Dancing With the Stars makes history as JoJo Siwa will compete with a same-sex dancer

Dancing With the Stars returns September 20th on ABC and the first two confirmed contestants are dancer JoJo Siwa and Team USA gymnast Suni Lee. It’s the show‘s 30th anniversary and they are ready to make history as it was announced during ABC’s Television Critics Association panel that Siwa will be the first female celebrity to ever be paired with a female professional. The three-time Olympic medalist and the “Dance Moms” star will both appear for an interview on Good Morning America this Friday. Read the details below.

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Per Variety, Siwa called the upcoming experience “special.” “It’s really special that not only now do I get to share with the world that] you get to love who you want to love, but also you get a dance with whom you want to dance,” Siwa said. “There’s a lot of barriers that we’re going to have to break through — who leads, how do you dress, what shoes do you wear? But I think it’s all something that I’m looking forward to. It’s going to be tricky, but it’s going to give so much to people out there — people of the LGBTQ community, people who feel just a little different. It’s going to give them a sense of happiness.” She also explained that she decided to be partnered with a woman when given the choice. “I want to make it OK for the people who come after me,” she said. “I want to make everything OK for the people who come after me.”

Lee is also 18 and is definitely competitive as she just took home a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. DWTS shared Lee’s selfie-style video where she said she “was so excited.”

The remaining celebrity contenders will be revealed on September 8th. Tyra Banks will be reprising her role as the show‘s host and experts Len Goodman, Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli, and Derek Hough will return to the judging panel.

Season 30 of Dancing with the Stars premieres Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.