Jojo Siwa: A Voice for LGBTQ+ Youth

Jojo Siwa made her debut in 2013 on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition and immediately became a reality TV personality, known for wearing vibrant colors as well as her signature high-pony and sparkly bow. Jojo first appeared on the popular show Dance Moms in 2015 when she auditioned to join the ALDC team in the episode, “Abby Strikes Back.” Since her start, Siwa has always spoken out about being true to herself, and despite the online haters that mocked her style and bows, she always managed to be a positive influence on her fans. Recently, Jojo Siwa was listed as one of the 100 most influential people in 2020 for Time Magazine. Jojo is unique in that her target audience is aged 6 to 12, and her messages can create a lasting impact on this next generation. That is why Jojo Siwa recently coming out as part of the LGBTQ+ community is incredibly inspiring and important.

Jojo came out in January 2021 by posing a TikTok including Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.” Commenters only speculated if this was her coming out until she posted another video explaining that she did not have a label yet and was still exploring how she felt about her label. She also confirmed it by posting a picture on her Instagram story sporting a shirt saying “Best Gay Cousin Ever.” A big influence on her coming out was her girlfriend! Jojo did not only come out to fans but also spoke about the positive influence her girlfriend had on her feeling comfortable enough to come out to the public.

Jojo coming out has given a voice to LGBTQ+ youth by reinforcing her message of being true to yourself. Recently, Jojo Siwa appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show and spoke about her coming out. On the show, she says “...but if I’ve lost everything that I’ve created because of being myself and because of loving who I want to love, I don’t want it.” Coming out as one of the world’s most influential people and having a majority of her fanbase being younger, she has continued her message of positivity. LGBTQ+ youth can look at her as an idol for confidence and being true to themselves. Just like any other celebrity in the spotlight, people can look up to her as someone they strive to be someday. Someone who is courageous enough to be themselves.

Image source:

https://time.com/5658430/jojo-siwa/