Miley Cyrus is known for her wild sense of humor, but not everyone was laughing this weekend after she made a questionable joke about JoJo Siwa’s sexuality during a Pride celebration. The internet, as expected, had thoughts, and they came in hot.
It all went down at the Dreamland Pride Festival, where Miley Cyrus was spreading her usual high-energy love and support. In a video shared from the event, the 32-year-old singer opened up about coming out. She also shaded Siwa in the process, per Page Six.
“Enjoy coming out of the closet if this Pride is the time for you,” she stated., “Alright, I’m going back to get some more pretzels and find JoJo Siwa and bring her back out.”
While Miley may have thought the comment was cheeky and lighthearted, many felt it missed the mark, especially considering both she and JoJo are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Some fans were quick to point out that Miley’s comment implied JoJo had somehow gone back into the closet, just because she’s now in a relationship with a man.
Miley Cyrus Takes Heat For JoJo Siwa Joke During Pride Celebration
One user on X wrote, “I adore Miley but this isn’t OK. JoJo never went back into the closet, SHE’S STILL QUEER!! Again, JoJo being with Chris doesn’t erase or change her attraction to women.” That message summed up the reaction of many who felt the joke, however well-intentioned, reinforced the very outdated idea that queer identity disappears when someone dates outside their “expected” gender preference. “This is so crazy,” another said.
Others defended Miley, arguing she was clearly just joking. “It was Pride, it was a silly moment, and Miley’s always been a huge LGBTQ supporter,” one fan posted. “Let’s not cancel people for one offhand joke.”
But for some in the LGBTQ+ community, especially those who identify as bisexual or pansexual, this situation hit a nerve. There’s long been a frustrating stereotype that queer people in opposite-gender relationships are somehow “less” queer or no longer part of the community. That belief can be invalidating — and for JoJo Siwa, it’s not new.
Siwa, 22, has always been open about her evolving identity since coming out in 2021. “I still don’t know what I am. It’s like, I want to figure it out,” she told People at the time. “Technically I would say that I am pansexual because that’s how I have always been my whole life is just, like, my human is my human.”
Most recently, JoJo addressed her sexuality again while appearing on Celebrity Big Brother UK. After splitting with girlfriend Kath Ebbs, she began a romance with Love Island alum Chris Hughes. In a confessional, she said, “I think being here, I’ve realized, ‘Oh no, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer.’ I think that’s really cool. I’m switching letters!”
JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes Recently Went Public With Their Romance
JoJo later confirmed the relationship wasn’t just platonic, saying, “I’m absolutely head over heels for him and he’s the same way.”
Meanwhile, Miley has been publicly out as pansexual since 2016 and is generally seen as an ally and member of the LGBTQ+ community. Which is likely why this moment caught people off guard and stirred up so much discussion.
Neither Miley Cyrus nor JoJo Siwa has commented publicly about the incident yet, and maybe they never will. But the reaction makes one thing clear: jokes about queer identity, even from fellow queer celebrities, can still sting especially when they touch on persistent misconceptions. And while it may have just been a tossed-off line during a Pride celebration, the internet never forgets.
Kenna Raye 
Kendra Quinn 
