JoJo Siwa Explained Why She Prefers To Identify As "Gay" Rather Than "Lesbian"
"Whenever someone talks to me about my sexuality, I just say that I'm gay."
After getting a bit of backlash for saying she doesn’t like the word “lesbian,” JoJo Siwa took to TikTok to clarify her comments. In her video on July 29, the 19-year-old explained why she prefers the term “gay” rather than “lesbian” in reference to her sexuality. It’s very clear in JoJo Siwa’s TikTok about the words “gay” vs. “lesbian” that her preference isn’t as serious as fans initially thought it was: the Dance Moms star simply dislikes the sound of the word “lesbian,” and added that she would never call “lesbian” a “dirty word,” because “it is not.”
The whole thing began when Yahoo! Life published an interview with Siwa on July 25 that sparked criticism from some fans. In the interview, Siwa spoke about identifying as LGBTQ+ after coming out to the public in January 2021, and made comments about preferring not to use the term “lesbian.” “I don't like the word itself,” she told Yahoo! Life. “It's just like a lot... it's like the word ‘moist.’ It's just like... ugh!”
Unfortunately, that quote was misconstrued by some of Siwa’s fans, who thought she was calling the lesbian identity negative rather than just the word itself. After noticing comments alleging that Siwa was calling “lesbian” a “dirty word,” she posted a TikTok video to clarify everything. In the video, Siwa spoke directly to the camera: “I never said that 'lesbian' was a dirty word,” Siwa said. “I never would say that it's a dirty word because it is not.”
Siwa continued by explaining that “lesbian” is “not a bad word, it's not a slur, it's especially not a word that I am ashamed of saying or ashamed of identifying as by any means.”
Siwa wrapped up the TikTok sharing that she prefers to identify herself with the term “gay” rather than “lesbian,” solely due to how the words sound and no other connotation. “I don't hate the word lesbian, whenever someone talks to me about my sexuality I just say that I'm gay,” she said. “It's not the word that flows off the tongue for me, if that makes sense.”
Since coming out at the start of 2021, Siwa has shared she’s been hesitant about assigning labels to her sexuality. Clearly, she’s taken some steps on her journey, and is finding out what works for her and what doesn’t.
