Sienna Mae Gomez has officially returned to social media.
Following a month of silence after her alleged sexual and verbal abuse of ex-boyfriend Jack Wright, Sienna has posted to her YouTube channel. In the video titled “after a month away…,” the TikTok dancer reflected upon her hiatus.
“I decided to take a month off of social media due to the negativity surrounding my platform” she begins. While she says “it was honestly one of the most difficult times” of her life, she claims it was also a period where she found clarity. “Now more than ever I feel proud of the person that I am,” she went on to say.
Known for her TikTok dances and preaching body positivity, the creator reflected upon her love for creating content. “Inspiring is what fulfils me,” she explains. “Even if I can only inspire one person I will have done what I was put on this to do.”
Sienna’s video comes after other influencers such as James Charles and Tati Westbrook announced their return to the internet. Rather than filming a traditional sit-down apology video audiences have come to expect, Sienna spoke briefly while a montage of close-up shots played. The video concluded with Sienna dancing to Sam Smith’s song ‘Young.’
She did not address the allegations of sexual assault and verbal abuse directly.
Though Sienna and Jack never publicly confirmed their relationship, the two began posting videos together on their social media platforms in October 2020. The news of possible sexual misconduct broke a week after the couple allegedly called it quits.
On May 30th Mason Rizzo posted a note to Twitter alleging claims of verbal and sexual assault against “one of his best friends since kindergarten.” Though he kept the note anonymous, Jack retweeted the post. Fans were soon speculating that the note was referring to Sienna and Jack.
“She also has a history of verbally abusing people in high school and in LA. She prioritizes the growth of her platform rather than the positive message she represents herself as followers should not be an excuse to get away with abusive behaviour. You guys all deserve to know the truth about her,” the note read.
Jack’s twin brother, James, also expressed his support. In a now-deleted tweet, James wrote he could not let Jack be painted as the “bad guy.” The Wright brothers then proceeded to post a series of TikToks that alluded to Sienna’s problematic behaviour.
On June 1st, Sienna uploaded an 8-minute video to her YouTube channel titled ‘addressing false allegations.’ The influencer was quick to deny the claims stating they were “unequivocally false.” Instead, she claimed Jack was sexually assaulted by someone else. The social media storm only intensified with many fans seeing this as Jack’s experience to share.
“I’m sorry but for the one time I have to protect myself before I protect you,” she said, referring to Jack.
After Sienna’s video, Jack posted a statement on his Instagram story. He claimed that “Mason and James’ only intention was to protect me with the truth” and urged Sienna to “get the support and help that she needs.”
The controversy around Sienna intensified when TikToker Lachlan Hannemann posted a video showing evidence of her sexual misconduct. Initially posted on June 3rd, the now-deleted video shows Jack passed out on a couch with Sienna kissing and touching him.
“This video is from November 30th, 2020. As you can clearly see, that is Sienna and that is Jack passed out on the couch unconscious,” Lachlan said. “Sienna then hops on top of him… I started hearing kissing noises and I peaked over my shoulder and it was exactly that.” He also claimed that Sienna’s right hand was “inappropriately touching (Jack’s) crotch”.
In a video posted on June 4th titled ”addressing false allegations 2,” Sienna directly addressed Lachlan’s video. She claimed it was “normal” for her and Jack to kiss one another and that he was not unconscious when the video was recorded. Insisting that Jack kissed her back, she claimed that Lachlan’s post was edited deceptively.
“This video is proof of nothing and instead raises more questions about Jack’s issues and his friends’ behaviour,” the influencer said.
She went on to say that her legal representatives have sent cease-and-desist letters to the involved parties.
Following all the controversy around an issue as serious as sexual assault, it is no surprise that the response to Sienna’s return is mixed. Many of her followers have welcomed her back with excitement; however, others are still concerned by the allegations, wishing she acknowledged them directly. With the lyrics “I’ve done nothing wrong, I’m young,” playing as Sienna dances at the end of the video, viewers speculate whether the song choice is the influencer’s attempt at maintaining her innocence.