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Cheers queers, the fab five is back

Season three of Netflix’s “Queer Eye” is here and fans are filled with cheers and tears. The Fab Five have shown off their special charms once again and changed another set of lives.

“Queer Eye” debuted on the streaming site in February 2018 and has been a hit since. The show features Jonathan Van Ness, who takes care of grooming; Bobby Berk, who works on design; Tan France, who teaches fashion; Karamo Brown, who connects with culture; and Antoni Porowski, who whips up food and wine.

The show resembles “What Not To Wear,” or “100% Hotter,” which was my first thought when my friends and family recommended it to me. After just one episode, however it became obvious that it’s so much more.

The Fab Five work beyond than the looks of their hero (the guest of each episode). They focus on emotional and mental improvement. Viewers can watch the heroes go from shy, self-deprecating, lazy, etc. to out-going, confident and living their life to their full potential.

While watching “Queer Eye,” I check in with myself more often. Should I decorate my dorm to help make myself more productive as a student? Do I dress how I like? Do I like what I eat? Should I keep up with my skincare routine? Is my mental health at a place where I can really handle our work?

Thanks to this show, I have really started to look at how I take care of myself. When I see myself as the hero in my own episode, I see how I can improve myself as well.

What makes “Queer Eye” so different is that we see a diverse group of people nominated for the show. The first season’s guests were strictly men, including a trans man and a gay man. The next seasons loosen up on the restrictions, with season three being the most diverse season so far.

I can see how this attracts a bigger audience. Seeing someone like yourself on screen, especially with people who have the same struggles, could feel refreshing. Representation matters.

For every episode, I see how both the hero and The Fab Five open up and become vulnerable, yet build from that.

This is the extra element that adds to “Queer Eye.” When I watch a hero cry from losing a loved one, being overwhelmed or even from their joy, I can’t help but cry with them. I can see real people go through real things, and that connects with me the most.

This show is also aware of real-world situations.

One of my favorite episodes from season three was with Deborah “Little” Jones and Mary “Shorty” Jones who ran a family barecue business. They’re businesswomen who put taking care of themselves to the backburner so as to focus on taking care of everyone else.
They were hard working women who just needed a little guidance to take care of themselves again. After giving so much, it was time for the Fab Five to bring their business and confidence to the next level.

The episode did not fail at making me bawl my eyes out, as usual. Seeing successful women taking time for themselves and improving their business simultaneously was a vote of confidence for me in my own path. Although I don’t see myself owning a business, it was really inspiring. I learned about having a healthy balance between work and home.

“Queer Eye” shows real people and their lives. Audiences can connect to most of the heroes, if not all of them in some ways. What I also see is a diverse amount of opinions.

The group has also tackled sensitive topics such as police brutality, politics, homophobia, stereotypes, etc. The way the cast handles these subjects welcomes compromise, listening and communicating versus arguing and throwing accusations.

I loved how Berk talked about coping with a homophobic family as well as adoption with hero Jess Gilbo, who had a family that disowned her due to her sexuality. Brown also helped her embrace her black girl magic by showing her it’s okay to be herself and she shouldn’t take anyone’s preconception. These are examples of what the show can really do.

The words that I didn’t know I needed to hear have all been in this show. It’s a bit of an understatement to say that “Queer Eye” has helped fans make positive changes in our lives.

“Queer Eye” has shown that it’s not afraid of pushing the boundaries of what lifestyle and transformation shows are really about and how impactful they can actually be. “Queer Eye” is a journey of self-improvement and self-love, and this season has only furthered that message.

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