JoJo Siwa ‘Lost a Lot’ When She Came Out at 17

JoJo Siwa "lost a lot" after coming out aged 17.

The 20-year-old dancer and social media star, who came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in 2021, admitted at the time she "didn't understand why that was scary" and "what a big deal" it was being part of the first ever same-sex couple on Dancing With the Stars the same year.

Speaking on her new podcast JoJo Siwa Now, she said: "Of course there was a lot of positivity and love and acceptance but then there was a lot of negativity, and I did lose a lot.

"I didn't care, and I still don't care [about] the things I lost and the people that I lost and if I lost a chunk of fans... because it's who I am."

The former Dance Moms star recalled a phone call when she decided she wanted to "come out to the world."

She explained: "I remember I was on the phone with my girlfriend at the time and I was like, 'I think I want to come out to the world,' and she was like, 'OK, do it.'

"So then I posted this picture and threw it on my Instagram Story, and that's how I confirmed it."

JoJo "didn't think twice" about any potential backlash, and she insisted anyone who "didn't like" her after the announcement weren't meant to be a fan in the first place.

She added: "I created my career off of being genuine and if you didn't like me because on January whatever I was straight and January the next day I was gay, then you're not meant to like me anyways.

"I just try to really, really be genuine, really be who I am."

JoJo recently admitted she "craves" being in a relationship and has taken a different approach to dating now after her previous romances with the likes of TikTok stars Avery Cyrus and Katie Mills failed to work out.

Speaking to Raven-Symone and her wife Miranda Maday on their podcast The Best Podcast Ever, she said: "I just fantasize about having it for myself, like it's all I want.

"I'm such a lover, and I don't have somebody to love, and I crave it so much.

"I found myself just being attracted to the first thing and being really OK with the first thing and not having any sort of standards. I've been better about it, but I just want it so bad."