SI LifeStyle

Olivia Ponton Is Inspiring Young Members of the LGBTQ Community

The model and TikTok influencer opened up about her sexuality.

Ananya Panchal

Olivia Ponton.

Olivia Ponton.

When Olivia Ponton began consistently increasing her profile on TikTok two years ago, the SI Swimsuit model never imagined the impact she would make with her engagement, being able to inspire so many young people in the LGBTQ community.

“It means a lot to me because I am very hyper femme presenting, and I think for the younger girls that are 7 to 15, they’re kind of going through the same thing right now that I was going through, but I didn’t necessarily have anyone to talk to about it,” the 20-year-old said in an interview during 2022 Miami Swim Week. Ponton came out as bisexual in an interview with Teen Vogue in 2021 and now identifies as pansexual. 

As a young girl, Ponton believed that there was a certain way you had to look be a part of the queer community. The Florida native has always presented herself in a very feminine way, contrary to popular “short hair” and “masculine” stereotypes associated with gay women.

“I’m very out there with being super girly and femme and that is something that makes me very happy,” Ponton continued, mentioning that people have approached her to say how much they admire her ability to embrace her style and identity.

She never planned to become an influential member of the LGBTQ community, but she’s extremely proud of her role.

“Girls come up to me like in the streets and [say] I helped them come out and tell their family and like figure out what words to be saying,” she added. “The fact that I’m a part of their journey is crazy.”

Ponton has more than 10.2 million followers across TikTok and Instagram and loves to share all aspects—good, bad and messy—of her life. She thinks her authenticity and vulnerability online are huge factors in her success

“I’m not just posting all the best parts of my life,” Ponton told SI Swimsuit. “I’m posting kind of everything, whether I’m struggling with eating disorders or I’m struggling with anxiety and depression.”

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Ananya Panchal
ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit, where she covers fashion, beauty, pop culture and the internet’s favorite personalities and trends. She joined the brand in 2022 after roles at Bustle, the San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. Panchal loves to write about fashion in all its forms—from standout runway moments and evolving street style to the best accessories to elevate each season’s wardrobe (she rarely goes anywhere without a stack of jewelry and a coffee in hand). A self-proclaimed beauty fanatic, she’s always on the hunt for must-have products and loves breaking down viral trends. Her favorite series at the moment is spotlighting female founders and the stories behind the brands they’ve built—especially those shaping the future of fashion, wellness and tech. She is based between New York City and San Francisco and, when she’s not writing, can be found rewatching One Tree Hill, playing sudoku, trying new restaurants or ranking her favorite Disney Channel Original Movies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and journalism with a minor in criminal justice from Boston University.

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