'Queer Eye' Season 5: Gay pastor Noah Hepler and Bobby Berk bond over the church's judgmental attu | MEAWW

Contents:

• QUEER EYE SEASON-TWO PREMIERE REP: A PLACE CALLED GAY
• ‘QUEER EYE’ TAK ON INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA ITS BT EPISO YETOUT AND PROUDSEASON 7 OF THE H MAKEOVER SHOW SE THE BOYS HELPG OUT A FELLOW QUEER PERSON FOR A CHANGE, REVEALG THE POWER OF MUNY SUPPORT. IT’S REVELATORY TELEVISN.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERUPDATED MAY 16, 2023 12:07PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAY 16, 2023 4:29AM EDT NETFLIXQUEER EYE HAS GONE OM A SLEEPER H TO ONE OF NETFLIX’S BIGGT SHOWS. THE SERI FEATUR FIVE GLOR QUEERS—ANTONI POROWSKI, JONATHAN VAN NS, TAN FRANCE, KARAMO BROWN, AND BOBBY BERK—SURPRISG PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNTRY AND TRANSFORMG THEIR LIV FOR THE BETTER JT ONE WEEK. PLENTY OF REALY TELEVISN IS ROOTED NNIVG DRAMA AND SHOCKG TWISTS, BUT QUEER EYE OFFERS SOMETHG FAR MORE UPLIFTG, WHOLOME MSAGE. CONSIRG THAT THE WORLD OFTEN FEELS LIKE A SLOW-MOTN R CRASH THE DAYS, ’S NO WONR THE SHOW HAS TAKEN OFF.ONE OF THE REASONS QUEER EYE IS NOW ONTO S SEVENTH SEASON WH NO SIGNS OF SLOWG DOWN, SHATTERG THE SO-LLED NETFLIX CURSE, IS BEE THE FAB FIVE ARE SO LOVEABLE. THE GROUP’S EARNTNS AND GENUE ABILY TO FE NNECTNS WH JT ABOUT ANYONE IS SPIRG, AND EVERYTHG EACH OF THE GUYS SAYS FEELS LIKE OM THE HEART; IF JVN EVER PLIMENTED ME, I WOULD TREAT THEIR WORDS AS GOSPEL. IT’S EASY FOR ANYONE WATCHG TO IMAGE HOW THIS GEO BUNCH OF QUEERS WOULD IMPROVE THEIR OWN LIV. AND SEASON 7, SET NEW ORLEANS, NFIRMS THAT QUEER EYE ISN’T SLOWG DOWN; FACT, A PARTICULAR EPISO SHOWS THAT THE NETFLIX H IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN EVER. NETFLIX NO EPISO OF QUEER EYE HAS RONATED WH ME MORE EPLY THAN EPISO 2 OF SEASON 7, TLED “SUPERFAN STEPH.” I’M WILLG TO BET THAT WILL BE A PARTICULARLY PROFOUND WATCH FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY. THE EPISO FOC ON STEPHANIE, WHO’S SCRIBED AS “NEW ORLEANS’ NO. 1 SPORTS FAN.” SHE HAS THE STATS TO BACK THAT UP, WNG THE NEW ORLEANS SATS (THAT’S A FOOTBALL TEAM, FOR THE UNIATED) FAN OF THE YEAR.IMMEDIATELY, I SAW MYSELF STEPH. IN HIGH SCHOOL, I DRSED HEAD-TO-TOE MNOTA VIKGS APPAREL. FROM HAT TO JERSEY, SHO TO BACKPACK, PRACTILLY EVERYTHG I WORE WAS ADORNED WH THE VIKGS LOGO. IT WAS A POT OF PRI FOR ME—AND I LOVED THIS FOOTBALL TEAM MORE THAN I LOVED MYSELF. MY FANDOM WAS PARTICULARLY EVINT DURG THE FOOTBALL SEASON, BUT EVEN WHEN FOOTBALL WAS DORMANT, I’D NTUE TO DRS ALL THE VIKGS GEAR I HAD, AND I HAD (AND STILL HAVE) PLENTY. THE FACT THAT QUEER EYE MA ME, A DIEHARD MNOTA VIKGS FAN, RELATE TO A NEW ORLEANS SATS FAN IS A SIGN THAT THIS SHOW IS PABLE OF MIRACL. I’D GO ON ABOUT WHY, BUT IF YOU’RE READG THIS ARTICLE ABOUT A QUEER SELF-HELP SHOW, ODDS ARE YOU’RE NOT OVERLY VTED FOOTBALL RIVALRI—AND IF