JoJo Siwa as responded to accusations from Miley Cyrus that she’s gone ‘back in the closet’ after confirming her relationship with Celebrity Big Brother co-star Chris Hughes.

Cyrus, who is herself pansexual, made the comment in a clip promoting Dreamland Pride, saying that she was “going back into the closet to find JoJo Siwa and bring her back out.”

The joke was heavily criticised by many who accused Cyrus, 32 of engaging in ‘bi-erasure‘ – a form of biphobia in which the existence of legitimacy of a person’s bisexuality or pansexuality is questioned or denied.

Queer people who are in opposite-sex relationships, such as Siwa, are particularly susceptible to bi or pan-erasure over assumptions that their relationship somehow undermines their sexuality.

Responding to the Wrecking Ball star’s comment, Siwa said that she didn’t believe Cyrus was “ill-intended,” but that her joke was “just not very good.”

“[The joke was] not what the world, or myself, needs to hear anyday of the week,” she said in an Instagram post.

Siwa, who says she has been a Miley Cyrus fan since “Day 1,” said she has since messaged Cyrus about the situation “light-heartedly,” adding that the singer responded: “All love. Always.”

“Honestly the most beautiful thing I’ve learned in the last five years is that love is a gorgeous rainbow,” Siwa went on. “Don’t question yourself, don’t second guess yourself, just love.

“People judge no matter what, and it can be very hard, especially when it comes from someone you love, and look up to… but if you feel happy and content with yourself, that’s most important.”

Siwa finished by telling fans to “hold onto” their lives and “make it yours,” adding: “Find your happy, and love.”

An array of controversies over the past few weeks, including Cyrus’ comments towards Siwa, have prompted conversations about the prevelance of bi-erasure in the community.

Earlier in June, two pictures of singer Billie Eilish kissing actor Nat Wolff, prompting the search term “Is Billie Eilish really LGBTQ” to start trending.

Some began to falsely claim Eilish had “come out as straight,” while others argued the reaction was a textbook case of bi-erasure.

The 23-year-old has never denied being attracted to men. In 2024, she told Rolling Stone that, while writing the song Lunch, she began to realise she was “in love with girls my whole life.”

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