By Zoe London
Volume 69, Issue II

If you happen to be a fan of Queer Eye and have binged the first two seasons, you know that the Netflix series is both entertaining and addicting. At first glance, some may think of this series as another superficial makeover show. But it is so much more; it brings heartwarming moments to its audience when the five gay co-hosts help their subjects with their identity and self-esteem.

The co-hosts, Antoni Porowski (food and wine), Bobby Berk (design), Jonathan Van Ness (grooming), Karamo Brown (culture), and Tan France (fashion), are dubbed “The Fab Five.” They make up a team of equally ambitious men who are determined to not only reinvent their subject’s appearance but also delve into the deeper side of the men’s backgrounds. The show travels from remote, rural locations to the most urban, diverse hotspots to give makeovers to men of all backgrounds. The audience gets to live through the experiences of veterans, the devoutly religious, and transgender men as their lives profoundly change. These two simultaneous endeavors make for a show that exposes its audience to culture—race, religion, and gender—from all over America in an open-minded way. The objective of this show and the message it portrays makes it incredibly important because of the polarized nature of media in our society. To offer representation of complicated topics and emotionally-charged stories on Netflix’s mainstream platform is not a small feat, and it’s one that already so many viewers have responded to.