JoJo Siwa Reveals She Felt Obligated to Publicly Identify as a Lesbian: ‘It Felt Like I Put Myself in a Corner’
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Siwa came out as a lesbian around the time she met her current boyfriend, Chris Hughes, during their time on ‘Celebrity Big Brother U.K.’
JoJo Siwa Reflects on Her Coming Out Journey and Evolving Identity
JoJo Siwa is sharing new insights into her coming out journey and how she’s come to better understand her identity.
In a recent interview with YOU Magazine from the Daily Mail, the former Dance Moms star spoke candidly about the pressures she felt when publicly identifying as a lesbian.
“When I came out at 17, I initially said I was pansexual because gender wasn’t something I cared about,” Siwa, now 22, explained. “But later, I labeled myself as a lesbian, and I think that was influenced by pressure I was feeling at the time.”
She went on to say that the pressure didn’t come from society at large, but often stemmed from within the LGBTQ+ community itself.
“It was a strange kind of pressure,” she shared. “It came from people I knew, and even from past partners. Once you publicly say, ‘I’m a lesbian,’ it can feel like you have to stay in that box. But the reality is that sexuality can change — it’s fluid.”
Back in 2021, Siwa publicly came out as part of the LGBTQ+ community. However, her understanding of her identity evolved further during her stint on Celebrity Big Brother U.K., where she met her current boyfriend, Chris Hughes.
During a conversation on the show with co-star and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK alum Danny Beard, Siwa opened up again about her feelings: “I feel super queer — does that make sense?” she said. “I always told myself I was a lesbian, but being here made me realize: ‘Oh, maybe I’m not — I’m queer.’ And that feels really good.”
She joked about the shift in labels, saying, “I’m switching letters — dropping the L and going with the Q! That’s what I love about sexuality.”
Beard, 33, responded with a laugh, “You are Q, honey. And you know us Brits love a good queue!”
After filming for CBB ended, Siwa and her then-partner Kath Ebbs, who identifies as non-binary, decided to part ways.
Not long after, Siwa and Hughes, 32, began sharing glimpses of their friendship online, including photos from a vacation in Mexico, one of which featured the two cuddling closely.