JoJo Siwa has shared new insights into her evolving understanding of her sexuality, revealing that she “never thought it was possible” she would date a man before meeting her partner, Chris Hughes. The couple, who met as costars on the UK edition of Celebrity Big Brother in 2025, have been together for over a year.
From Lesbian Label to Pansexual Identity
Siwa, who previously identified publicly as a lesbian after coming out, explained that she initially felt pressured to adopt a specific label. During an appearance on the Wildmen podcast on September 8, hosted by Dylan Sprouse and Brendan Columbus, she detailed the complexity of her journey.
“I put the label pansexual on it. Then it was confusing. And so, I was like, ‘All right, I’ll be a lesbian.’ But I said, ‘OK, I’ll be gay. It’s just easier to say gay but I’m a lesbian if we all need to know the technical terms.”
After further reflection prompted by her relationship with Hughes, Siwa said she now embraces a broader definition.
“I just am the umbrella term of queer or pansexual, because yeah, I fell in love with a boy. Here we are.”
Unexpected Attraction on Celebrity Big Brother
Siwa described her past perspective on men as one of total disinterest, a stance she discussed candidly with the podcast hosts.
“I’ve always been grossed out by dudes,” she told hosts Dylan Sprouse and Brendan Columbus. “I’ve been talking about my boy best friends. They are conventionally hot men, right?”
She acknowledged that while she could objectively recognize male attractiveness, she had never experienced a romantic spark—until Hughes.
“Chris is a very conventionally hot dude,” she said. “[But] I thought [he] was just another friend. Once I realized that I wasn’t grossed out by the thought of him being a boy, I was like, ‘Whoa.’ It was weird because I’d never thought that before.”
‘I Never Thought It Was Possible’
The realization marked a significant shift for the entertainer, who admitted the development caught her completely off guard.
“I just never thought it was possible,” she said. “And people always say, ‘Oh, you know what if something happened with Chris, who would you date? Would you go for boys or girls?’ “And I say, ‘Well, at this point, I have no right to say.’ You can find interviews of me where I have sworn on how gross dudes are and I’ll never be with one and how I’m head over heels in love with one’.”
She emphasized the unique nature of her connection with Hughes.
“I really do think that Chris is very much so the special dude.”
Embracing the Journey of Self-Discovery
Siwa previously expanded on these themes in an interview with The Guardian, framing her experience as a testament to the fluidity of identity. She highlighted the value in allowing oneself the space to evolve.
“There’s a lot of different sexual identitie. I think there’s nothing more beautiful than somebody discovering themselves.”
