Before stepping on the dance floor, actress and YouTube personality JoJo Siwa is already making history — as the first Dancing with the Stars contestant to be matched with a same-sex partner.
"I am so excited to be a part of 'Dancing With the Stars,' Season 30, and to be dancing with a girl," Siwa said in a tweet. "I think it's so cool."
Siwa's partner will be introduced on the season premiere airing on Sept. 20.
"I think it's cool. I think it breaks a wall that's never been done before," Siwa said during this year's Television Critics Association virtual summer press tour.
"I think it's really special that I get to share with the world that you can love who you love, but now you can dance with who you want to dance with," she said.
Bring on the sequins and the sparkles. ✨ We’re SIWA excited for this! 🎀 #DWTS @itsjojosiwa pic.twitter.com/mzwezAm0An
— Dancing with the Stars #DWTS (@DancingABC) August 26, 2021
Siwa, 18, opened up about her sexuality this January over a series of posts on TikTok and Instagram, saying she's "happy that the world gets to see this side of [her] life."
Siwa has over 60.5 million followers across her social media pages and over 3.6 billion views on YouTube. Last year, Siwa was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People.
The remaining 13 celebrities for Dancing With The Stars will be announced on Sept. 8 on ABC's Good Morning America.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
