We need to talk about Jojo Siwa
A look at Jojo Siwa’s connection to groomers
I first heard of JoJo Siwa all the way back in 2013 when she made her way into the public eye, bow in full view, on Abby’s Ultimate Dance Competition. I was a huge Dance Moms kid and I was excited when she joined the show in 2015. I watched the “Boomerang” music video the day it came out. I was excited for her when she came out as queer in 2021. As someone who has followed JoJo for a long time, all I can say right now is: what the fuck JoJo?
Siwa has always had strange relationships with adults. Her mother, Jessalyn, always said that she knew Siwa was going to be a star. Siwa isn’t even a real blonde, her mother has been bleaching her hair since she was two years old. To this day, Siwa defends Abby Lee Miller, who was her coach on Dance Moms.
I have previously written articles on Miller and how she portrayed herself on Dance Moms, including decisions she made. Many dances on the show were racist and Miller has been called out for racism several times. Miller was sued by a child because of how emotionally abusive she is to children, yet Siwa continues to defend Miller. Miller went to prison for money-related charges and Siwa still defends her.
Siwa was 12 when she became friends with Colleen Ballinger, who was recently canceled for grooming minors and inappropriate group-chats with minors in which she asked kids about their virginity, and more. I recently wrote an article delving deeper into Ballinger’s cancellation if you want more specifics.
Ballinger was 27 when she became friends with the 12 year old Siwa. When Siwa was 13, Ballinger called Siwa ‘porn’ in a YouTube video for clothes Siwa wore while dancing, stating that “she doesn’t know what she’s doing, she’s a child” when Siwa danced, showing that Ballinger knew she was a child.
Ballinger then showed herself birthing a baby, all the details included in raw footage, to a 15-year old Siwa. Siwa was also friends with Ballinger’s sister Rachel. They became friends because Rachel sent a DM to Siwa asking to be friends. In 2019, she said that she would be able to cuddle with Siwa once Siwa turned 18.
Siwa met the Ballingers through Todrick Hall, a man accused of not paying employees and allegedly involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit. That information was revealed by a former assistant of Hall, who also alleged that Jessalyn Siwa used to leave her daughter alone at Hall’s house for hours. Jessalyn didn’t even get out of the car, just let her daughter out of the vehicle and into the home of Hall, and presumably did the same with other creators. The young Siwa was left alone at the homes of adults to film content.
Siwa also made content with Shane Dawson. Dawson was canceled in 2020 for sexualizing children, including pretending to masturbate to a poster of an 11-year-old Willow Smith, as well as racist actions including blackface and saying racial slurs. He’s talked about finding children “sexy” on podcasts. Siwa was collaborating with Dawson when she was 15.
Siwa also collaborated with James Charles. Charles, who wants to be ‘uncancelled,’ admitted to grooming and contacting young men under the age of 18. He claims that he is desperate for a relationship, so he was sending sexually explicit messages to anyone who seemed interested, whether or not he had confirmed they were over 18. Siwa was 17 when she was making videos with Charles.
What does all of this have in common? Siwa being friends with sexual predators, starting when she was a minor.
But, she’s an adult now, she’s 20, she must have realized what types of people she’s been hanging around with, right?
Wrong.
Siwa made a video with Charles just three months ago. A 20-minute video about swapping credit cards and going out to buy things. She is still spending time with Charles.
Siwa made a video with Dawson four months ago. A 30-minute video about Dawson spending the day with Siwa and influencer brands, like Siwa’s.
Last month, Siwa spoke up about Ballinger. No other person in Ballinger’s life has spoken out, with the exception of her ex-husband who did an exclusive interview with the YouTube channel SWOOP. Siwa went on Howie Mandel’s podcast and Mandel asked Siwa about Colleen Ballinger. Siwa stated, “The internet can take a lie and run so far with it, so far that it’s to the point you just can’t do anything about it.”
Siwa stated that she’s still friends with Ballinger. She’s still on Ballinger’s side and she thinks people are lying about Ballinger. When Mandel asked Siwa about what the victims of Ballinger have shown as receipts, Siwa said it was sensitive, especially with “real” grooming, as if Ballinger’s victims were not truly groomed.
There is no real reason that is known about why Siwa is standing beside so many groomers and predators, why she is continuing to make content with them and defend them. But, there are two very important things to remember in this situation.
One: Siwa’s audience is primarily children. Her merchandise is sold in the children’s section of stores. Her music is aimed towards children.
Two: She is now the adult in a situation where she is working with children.
Siwa and her mother have a tween girl group called XOMG POP! They even had a show about it called Siwa’s Dance Pop Revolution. The cycle of pushing children into contracts, just like Siwa was, is continuing with this girl group. Out of the original seven members, only three are left, though for unknown reasons. That’s not to say that either of the Siwas are grooming the members of their girl group. There’s no proof of anything like that. But, what we’re seeing is that Siwa was the child making content with adults on the internet and now she’s the adult making content with children on the internet. It’s a repeating cycle.
We may never know or understand why Siwa is choosing to spend time with and defend predators that she’s known since she was a child, but she is.
What the fuck JoJo?
