not play a musical instrument. Piano is the most common, SK-an expats often look for apartments where a piano can be comfortably located. Also, knowing that they will be obliged to mate like rare species in the zoo, with googly eyes on them checking for a baby bump, I assume, they *can* wait with the marriage.

Chinese children are the same, although Violin is popular too. I think its because music & maths go hand in hand. When you are moving OS largely for your child's education & they are naturally going to be a bit behind in English you want to focus on a subject which doesn't require language.

Chad is in Erin's photo on the 'about us' part of their website. I like that Kelly can actually write about each of her children as individuals. I doubt Michelle could do that.

[browngrl]

The thing I hate most about fundies is that they try and impose their choices on everyone else. Taking away another person's right to choose for themselves seems to be their modus operendi. If Chad and Erin were my children I would encourage them (strongly) to get an education, travel, and date other people while they are still so young instead of getting married, but here is the thing: both are competent adults who have chosen to be with each other (even if it is in a gushing, matchy- matchy sort of way). So I am trying to keep my judgemental mouth shut. However, no matter how hard I try and hold back the snark - my fantasy would be to watch Erin walk down the aisle in a maternity wedding gown.

[Kira]

After reading Chad's latest post I'm starting to think they're engaged.

[RosyDaisy]

I'm just gonna come out and say it. I think there's more to their "sweet time of fellowship" than praying, if you know what I mean. There's just something about the last few pictures I've seen that give me that impression.

[actuallyjessica]

I'm just gonna come out and say it. I think there's more to their "sweet time of fellowship" than praying, if you know what I mean. There's just something about the last few pictures I've seen that give me that impression.

like?

[RosyDaisy]

I can't really put my finger on it. I find it hard to believe that they aren't allowed to hold hands, but we have a picture of Erin grabbing Chad by the tie. Plus, Chad's blog posts sound like a carefully worded way of talking about his wife, not his girlfriend/fiancé. Of course, I could be wrong. As long as they're happy, who cares.

[Mela99]

I don't think they would be able to keep it under wraps if there was an engagement. It's just too exciting. I held out for an hour before I told people (we wanted to inform parents first).

[Guest]

I really get the feeling that he's building up to something exciting. And if they're engaged, I'm sure they've told people, just not all of the strangers on the Internet, and I can't say I would blame them.

All of these "wait until my next posts!" Cliffhangers are leading me to believe there's something to announce.

[freethemall]

It bothered me that he called her a girl in one of his blogs. She's a woman.

You know, I don't understand why people on this blog tend to get upset about Erin and the Duggar -ladies- being referred to as girls - being in my mid-twenties, I find it pretty common and not offensive for women/girls of my age to be called girls. And hey, Gwen Stefani was 25 when No Doubt released "I'm Just a Girl".

[tabitha2]

when I was growing up you became a woman when you lost your virginity.

[singsingsing]

So a 50-year-old virgin would never be considered a woman, always a girl? Nice.

[punkiepie]

You know, I don't understand why people on this blog tend to get upset about Erin and the Duggar -ladies- being referred to as girls - being in my mid-twenties, I find it pretty common and not offensive for women/girls of my age to be called girls. And hey, Gwen Stefani was 25 when No Doubt released "I'm Just a Girl".

I know what you mean, totally. But I do think, sometimes, that fundie men use the term "girl" when referring to a "woman" as a way to demean her or put her in "her place." I hate to even bring this up as an example, but it's the only thing I can think of off the top of my head- and that's how, way back in the day, white men used to call African American men, "boy" as a way to demean them. Now, I do NOT think Chad is doing this with Erin- I'm about 99% sure he's using girl as a term of endearment. For some reason, with him, it seems sweet and not like he's trying to be all patriarchal over a subservient Erin.

I think it's important to look at the context of certain words which are being said, who's saying it, why it's being said and how it's received. In this case, Erin refers to herself as "YG" "Your Girl" when she writes to him in the comments.

[lilith]

I think it's less bothersome cause it's pretty clear that Erin has Chad wrapped round her little finger and won't be the submissive partner in their relationship no matter how much lip service they pay to patriarchy

[Ms Lucy Fur]

Erin's left hand is hidden under that sweater/jacket she's holding. Maybe she is concealing the ring, because you know once he puts it on her finger she's not taking it off. They do look like two people in love and he appears to adore her.

[miffy]

So a 50-year-old virgin would never be considered a woman, always a girl? Nice.

I would have thought fundies would call an unmarried virgin over 30 a spinster.

Unrelated, somebody screen capped my comment and Kelly's reply on the defrauding bates blog post, on Tumblr.

[Guest]

Kelly posted a comment recently that they are not officially engaged, but are planning dates and such. It's probably just more of a formality that Chad is taking the time to really put together. I still think there's something he's hinting toward in his blog...

In other news, Kelly captioned a picture of Jeb with the name Judson, and a commenter called her out on it. And you know what she did? She admitted the commenter was right, said she had been in a hurry, fixed the picture and left the comment (and her response) up. THIS is why people like the Bates more than the Duggars. While they share the same troublesome belief system, they don't pretend to be perfect, nor do they pretend Kelly is the most perfect mother on Earth. They just seem more real and less robotic.

[DarkAnts]

I love the sock bun. It also adds some nice curl for an evening look.

[already hungover]

Honestly, I don't want to sound crotchety, but Chad and Erin kind of freak me out. They're both very young and haven't even spent any time alone getting to know each other*, but they're SO attached already. I get that they love each other now, but if I'd married the first guy I felt like that about, we'd BOTH be really unhappy now, and it's not even 10 years later. I think a lot of people feel the same way. It's like Erin is marrying her junior high boyfriend.

*I don't even really mean Doing It, though for me that is a requirement for "getting to know each other." Ha.

[lilith]

Kelly posted a comment recently that they are not officially engaged, but are planning dates and such. It's probably just more of a formality that Chad is taking the time to really put together. I still think there's something he's hinting toward in his blog...

In other news, Kelly captioned a picture of Jeb with the name Judson, and a commenter called her out on it. And you know what she did? She admitted the commenter was right, said she had been in a hurry, fixed the picture and left the comment (and her response) up. THIS is why people like the Bates more than the Duggars. While they share the same troublesome belief system, they don't pretend to be perfect, nor do they pretend Kelly is the most perfect mother on Earth. They just seem more real and less robotic.

Kelly was a really good sport about the comments on the defrauding pics of her boys, I just can't imagine Michelle being cool with joking like that.

[miffy]

Kelly was a really good sport about the comments on the defrauding pics of her boys, I just can't imagine Michelle being cool with joking like that.

Yeah, she really was a good sport. Kelly is everything Michelle pretends to be.

[fundiefun]

I can't help but like Chad and Erin they seem like a good match for each other. While Chad's blog and writing may come off as silly or immature for his age I find it kind of cute and from the photos and the way he writes about her you can tell he really loves her. That's more that can be said for most fundie courtship couples who aren't even allowed to touch.

[ari_belle]

My husband calls me "his girl" from time to time (but he calls me "my wife" as well) - I like it. :embarrassed:

My boyfriend has a pretty strong African accent and he calls me his girl, but it sounds like "gull." It's sweet, and I find nothing wrong with it. Though I do agree with the poster who said that some fundie men use it to demean women.