The Impact of Jojo Siwa’s Coming Out

As a pop star and social media influencer, 17-year old Jojo Siwa has been in the public eye for nearly her entire life. Accruing an audience of primarily young children, Siwa’s brand has always been colorful, light-hearted, and entertaining. However, Siwa’s persona shifted as she addressed a more serious topic than usual this past month: her sexuality. 

Siwa hinted at her sexuality on social media platforms such as TikTok various times. According to Vanity Fair, speculation began when Siwa uploaded a TikTok singing along to Lady Gaga’s LGBTQ+ anthem “Born This Way.” In another social media post following this video, Siwa wore a shirt labelled “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever.” which was gifted to her by a family member. At this point, many fans, celebrities, and media outlets had come to the conclusion that Siwa was publicly coming out as queer. Shortly after, Siwa confirmed the rumors by posting a definitive coming-out video on her Instagram. 

The response to Siwa’s coming-out has been overwhelmingly positive. According to CNN, Nickelodeon, Siwa’s primary employer, commented that they have “Never been more proud” of Siwa in an Instagram post. Many of her followers have praised her on social media, and even celebrities such as Lil Nas X and Paris Hilton have advocated their support for Siwa. However, her coming-out has not been without critique. According to CNN, a handful of parents have commented on some of Siwa’s instagram posts, stating their children would never watch her videos again. To those not accepting of her identity, Siwa simply commented, “Okay!” with her usual positivity. 

Siwa’s coming-out has set a new precedent in the media. As one of the few visible queer celebrities catering to a younger audience, Siwa has given younger LGBTQ+ individuals somebody to look up to. She has also made the process of coming-out more approachable for many. In an interview with CNN, Siwa remarked, "I think coming out has this stigma around it, that it's a really, really, really scary thing. It's not anymore. There's so many accepting and loving people out there. Of course people are gonna say it's not normal, but it's your normal." 

Siwa expressed her excitement over the positive response to her coming-out in an interview with Jimmy Fallon. “I’m just so happy because now I get to share what makes me happiest with the world and it makes my heart so happy,” Siwa enthused. She also revealed her relationship with a long-distance girlfriend during the show, admitting that she cried prior to the interview as she had not predicted such immense support. Although Siwa herself never could have predicted such an impact, it is clear that her coming-out has taken a huge step in normalizing the growing diversity of sexual orientation and encouraging many to be their most authentic selves.