An African American man befriending a white cop in Georgia or a queer male, who turned his back on religion, finding peace with God over a church remodel, is not what you’d expect to find on a so-called makeover show.
Netflix’s hit show, Queer Eye, is centered around trying to take straight men, with no sense of fashion, and transform them into someone fabulous. Although, in the midst of the “Fab 5” altering their clients, they seem to cross boundaries and break barriers with the audiences who watch too.
While the Queer Eye that America is currently seeing right now is a simple reboot of an old Bravo show, it represents much more than that, especially in this era.
Having a representative of each community on TV is essential to the inclusivity that numerous people are striving for in America. Whether that be the African American, the LGBTQ+, the blue lives or all lives matter communities – this show gives a voice to it all.
Yes, you would typically assume that a show starring five queer males would tend to bring up the topic of sexuality and inclusivity. What you don’t expect it to bring up though, is the issues that reach far beyond the queer community.
In an interview with People, Bobby Berk talked to a preacher who mended his closed off mind. “I received a message from a pastor who told me he’d been preaching against homosexuality his entire life and changed his ways after watching our show,” Berk, 37, told the magazine. “He said he will never preach that way again.”
Besides being -in my eyes- a groundbreaking revamp, the people in this show are so loveable that just turning on an episode after a long day makes my mood 10x better. I literally want to put Jonathan Van Ness in my pocket and listen to him talk to me in his Blanche, from Golden Girls, impression all day.
Although I am not a part of the queer community this show appeals to everyone because of everyone’s tear-jerking transformations. Watching the Fab 5 transform the lives of others, has transformed mine. Whether that be from Karamo’s preaches on self-care or Tan talking about how you should always put effort into what you wear, not just for yourself, but for your partner too. Even my boyfriend teared up at an episode where they give twin sisters a gift far beyond imagined.
This show mends gaps between people who seem so opposingly differently, that -by society’s standards- they should never see eye to eye. It encapsulates what this generation needs an understanding for one another by educating each other on basic human needs: correct pronoun pronunciation, the emphasis on self-love or even the simple idea of recognizing that all people can find common ground. So grab a bottle of wine, your people and bask in the awesomeness that is Queer Eye.