JoJo Siwa has revealed she has a girlfriend.
The 17-year-old star, who came out as part of the LGBTQ community in January, appeared on Wednesday's episode of "The Tonight Show" and spoke to host Jimmy Fallon about coming out publicly to her legions of followers.
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Siwa told Fallon that she was making TikTok videos with an LGBTQ account called Pride House, including one set to Paramore’s “Ain’t It Fun” that she thought would let people know her orientation. She also had followers speculating some more when she released a TikTok video of herself dancing to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.”
“I was like, ‘I think this is gonna out me,’” she said. “And I was like, ‘I don’t really mind because it is true.’ I do have the most amazing, wonderful, perfect, most beautiful girlfriend in the whole world. It’s not something I’m ashamed of. I just haven’t shown the internet yet.”
Siwa said her girlfriend had her back during her decision to come out.
“I was on FaceTime with her and we were talking about it, and we were talking about all of the love that came in and technically I still hadn't confirmed it," she said.
The social media star would later post a photo of herself in a T-shirt that read, “Best. Gay. Cousin. Ever,” a move that Siwa’s girlfriend supported too.
"She was super encouraging. She was, like, 'Do it!' And I was like, 'All right,’ and I did it.'"
Siwa also said she talked to her girlfriend about the challenges that go along with coming out, noting it’s a leap of faith she’s glad she took.
"I was like, 'Technically that was a really big risk that I took posting that,’” she said.
“And she’s like, ‘Why? Because you could’ve lost everything?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah. But 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. That's one of the most important things to me."
Siwa, who said she and her girlfriend are on the phone “24/7,” also explained feeling a sense of relief.
"About 10 minutes before I came out to do this interview today, I was, again, on the phone with my girl and I started crying, and she's like, 'What's wrong with you?'" she said.
"I'm like, '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.'"
Siwa is thrilled with the people who have rallied to her side.
"I'm really happy," she said in an Instagram Live last month. "Now that the world gets to see this side of my life ... it makes me really, really, really happy. I have been happy in this land for a minute now and now that I get to share that with the world now, it's just ... it's awesome."
And while her professional life has taken center stage, Siwa told Fallon there is another stage she would like to take.
“My biggest dream, and it’s coming up this weekend, is to play the Super Bowl, to do the halftime show at the Super Bowl. I have seen every single one of them,” she said, joking that she can envision herself performing, even if it takes some time.
"I might be 80 years old. 'Coming to you live from JoJo Siwa's death bed.' Here we go!" she joked.