YOU’RE LIKE ME OR STEPH, YOU ALREADY KNOW. BUT ONE THG’S FOR SURE: THE TWO FAN BAS DO NOT RE FOR EACH OTHER. BUT STEPH’S SATS FANDOM GO EPER THAN THE LOVE OF THE GAME. THE EPISO FOC ON STEPH’S MTED RELATNSHIP WH HER GIRLIEND, AS THE PAIR PLANS TO MOVE TO A NEW HOME TOGETHER, AFTER YEARS OF LIVG WH STEPH’S FATHER. STEPH, HOWEVER, ISN’T THE PERSON SHE ED TO BE. ONCE NFINT AND OUTSPOKEN, SHE’S BEE CREASGLY SECURE AND QUIET, RETREATG TO HER SHELL. THE CHANGE BEGAN AFTER SHE ENDURED HORRIFIC HOMOPHOBIC ABE AT A RTRANT; THAT WAS ALSO THE CG CINT HER SPIRAL TO FANDOM.FOR QUEER EYE, ’S UNIQUE THAT STEPH IS A WOMAN WH A FEMALE PARTNER, AS MOST PEOPLE THE GAGGLE OF GAYS HELP TRANSFORM ARE CIDLY HETERO. THAT STG MOVE MAK SENSE: THE VAST MAJORY OF THE WORLD IS NOT QUEER (A TRAGEDY, I KNOW). THE SHOW’S FOC ON GIVG STRAIGHT PEOPLE A MAKEOVER IS ALSO LIKELY ROOTED THE FACT THAT THE ORIGAL VERSN OF THE SHOW WAS LLED QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY. BUT “SUPERFAN STEPH” ISN’T JT AN SPIRG HOUR OF TELEVISN: IT’S ALSO PROOF THAT THE HOSTS, AND THE SHOW SELF, REACH A WHOLE NEW PLANE OF EXCELLENCE WHEN QUEER EYE’S SUBJECTS ARE, WELL… QUEER.YOU N HEAR THE EXCEMENT THE FAB FIVE’S VOIC DURG THE CTOMARY OPENG, WHICH FDS THE GROUP DISCSG WHICH “HERO” THEY’RE GOG TO TRANSFORM THIS WEEK. WHEN BOBBY BREAKS THE NEWS THAT STEPH HAS A FEMALE PARTNER, TAN SCREAMS LIKE HE’S JT WON THE LOTTERY: “SHE’S A LBIAN?” THE OPENG OF EVERY EPISO IS ALWAYS OVER THE TOP, BUT THERE’S A PARTICULARLY FEVERISH EXCEMENT WHEN THE MEN DISVER THEY’LL BE WORKG WH A FELLOW MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY—AND 'S THE ONLY TIME THEY GET THE PLEASURE TO DO SO SEASON 7. ILANA PANICH-LSMAN/NETFLIX MUCH HAS BEEN MA OVER WHAT EXACTLY EACH OF THE FAB FIVE BRGS TO THE TABLE. JONATHAN’S GROOMG AND TAN’S STYLG SKILLS ARE ALWAYS THE MOST OBV, AS WE N SEE THE IMPACT THE PHYSIL TRANSFORMATN HAS ON EVERYONE. MEANWHILE, BOBBY NEVER SEEMS TO GET ENOUGH CRED AS THE MAN WHO BASILLY DO HIS OWN VERSN OF EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDN ON EVERY HOE, TRANSFORMG SPAC WH REMARKABLE STYLE AND EFFICIENCY.THE BALANCE OFTEN FEELS OFF TERMS OF THE TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP'S NTRIBUTNS—PARTICULARLY FOR ANTNI (FOOD) AND KARAMO (CULTURE). HAVG A HEART-TO-HEART CHAT OR TEACHG SOMEONE TO CUT ONNS DON’T HAVE QUE THE SAME IMPACT AS FIXG AN ENTIRE HOE OR CHANGG SOMEONE’S PHYSIL APPEARANCE ON SCREEN. BUT “SUPERFAN STEPH” FDS EACH OF THE FAB FIVE MAKG AN EQUALLY POWERFUL IMPACT, AS THEY N ALL SEE THEMSELV STEPH’S QUEER JOURNEY. EVEN ANTONI, WHOSE SEQUENC ARE OFTEN THE LIGHTT, HAS A BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT, WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT HOW TOTALLY EXHSTG HIDG WHO YOU REALLY ARE IS. HE ASKS STEPH: “DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THROUGH LIFE GIVG PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT’S EXPECTED OF YOU?”WHILE EACH OF THE NTRIBUTNS IS MEANGFUL, THE NVERSATN BETWEEN STEPH AND KARAMO IS ASTONISHG. KARAMO PH STEPH TO GO EPER TO HER DISFORT OVER BEG QUEER. DIVG PAST HER ONE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE, WHERE SHE ALT WH EXPLIC HOMOPHOBIA, KARAMO ASKS STEPH IF SHE’S EVER HEARD OF TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA.AS KARAMO EXPLAS , “INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA IS WHEN YOU HAVE FEELGS, THOUGHTS, IAS, THAT HAVE BEEN TGHT TO YOU OM THE OUTSI WORLD THAT ARE NEGATIVE, THAT YOU THEN START TO TAKE ON AS YOUR OWN.” IN A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW POWERFUL TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA IS, STEPH RPONDS THAT SHE’S ALWAYS “JT TRIED TO PLEASE PEOPLE, OR I JT WORKED TO MAKE OTHERS FORTABLE.” AS KARAMO POTS OUT THAT THIS IS EXACTLY HOW TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA MANIFTS SELF, I THOUGHT BACK TO MY HIGH SCHOOL DAYS. WHILE MY PASSN FOR FOOTBALL WAS UNWAVERG, MY CISN TO WEAR VIKGS STUFF AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE STEMMED OM A SIRE TO NY WHO I KNEW I WAS SI. WEARG SPORTS APPAREL ALLOWED ME TO BE SEEN AS A DU WHO LIK SPORTS FIRST AND A DU WHO LIK DUS SEND. MD YOU, I WASN’T OUT AT THE TIME, BUT EVERYONE HAD ALREADY FORMED THEIR OPNS OF ME. TRIED AS I MIGHT, SPORTS JERSEYS ARE NOT POWERFUL ARMOR ENOUGH TO FLECT WORDS LIKE “FAGGOT.”THE HARASSMENT ABSOLUTELY LED ME TO BE CREASGLY UNFORTABLE WH WHO I WAS. LUCKILY, I WAS BLSED WH AN EASY G-OUT PROCS—CREDIBLE PARENTS HELP WH THAT—BUT WHILE SAYG I WAS GAY WAS EASY, ACTUALLY BEG HAPPY WH WAS FAR MORE CHALLENGG. I BLOSSOMED OVER TIME, BUT TOOK NEARLY A TO RELEASE MYSELF OM TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA.WATCHG STEPH TAKE ACTN TO UNRAVEL THIS HERSELF WAS CREDIBLE TO WATCH. SHE’S A PERSON PABLE OF GREAT THGS, AND A BSH WH THE QUEER MUNY THE FORM OF THIS FAB FIVE HELPED MAKE HAPPEN. EACH OF THEM FEELS PLETELY AND TOTALLY ENGAGED WH STEPH, AND THEY ALL MAKE HER FEEL SEEN AND IMPORTANT. KARAMO'S WORDS FEEL PECIALLY POWERFUL. “WHAT’S BETIFUL ABOUT OUR MUNY IS THAT WE ARE TRIUMPHANT AND RILIENT,” HE SAYS TO HER. “AND EVEN THE SPAC THAT SEEM THE DARKT, WE BRG LIGHT.” ILANA PANICH-LSMAN/NETFLIX WATCHG “SUPERFAN STEPH,” I THOUGHT OF ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY. THERE’S MORE QUEER VISIBILY THAN EVER BEFORE, BUT WH THAT AGGRSIVE, VOL PHBACK. THE TER N PROVI OPPORTUNI TO SEE AMAZG THGS NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE, BUT IF YOU FD YOURSELF THE WRONG PLACE (OR, REALISTILLY, ANY MENT THREAD), THE SELF-LOATHG ABOUT YOUR QUEERNS N E HARD AND FAST, UNRAVELG ALL THE GOOD AN STANT. IT’S HARD OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT MOMENTS TELEVISN LIKE “SUPERFAN STEPH” SPEAK TO THE CREDIBLE RILIENCE OF QUEER PEOPLE. THEY