Miley Cyrus has sparked criticism for making a joke about JoJo Siwa’s sexuality.
Siwa, 22, who previously labeled herself a lesbian, recently confirmed she is dating her male Celebrity Big Brother co-star Chris Hughes.
Over the weekend, Cyrus, 32, who identifies as pansexual, addressed Siwa’s new relationship in a pre-recorded video played at WorldPride 2025 in Washington, D.C.
In the clip, the former Disney star is seen standing in front of a pantry. “Oh my God, I haven’t been in there since the sixth grade,” she quips. “Enjoy coming out of the closet if this Pride is the time for you. It’s Miley, I just want to tell you to have an amazing World Pride.”
Looking to someone off camera, she asks: “Is it a month?! It should be a year, it should be infinite.”
Before closing herself in the closet, Cyrus jokes: “Alright, I’m going back in to get some more pretzels and find JoJo Siwa and bring her back out.”
The Hannah Montana star’s light-hearted jab has divided fans online, with some finding it “weird.”
“Telling someone who found love with a man to go back out of the closet from someone twice her age. It’s just weird,” one person wrote on X.
“Bi women being biphobic is so weird lol,” a second agreed.
‘I'm going back to the closet to find Jojo Siwa & bring her back out’ MILEY 😭 pic.twitter.com/QIP8BlJAOH
— Miley Cyrus Updates (@MileyCyrusBz) June 8, 2025
“I love Miley but this isn’t funny at all,” a third argued, with a fourth adding: “Love is love, can we just let bi people live!?”
Others came to Cyrus’s defense, reminding people it was “just a joke.”
“Y’all forget that Miley has also dated men and women, she isn’t ‘clocking’ anyone for being fake or making fun of bi people or dismissing bi/pan people etc,” they said. “Miley is not being biphobic here.”
“She’s so effortlessly funny,” a second praised, while another laughed: “lol even Miley is fed up with [Siwa and Hughes].”
The Independent has contacted Siwa and Cyrus’s representatives for comment.
Siwa and former Love Island star Hughes, 32, competed on season 24 of the British reality show Celebrity Big Brother. During the series, the two developed a close friendship and were often filmed cuddling. Their bond sparked viewer speculation that their relationship had romantic undertones.
The two initially spent weeks denying the rumours, claiming their friendship was “platonic.” However, they have since confirmed that they are now dating.
Speaking to The Guardian last week, the former Dance Moms star revealed that she was “head over heels” for Hughes.
“It’s not platonic any more, and it’s been a beautiful development, a beautiful connection, and I’m absolutely head over heels for him and he’s the same way,” Siwa said.
In an April episode of Celebrity Big Brother, Siwa told fellow housemate Danny Beard that she’s no longer a lesbian.
“I’ve always been afraid of feeling ‘queer.’ Like, I always said ‘lesbian,’ right? But I feel, like, so queer,” she explained. “I think I’ve always told myself I’m a lesbian, and I think being here I’ve realized, ‘Oh, I’m not a lesbian, I’m queer.’ And I think that’s really cool.
“I’m switching letters! F*** the L, I’m going to the Q,” she added, referring to the LGBTQ abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer people. “That’s what I love about sexuality.”
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