It’s no secret that the world blew up when JoJo Siwa publicly announced that she is a member of the LGBTQ+ community earlier this year, but now Siwa is shattering the glass ceiling by being a part of the first-ever same-sex dance pairing on the hit reality show Dancing with the Stars (DWTS).
The official DWTS Twitter account announced that JoJo would be a part of the upcoming cast of season 30 on Aug. 26, 2021, with a video from JoJo herself, where she stated that she was “so excited to be a part of Dancing with the Stars season 30 and to be dancing with a girl.” Tyra Banks, who hosts and is an executive producer of the show, showed her support for JoJo at the critics’ association panel, praising her by saying, “This is life-changing for so many people. Particularly because you are so young doing this. For you to say this is who you are and it’s beautiful, I’m so proud of you.” Tyra is one of many who publicly showed an outpouring of support for JoJo and this massive accomplishment, including the writers and casters of the show.
Siwa started in the spotlight at a very young age with her role on Dance Moms and followed up with her large social media and television presence afterward. She has always been known for her energetic, colorful and quirky personality, showcased through her crazy outfits and big bows that she wore to any red-carpet event, or even just casually. She made her television and dance debut as the youngest contestant and top-5 finalist on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition, before finally making it into the hit show Dance Moms, where she competed starting in season 5 and was eliminated in week 9. After her elimination, JoJo continued her dancing and social influencing career through her heavy media presence, and even embarked on a tour in 2019, visiting over 50 cities across the United States and Canada.
After JoJo came out earlier this year and announced that she was in a happy relationship with another girl, she received an immense amount of support from the LGBTQ+ community and showed so many of her young followers and supporters that your sexuality isn’t something you should have to hide or be afraid of, it’s something you should be able to share without judgment. She became part of a larger movement started by creators before her who shared their stories with the world to inspire the youth of today to be comfortable with themselves and their sexualities, no matter what they may be. Now, JoJo shares stories and social media posts about her partner on various platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, embracing her relationship and sharing her true, unapologetic self.
When influencers with this large of a platform and following share their stories and advocate for marginalized groups in this way, it helps to normalize things such as same-sex couples and make sure they’re equally represented in society. JoJo being part of the first same-sex partnership on Dancing with the Stars just months after coming out to the world is a huge step in the right direction for the LGBTQ+ community and its representation in the media.
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