Honestly, it’s hard to remember a time before the neon bows and the high ponytails. But for a lot of people, the real story didn't start until January 2021. That’s when the world shifted for the Nickelodeon star.
JoJo Siwa coming out wasn't just a headline; it was a massive cultural reset for a kid who had built a billion-dollar empire on being "the girl in the bow." If you were online that week, you saw it. It started with a TikTok. She was lip-syncing to Lady Gaga’s "Born This Way." A few days later, she was wearing a T-shirt that said "Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever."
It felt spontaneous. It felt happy. But looking back from 2026, we can see it was way more complicated than a viral photo.
The Viral Moment That Changed Everything
In early 2021, JoJo was the face of childhood innocence for millions. When she posted that photo, it wasn't just a personal win. It was a business risk. Most people don't realize that right after she came out, things got tense behind the scenes.
She later shared a story about a meeting with a high-level executive at a company she worked for. They asked her a pretty pointed question: "What are you going to tell your young demographic?"
Her response was basically the ultimate mic drop. She said, "The truth."
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The executive apparently rolled his eyes so hard she thought they’d get stuck. It’s a wild reminder that even for a global superstar, being your authentic self isn't always met with a standing ovation in the boardroom.
Why the Labels Kept Changing
One thing people often get wrong about JoJo’s journey is the "label" part. It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster, hasn't it?
- January 2021: She comes out but doesn't want to label it. She just says she's "the happiest I've ever been."
- April 2021: She tells People magazine she's technically pansexual but also uses the word "gay" or "queer."
- Late 2021: She starts using the term "lesbian" more frequently.
- 2025: While on Celebrity Big Brother U.K., she has a heart-to-heart with drag icon Danny Beard. She famously says, "F*** the L, I’m going to the Q."
By mid-2025, she admitted she felt "boxed in" by the lesbian label. She felt pressure from inside the LGBTQ+ community to pick a side and stay there. It’s a nuanced point she made in a YOU Magazine interview—that sometimes, the very community meant to support you can make you feel like you're "betraying" them if your feelings shift.
The "Gay Pop" Era and the 2026 Shift
Fast forward to 2024. JoJo tried to pivot. Hard.
She released "Karma," wore Kiss-inspired face paint, and declared she wanted to start a new genre called "gay pop." The internet... well, the internet wasn't kind. Tegan and Sara and other queer artists pointed out that "gay pop" has existed for decades. It was a messy time.
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But here’s the thing about JoJo: she comes back like a boomerang. Literally.
As of January 2026, she’s rebranded again. She quietly changed her name on TikTok to Joelle Siwa. It feels like a move toward adulthood, stepping away from the "JoJo" persona that was so tied to Nickelodeon and those early coming-out years.
Relationships and the Chris Hughes Factor
Her dating life has been just as public as her career. From her first public relationship with Kylie Prew to her current connection with Love Island alum Chris Hughes, she’s been open about the fact that her happiness doesn't fit a tidy narrative.
When she and Chris went public in June 2025, a lot of people were confused. They asked, "Wait, I thought she was a lesbian?"
This is where Joelle gets real. She’s been very vocal about the fact that sexuality is fluid. She told The Guardian that her connection with Chris was a "beautiful development" that she never expected. It’s a reminder that human beings aren't static. We grow. We change. We meet people who flip our scripts.
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What We Can Actually Learn from All This
If you've been following the JoJo Siwa coming out saga for the last five years, you've seen a girl grow into a woman under the harshest spotlight imaginable.
It’s easy to judge the "gay pop" comments or the name changes. But there’s something genuinely brave about being that messy in public. Most celebrities have a PR team that scrubs every ounce of humanity out of their brand. Joelle? She’s out here making mistakes, changing her mind, and switching her labels in real-time.
Actionable Takeaways from Joelle’s Journey:
- Labels aren't life sentences. If a word fits you today but doesn't fit tomorrow, that’s okay. You don't owe anyone a static identity.
- Authenticity has a cost. Joelle lost fans and had awkward meetings with presidents of companies. She did it anyway.
- Growth requires rebranding. Sometimes you have to shed the "bow" and use your "government name" (Joelle) to find the next version of yourself.
- Ignore the "eye-rollers." Whether it's a corporate boss or a random commenter, their discomfort with your truth is their problem, not yours.
The most important thing to remember is that Joelle is only 22. She’s been famous since she was a toddler. While 2026 looks like a year of "coming back" for her, the real lesson is that she never actually left—she just refused to stay the person we expected her to be.