JoJo Siwa is setting the record straight about how she came out, and how complicated that journey has been.
The 22-year-old performer, known for her breakout on Dance Moms and her bold, glittery personality, recently shared that she felt pressured into calling herself a lesbian after first coming out as pansexual.
In an interview with the Daily Mail's YOU Magazine published June 20, Siwa reflected on the experience: “When I came out at 17, I said, ‘I’m pansexual, because I don’t care.’ But then I kind of boxed myself in and said, ‘I’m a lesbian.’ And I think I did that because of pressure.”
She explained that the pressure didn’t just come from fans or the media, it came from people close to her, and even from within the LGBTQ+ community itself. “From people I know, from partners I’ve had,” she said.
“You just get put in this world where you feel like, because you now have said, ‘Oh, I’m a lesbian,’ you have to be a lesbian. And the truth is, sexuality is fluid,” she added.
Siwa first came out publicly in 2021 and was widely celebrated for her honesty. But as she's continued growing (both personally and publicly) her understanding of her own identity has also evolved.
While appearing on Celebrity Big Brother UK earlier this year, Siwa had another breakthrough moment.
Chatting with RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alum Danny Beard, she shared: “I feel, like, so queer, do you know what I mean? I’ve always told myself I’m a lesbian, and I think being here I’ve realized: ‘Oh, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer.’ And I think that’s really cool.”
She added: “I’ve dropped the L and I’ve gone to the Q, baby! That’s what I love about sexuality.”
In the midst of all this self-discovery, Siwa’s love life has also made headlines. She’s now dating Love Island UK alum Chris Hughes, 32, a connection that began while filming Big Brother together.
There were whispers that her new relationship may have sparked some tension with former partner Kath Ebbs, who identifies as non-binary.
Ebbs hinted at some hard feelings in a now-deleted TikTok shortly after the show’s finale: “I have opinions,” they said.
“I’m not gonna say them now. In terms of their relationship, that’s their journey, enjoy.”
Siwa confirmed the new romance in a June 2 interview with The Guardian: “It’s not platonic anymore, and it’s been a beautiful development, a beautiful connection, and I’m absolutely head over heels for him, and he’s the same way.”
As for her labels? She’s learned they don’t define her, and she’s okay with that.