JoJo Siwa defends saying she no longer identifies as lesbian after Celebrity Big Brother backlash

1 May 2025, 12:39 | Updated: 1 May 2025, 12:40

JoJo Siwa defends saying she no longer identifies as lesbian on Celebrity Big Brother. Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic, ITV

By Sam Prance

JoJo Siwa came out as queer on Celebrity Big Brother but her some of her comments sparked controversy online.

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JoJo Siwa has opened up about why she no longer identifies as a lesbian. She's also addressed the backlash that she faced from the lesbian community over her comments about coming out as queer while on Celebrity Big Brother.

Last month (Apr 22), JoJo Siwa made headlines after she stated that she was queer on Celebrity Big Brother. Talking to her fellow housemate, Danny Beard, JoJo said: "I feel, like, so queer, do you know what I mean? I think that’s the thing, I’ve always told myself I’m a lesbian. I think being here I’ve realised, ‘Oh, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer'."

JoJo ended the conversation by adding: "I’m switching letters! F--- the L, I’m going to the Q! That’s what I love about sexuality." For the most part, fans praised JoJo for candidly discussing how she feels about her sexuality but other people accused her of being insensitive to the lesbian community with her "F--- the L" comment.

Now, JoJo has clarified what she meant by her remarks and explained how she identifies in a candid new interview.

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Appearing on The Viall Files, JoJo said: "Did I say f--- being a lesbian? I don't remember saying that." She continued: "Danny and I had had loads of conversations about being queer and gender identity and it was beautiful and I come out of the house to see that [backlash]. I see the lesbian community coming at me, saying, 'How dare you!'"

JoJo then explained: "First of all, let's clarify a couple different things here. Sexuality is fluid. Gender identity is fluid. You can be one thing today and one thing tomorrow. People saying to me that I have never been a lesbian is crazy. I fell in love with a female at age 17. I have a very special place [in my heart] for her."

She added: "Why is it not okay to say that I feel more queer now when the whole thing in the LGBTQIA community is [that] sexuality is fluid. I came out as pansexual. Then, I came out as a lesbian. Then I was like, maybe I'm bisexual. I was like you know what I think I'm just gay. Now I think I'm just queer."

JoJo ended by saying: "I can just exist. No one can decide my sexuality. Not even me. I can't help what I feel. I can't help who I fall for...I don't need to be in a box."

As well as her sexuality, JoJo questioned her gender identity while on CBB. Talking to her close friend and housemate Chris Hughes, she said: "Essentially, you have female, you have male. I’ve met a lot of females, love them, don’t feel like them. Met a lot of males, love them, definitely not them."

She added: "Met a lot of people in my life that are non-binary, and these beautiful non-binary people are who I feel the most like and… I don’t know, it’s not something I want to say about myself yet."