ABC's Dancing With the Stars will be breaking new ground in the upcoming 30th seasonwith its first same-sex partnership.
According to Deadline, on Aug. 26, host Tyra Banks and executive producer Andrew Llinares revealed that the new season will feature a same-sex partnership for the first time in DWTS history. Llinares said that JoJo Siwa, a social-media star who recently came out as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, will be paired with a woman dancer.
Siwa (who will be featured on an Aug. 29 repeat of Celebrity Family Feud) was unveiled as one of the first two celebrity contestants in season 30, along with Olympic gold-medal gymnast Suni Lee. Additional celebrities will be unveiled on Good Morning America on Sept. 8.
In a statement, GLAAD Head of Talent Anthony Allen Ramos said, "At 18, JoJo Siwa is once again using her platform to inspire and uplift the LGBTQ community. As one of today's most watched and celebrated programs on television, Dancing with the Stars and Tyra Banks are making the right decision to feature JoJo Siwa competing alongside a female professional dancer. The show has such a wide, far-reaching audience and there is a real opportunity here for people to celebrate the same-sex pairing and root for JoJo and all LGBTQ young people."
Earlier this year, JoJo Siwa was named to GLAAD's second annual 20 Under 20 List.