Comments about JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes on Big Brother aren’t funny, they’re homophobic

This year’s season of Celebrity Big Brother has been incredible television so far, and one of the most wholesome aspects of the show has been watching the development of the gorgeous friendship between unlikely pals Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa. One is a very British Love Island lad, and the other is a permanently viral, high energy, chirpy American lesbian pop star. It’s a random duo, but one that has been a pleasure to watch. That pleasure has taken a sort of miserable turn however as the clips of JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes sharing a bit of platonic affection has people discussing the two of them as if things are turning romantic – and this is straight up homophobic. Let’s call it what it is.

Merely less than a week ago, JoJo Siwa had to endure Mickey Rourke – now removed from the house – tell her that she won’t be a lesbian anymore if he stays longer than four days. In that moment, Chris Hughes defended JoJo Siwa and called Mickey out for his behaviour – which involved him calling her a slur as well as saying he was going to tie her up. The same people who called this out for being a horrible display of homophobia are now joining in a giggly frenzy that implies the two of them are flirting or having some romantic relationship on the horizon.

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It’s upsetting to see that one of the nicest friendships is being made weird. Queer people fight very hard to be treated with respect as the sexuality they identify. Not so much of an issue with gay men as it is with women who identify as lesbian or bisexual – and it’s sad that after the Mickey saga JoJo is getting speculated about.

JoJo has spoken openly about how she is a lesbian, and is in a relationship with her partner outside of the house. It’s weird to me that one bit of affection with a guy in the house has resulted in this baseless speculation. Worse still, it feels like the edit on Big Brother is purposely trying to make it look like there’s a love triangle between Ella, JoJo and Chris – with the former saying she’s unhappy that she hasn’t got as close to him as she thought she was going to.

You don’t have to look hard online to see Facebook groups and tweets debating what’s going on with JoJo and Chris – but the truth is, that nothing is. It’s sad to me that Chris, who we’ve seen form a strong relationship completely platonically before on TV with Kem in the Love Island villa, is under scrutiny here. It’s like people can’t wrap their head around the fact you can be cosied up to your friend and be different sexes without it having a romantic undertone. JoJo and Chris are giddy characters, who wear their hearts on their sleeve. The scenes between JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes on Celebrity Big Brother just read to me as people who’ve got really close – and it shouldn’t be anything more or less.

Obviously, situations would be different if JoJo identified as bisexual. But she has openly described herself as a lesbian in 2021 despite the fact she previously didn’t want to label herself. She said that men are “not her thing”. Sexuality is fluid and it’s no one’s business to decide what she is or what she’s in to – and if JoJo said she is bisexual tomorrow then I’d eat my words. But right now, let her have her friends and express her closeness with them however she wants.

Can we as queer people just exist and do normal things everyone else does without everyone making it weird and discourse-y? FOR ONCE!

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