JoJo Siwa’s friendship with Chris Hughes doesn’t make her any less gay

Of course, sexuality is a spectrum and, for many, it’s fluid (Picture: Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)

‘Some lesbian you are!’ A guttural groan of frustration escaped me as online discourse regarding JoJo Siwa’s Celebrity Big Brother friendship with Chris Hughes raged.

Because that’s simply what it is — a friendship. Alas, it seems many people are incapable of realising this, creating an utterly miserable viewing experience for lesbians like me as a result.

Here’s the thing: one of the most wholesome aspects of Big Brother is how it brings people together who would never have met on the outside and strikes up unlikely connections.

JoJo and Chris are yet another beautiful example of that. In what world would the 21-year-old self-proclaimed CEO of gay pop ever have a chance to chat with the 32-year-old ‘Do you want me to rap, anyone, to lift the mood?’ Love Islander, other than within the walls of the CBB abode?

Since launch night, it’s been clear JoJo and Chris would get on, and it took mere days for them to form a very tactile, loving friendship. 

From cuddling in bed and JoJo allowing Chris to stroke her back to sharing inside jokes, I’ve loved watching them grow close.

It’s been clear JoJo and Chris would get on and it took mere days for them to form a very tactile, loving friendship (Picture: Shutterstock for Big Brother) Get personalised updates on CBB in your inbox

Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.

Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.

But social media has run wild with theories about JoJo not being a ‘real’ lesbian and that she’s ‘so flirty’. 

The suggestion is that she and Chris will become romantic soon enough, and the Karma hitmaker will ditch her partner, Kath Ebbs, upon realising she actually likes men.

As a lesbian myself, this is an exhausting conversation to continue having.

For as long as I can remember, my lesbianism has been scrutinised, debated, and invalidated, as if it’s a conspiracy theory to poke holes in and debunk. As if people are always waiting for that ‘gotcha!’ moment when they can finally declare me straight.

Of course, sexuality is a spectrum, and, for many, it’s fluid. Women can – and do – come out as lesbians before later realising they might be bisexual.