When Cyrus did come out to fans, she was already exploring more adult themes in her music. But Siwa, whose bedroom is outfitted with 4,000 pounds of candy, is telegraphing to the world that being a kid and being queer are not incompatible. Of course, so many of us already know that to be true, but there has never been a star as young and famous that fans could point to as an example.
Though Siwa is 17, much of her fanbase is even younger, and she may be the first person they hear saying it’s okay to be who they are — even if they’re not sure who that is yet. “Right now what matters is that you guys know that no matter who you love, that it’s okay,” Siwa told viewers on IG. “It’s awesome and the world is there for you. There are so many people that are there for you.” Siwa also told fans that she’s not ready to use specific labels yet, setting an example that coming out is both different for every individual and a process that can take time.
“When LGBTQ+ young people are able to see themselves and their stories authentically represented, it can offer them perspective on how to cope with the real struggles they’re facing, while also helping them envision a brighter future,” says Tia Dole, PhD, chief clinical operations officer at The Trevor Project, the world’s largest suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ+ youth. According to The Trevor Project’s research, over 80% of youth said that celebrities who are LGBTQ+ positively impact how they feel about being queer themselves.
One especially compelling message circulating online comes from the TikTok account team2moms. “Even though I’m 9, I know what it means to come out, it means for someone to be themselves normally,” the young girl in the video says. “It’s especially great to see because I’m a kid being raised by two moms.” On Twitter, many users were inspired by the words. Some imagined what it would have meant to have someone like Siwa come out then they were kids.
“As one of the most influential young role models today, JoJo’s story is a reminder for LGBTQ youth to love who they are and to find safe and welcoming environments to speak out,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement.
And it’s not just organizations that support LGBTQ+ rights and visibility that are expressing their support for Siwa. Perhaps most significantly, Nickelodeon, Siwa’s main creative and corporate partner, officially congratulated her, too.
Historically, stars who’ve remained closeted in Hollywood have done so for fear of jeopardizing their careers. For a massive children’s network to vocalize support for one of its stars coming out is the sort of milestone that will be talked about for years to come.
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