In January of 2021, JoJo Siwa came out as gay, to the delight of millions.
The past twelve months have been busy for her, as she made Dancing With The Stars history and more.
Now, one year has passed since JoJo came out.
In a thoughtful and impassioned post, she marked the milestone in the sweetest way.
“In the last 365 days I’ve felt more love than ever,” JoJo wrote on Instagram on January 22.
“A year ago today I posted this picture,” she noted of her Best Gay Cousin Ever shirt.
“And,” JoJo acknowledged, “shared with the world that I was gay.”
“I get asked a lot ‘was coming out scary for you’…” JoJo acknowledged.
“And the answer,” she confirmed, “is yes of course.”
JoJo explained that “anything that’s different about you is scary.”
“However… it’s what makes me… me,” JoJo affirmed.
“So,” she reasoned, “I had no fear with sharing it with the world.”
“I also get asked a lot ‘your demographic is so young are you worried about telling kids your gay,'” JoJo noted.
“…. Truthfully I feel like I was put on this earth to be a role model for kids,” JoJo sweetly shared.
“And letting all the kids of the world know that loving everyone for who they are no matter what,” she said.
JoJo continued: “is something that I will always believe in and always share.”
“Please never forget that no matter who you are,” JoJo implored her fans and followers.
“What you look like,” she listed, “who you LOVE.”
JoJo strongly emphasized “that you are absolutely perfect.”
“Thank you for showing me the most love throughout this year,” JoJo expressed.
“And,” she continued, “throughout my entire life.”
“I love you all,” JoJo concluded her heartfelt and touching post.
JoJo is an entertainment superstar with tens of millions of followers on social media.
Having been a dancer, singer, and performer since she was a young child, she enjoys a massive audience.
JoJo has been selling out stadiums full of children wherever she goes.
JoJo coming out was monumental — and frankly, it still is.
Obviously, first and foremost, coming out is the best thing for JoJo’s own mental and emotional health and happiness.
Like Lil’ Nas X before her, JoJo coming out is extra important because of young LGBTQ+ fans whom she can inspire.
Just a little over a decade ago, the solidly mainstream view in this country was that same-sex couples weren’t fully deserving of basic human rights.
Even now, discussion of sexuality, gender, and race is being politicized by the most sinister forces in America, banned from classrooms and libraries by vicious malefactors.
It’s not 2004 anymore, but anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry continues to thrive and push back against people for simply existing.
That is why JoJo coming out matters to others — because she can inspire young fans to love themselves instead of living with self-hatred.
She is also probably the first “coming out” story that some of her young, straight fans have ever seen.
That will help them to be better friends, allies, and family members to their LGBTQ+ peers. JoJo has made a wonderful difference.
