JoJo Siwa says ‘super encouraging girlfriend’ helped her come out

JoJo Siwa has revealed that she was encouraged to come out by her “beautiful” girlfriend.

Last month, the YouTuber and children’s TV star tweeted a picture of herself wearing a t-shirt reading: “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever” following months of speculation about her sexuality.

Siwa, 17, was then flooded with support from her fans and a number of high-profile celebrities, including Lil Nas X and Sir Ian McKellen.

Appearing on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Wednesday (3 February), the singer revealed that she’d been filming videos with a group of LGBTQ+ TikTok creators called the Pride House before sharing the picture, which she suspected was going to “out” her anyway.

“I don’t really mind because it is true, I do have the most amazing, wonderful, perfect, most beautiful girlfriend in the whole world,” she said.

While the speculation continued to rise as Siwa posted a number of LGBTQ+-themed TikToks – including one dancing to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” – she was encouraged to fully come out with the support of her girlfriend.

“One day I was on FaceTime with my girlfriend… and I was like, ‘I kind of just want to post this picture on my [Instagram] Story.’”

Read more: JoJo Siwa says she’s ‘never been this happy before’ after coming out

Siwa continued: “She was super encouraging, she was like, ‘do it’ and I was like, ‘alright’ and I did it… [then went] back to FaceTiming with her.”

Admitting that it had been “risky” to post the picture, Siwa explained: “If I lost everything that I’ve created because of being myself and because of loving who I want to love, I don’t want it. That’s not what I want if I can’t love who I want to love, it’s one of the most important things to me.

“I’m just so happy because now I get to share what makes me the happiest with the world and it makes my heart so happy.”