JoJo Siwa on backlash from queer fans over Chris Hughes relationship: ‘My own family has turned a little bit’
Even as their relationship blossoms, Siwa has encountered online harassment and public ridicule from some within the queer community
By Callum Wells
JoJo Siwa has candidly discussed the backlash she has faced from some of her queer fans since embarking on a relationship with Love Island star Chris Hughes.
Speaking on the Reign with Josh Smith podcast, Siwa revealed the emotional toll of the criticism, stating, “It is hard because it feels like my own family has turned a little bit.”
The couple met in April 2025 during their time on Celebrity Big Brother UK. Their connection deepened quickly, and by June, Siwa confirmed their relationship, describing it as “not platonic anymore”.
“We are the LGBTQIA+ family, not the LG community” – JoJo Siwa on recognising queer diversity
Even as their relationship blossoms, Siwa has encountered online harassment and public ridicule from some within the queer community.
She said: “It is hard because it feels like my own family has turned a little bit. And I think we are the LGBTQIA+ family, not the LG community, and it’s a beautiful rainbow and the number one saying of the queer community is love is love. And that goes both ways… just because I am in a heterosexual relationship that doesn’t discredit my past.”
The Dance Moms alum, who initially identified as pansexual and later as a lesbian, now embraces the term “queer” to describe her fluid sexuality. In her conversation with the podcaster, she emphasised the importance of allowing individuals to love who they love without judgment.
She admitted: “I dunno how open or vulnerable I should honestly speak about this, but a part of me, when I meet somebody like yourself who is open, who is very obviously queer, a guard comes up because I immediately go, ‘do they like me or do they hate me? Does he already have a preconceived opinion of me? Is he on the side of the internet, that is, ooh, she’s a horrible person?’
“I think people need to watch it because I can take it, but other people can’t” – Siwa warns trolls about targeting people online
“Women holding hands, women cuddling together in public, I see them see me and I see them laugh, I see them point, I see them roll their eyes. Now I see them come up to me and take a photo and run away. I see them flip me off while I’m driving. I see them.”
Siwa recounted an incident where someone stood outside her studio for two minutes with their middle finger raised, highlighting the unexpected cruelty she has faced.
She remarked: “That, to me, has made me be so aware, I guess, of how brutal hate can be and how brutal bullying can be from outside the community and from within, inside the community. I think people need to watch it because I can take it, but other people can’t, and that’s tough. Be aware that other people can’t take it. It’s fun to bully me. I’ll give it to people. It’s very fun to bully me. They have a good time doing it. I make it easy for them. But the thing is people know that I can take it, so they know they can punch, they know they can have fun with it…
“She is bisexual. She’s not now straight just because she’s with me” – Chris Hughes defending his girlfriend
“If I meet somebody that is clearly, openly in the LGBTQIA+ community, a guard comes up very quickly, and I just gauge – really quick – and then it comes down. It’s fascinating, and I’ve met people that are on the wrong side of it, and it’s hard because it’s just uncomfortable.”
Hughes has been a staunch ally, defending Siwa against the backlash.
In a recent interview with The Sun’s Fabulous magazine, he stated, “She is bisexual. She’s not now straight just because she’s with me,” noting that it upsets him to see Siwa subjected to hate online.