‘Just spicing myself up’: JoJo Siwa defends controversial photo shoot with bedazzled jockstrap

JoJo Siwa has defended her decision to pose with a blinged-out jockstrap in a magazine cover photo shoot.

JoJo Siwa has defended her decision to pose with a jockstrap in a recent cover photo shoot with LadyGunn magazine.

The singer and dancer spoke out about the racy shoot during an appearance this week on the Talk Tuah podcast hosted by Haliey Welch, aka Hawk Tuah Girl.

The cover and accompanying photo shoot sparked controversy among some fans as the former child star rocked a bedazzled chest plate that featured added nipples and abs, which she teamed with an equally blinged-out jockstrap complete with bulge.

JoJo Siwa caused controversy over her cover shoot for Ladygunn magazine. Picture: Hope Glassel/Ladygunn

“The stone bulge is – we were just giving a little spice, a little gender-bend, a little you can be anything you want to be,” she said of her attire.

“It just was spicing myself up a little.”

The 21-year-old then referred to the December 2020 cover of Vogue where singer Harry Styles wore a dress in a genre-bending statement.

The star posed with a chest plate and jockstrap on each of the two covers. Picture: Hope Glassel/Ladygunn

“It’s like back in the day when Harry Styles wore a dress,” compared Siwa, who came out as gay in 2021.

“Obviously, wearing a bulge is a little different than wearing a dress.”

“One thing about me is I like to be for the people who are different, for the people who don’t fit in and the people who are unafraid to take risks,” she added.

“Being that person, I have to go as far as I possibly can into the risk zone.”

Harry styles wears a dress on the December 2020 cover of Vogue Magazine. Photographer: Tyler Mitchell

The cover sparked controversy among some fans who were left feeling “uncomfortable” with Siwa’s shoot, which photographer Hope Glassel created for the magazine.

“No hate, I’m honestly just confused,” one wrote, while another joked, “It’s not a good day to have eyes.”

“I’m uncomfortable,” another chimed in, with one user commenting, “What in the world. no this isn’t it!”

The singer and actress found fame on the reality TV series Dance Moms.

Siwa came out as gay in 2021, aged 17. Picture: KEVIN WINTER / GETTY IMAGES via AFP

She did have some supporters in the mix, with one exclaiming, “Omg, this is soooo camp I’m loving it,” as another commented, “If Lady Gaga did this be honest y’all would eat it up.”

Elsewhere in the podcast interview, Siwa said she’s not as bold behind closed doors as her public persona suggests.

“I have big d**k energy. It’s not a good thing, it’s not a bad thing, it’s just a thing,” she said. “When it comes time to – just me at home, I have a switch. My d**k gets soft.”

“My girlfriend’s always like, ‘I never thought that would happen. I thought you would just be, like, a hard-a** all the time,’” she said, referring to her partner, dancer Dakayla Wilson.

“I’m definitely baby spoon vibe, but I will be big spoon. When we fall asleep, we fall asleep as a big spoon. But if we’re watching a movie, put your arm around me. I am nuzzling you.”