OFFER VAL TEACHG MOMENTS THAT NEVER ONCE FEEL LIKE LSONS, STEAD G OFF AS VALUABLE STORI WE NEED TO HEAR.STEPH’S TRANSFORMATN IS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE I’VE SEEN ON THE SHOW. I ULD FEEL THE SELF-NFINCE RADIATG OM HER, AS SHE STTS WH HER NEW HAIR AND NEW CLOTH, ENTIRELY VOID OF SPORTS LOGOS. SHE’LL NEVER LOSE THAT FOOTBALL-LOVG PART OF HER—NOR SHOULD SHE—BUT ’S A BIG STEP FORWARD THAT I’M ALL TOO FAIAR WH. BEG WILLG TO LET GO OF THAT ARMOR, EVEN BRIEFLY, IS A POIGNANT SIGN OF PROGRS. IT’S NECSARY FOR WORKG TOWARD LOVG WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE UNAPOLOGETILLY.THE REVEAL IS PUNCTUATED BY A SURPRISG AND THRILLG MOMENT: SURROUND BY HER LOVG FAY THEIR NEW HOME, STEPH PROPOS TO HER GIRLIEND. THE SCENE FEELS SO HONT AND REAL, AND ’S ALL BUT GUARANTEED TO LEAVE YOU A PUDDLE. AT THE END OF THE EPISO, THE GANG WATCH UTTER AMAZEMENT AS THEY SEE HOW FAR STEPHANIE HAS E. JONATHAN, WEEPG, BLURTS OUT, “NOBODY’S EVER MA ME CRY LIKE THIS ON THIS FUCKG TV SHOW BEFORE,” AND I ULDN’T AGREE MORE. IT N BE EASY TO DISMISS A SELF-HELP SHOW LIKE THIS AS HARMLS FLUFF—PECIALLY IF YOU’VE NEVER SEEN —BUT “SUPERFAN STEPH” IS A POWERFUL, TEAR-JERKG STORY OF QUEER RILIENCE AND ACCEPTANCE. IT REF TO SHY AWAY OM DIFFICULT NVERSATNS, AND 'S THE MOST RELEVANT AND POWERFUL QUEER EYE HAS FELT OVER S SEVEN BETIFUL SEASONS. BARRY LEVT
• 'QUEER EYE' SEASON 5: GAY PASTOR NOAH HEPLER AND BOBBY BERK BOND OVER THE CHURCH'S JUDGMENTAL ATTU

QUEER EYE SEASON-TWO PREMIERE REP: A PLACE CALLED GAY

God Bls Gay. As soon as we see our five favore homosexual realy televisn stars (sorry RuPl) cisg down a ral Geia road their black Esla, two thgs happen. It turns out that the crew is gog to the town of Gay, Geia, a small town wh only 89 people.

I immediately thought, “Oh, ’s cute that they’re gog to the town of Gay, but this is jt a stupid gimmick and the du they’ll be makg over won’t be that tertg. She’s also a ncer survivor who jt lost her mother to ncer a year ago and is tryg to get her gay son who jt moved back home to return to the church. And she jt happens to live a town lled Gay.

‘QUEER EYE’ TAK ON INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA ITS BT EPISO YETOUT AND PROUDSEASON 7 OF THE H MAKEOVER SHOW SE THE BOYS HELPG OUT A FELLOW QUEER PERSON FOR A CHANGE, REVEALG THE POWER OF MUNY SUPPORT. IT’S REVELATORY TELEVISN.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERUPDATED MAY 16, 2023 12:07PM EDT / PUBLISHED MAY 16, 2023 4:29AM EDT NETFLIXQUEER EYE HAS GONE OM A SLEEPER H TO ONE OF NETFLIX’S BIGGT SHOWS. THE SERI FEATUR FIVE GLOR QUEERS—ANTONI POROWSKI, JONATHAN VAN NS, TAN FRANCE, KARAMO BROWN, AND BOBBY BERK—SURPRISG PEOPLE ACROSS THE UNTRY AND TRANSFORMG THEIR LIV FOR THE BETTER JT ONE WEEK. PLENTY OF REALY TELEVISN IS ROOTED NNIVG DRAMA AND SHOCKG TWISTS, BUT QUEER EYE OFFERS SOMETHG FAR MORE UPLIFTG, WHOLOME MSAGE. CONSIRG THAT THE WORLD OFTEN FEELS LIKE A SLOW-MOTN R CRASH THE DAYS, ’S NO WONR THE SHOW HAS TAKEN OFF.ONE OF THE REASONS QUEER EYE IS NOW ONTO S SEVENTH SEASON WH NO SIGNS OF SLOWG DOWN, SHATTERG THE SO-LLED NETFLIX CURSE, IS BEE THE FAB FIVE ARE SO LOVEABLE. THE GROUP’S EARNTNS AND GENUE ABILY TO FE NNECTNS WH JT ABOUT ANYONE IS SPIRG, AND EVERYTHG EACH OF THE GUYS SAYS FEELS LIKE OM THE HEART; IF JVN EVER PLIMENTED ME, I WOULD TREAT THEIR WORDS AS GOSPEL. IT’S EASY FOR ANYONE WATCHG TO IMAGE HOW THIS GEO BUNCH OF QUEERS WOULD IMPROVE THEIR OWN LIV. AND SEASON 7, SET NEW ORLEANS, NFIRMS THAT QUEER EYE ISN’T SLOWG DOWN; FACT, A PARTICULAR EPISO SHOWS THAT THE NETFLIX H IS ACTUALLY BETTER THAN EVER. NETFLIX NO EPISO OF QUEER EYE HAS RONATED WH ME MORE EPLY THAN EPISO 2 OF SEASON 7, TLED “SUPERFAN STEPH.” I’M WILLG TO BET THAT WILL BE A PARTICULARLY PROFOUND WATCH FOR ANY MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY. THE EPISO FOC ON STEPHANIE, WHO’S SCRIBED AS “NEW ORLEANS’ NO. 1 SPORTS FAN.” SHE HAS THE STATS TO BACK THAT UP, WNG THE NEW ORLEANS SATS (THAT’S A FOOTBALL TEAM, FOR THE UNIATED) FAN OF THE YEAR.IMMEDIATELY, I SAW MYSELF STEPH. IN HIGH SCHOOL, I DRSED HEAD-TO-TOE MNOTA VIKGS APPAREL. FROM HAT TO JERSEY, SHO TO BACKPACK, PRACTILLY EVERYTHG I WORE WAS ADORNED WH THE VIKGS LOGO. IT WAS A POT OF PRI FOR ME—AND I LOVED THIS FOOTBALL TEAM MORE THAN I LOVED MYSELF. MY FANDOM WAS PARTICULARLY EVINT DURG THE FOOTBALL SEASON, BUT EVEN WHEN FOOTBALL WAS DORMANT, I’D NTUE TO DRS ALL THE VIKGS GEAR I HAD, AND I HAD (AND STILL HAVE) PLENTY. THE FACT THAT QUEER EYE MA ME, A DIEHARD MNOTA VIKGS FAN, RELATE TO A NEW ORLEANS SATS FAN IS A SIGN THAT THIS SHOW IS PABLE OF MIRACL. I’D GO ON ABOUT WHY, BUT IF YOU’RE READG THIS ARTICLE ABOUT A QUEER SELF-HELP SHOW, ODDS ARE YOU’RE NOT OVERLY VTED FOOTBALL RIVALRI—AND IF YOU’RE LIKE ME OR STEPH, YOU ALREADY KNOW. BUT ONE THG’S FOR SURE: THE TWO FAN BAS DO NOT RE FOR EACH OTHER. BUT STEPH’S SATS FANDOM GO EPER THAN THE LOVE OF THE GAME. THE EPISO FOC ON STEPH’S MTED RELATNSHIP WH HER GIRLIEND, AS THE PAIR PLANS TO MOVE TO A NEW HOME TOGETHER, AFTER YEARS OF LIVG WH STEPH’S FATHER. STEPH, HOWEVER, ISN’T THE PERSON SHE ED TO BE. ONCE NFINT AND OUTSPOKEN, SHE’S BEE CREASGLY SECURE AND QUIET, RETREATG TO HER SHELL. THE CHANGE BEGAN AFTER SHE ENDURED HORRIFIC HOMOPHOBIC ABE AT A RTRANT; THAT WAS ALSO THE CG CINT HER SPIRAL TO FANDOM.FOR QUEER EYE, ’S UNIQUE THAT STEPH IS A WOMAN WH A FEMALE PARTNER, AS MOST PEOPLE THE GAGGLE OF GAYS HELP TRANSFORM ARE CIDLY HETERO. THAT STG MOVE MAK SENSE: THE VAST MAJORY OF THE WORLD IS NOT QUEER (A TRAGEDY, I KNOW). THE SHOW’S FOC ON GIVG STRAIGHT PEOPLE A MAKEOVER IS ALSO LIKELY ROOTED THE FACT THAT THE ORIGAL VERSN OF THE SHOW WAS LLED QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY. BUT “SUPERFAN STEPH” ISN’T JT AN SPIRG HOUR OF TELEVISN: IT’S ALSO PROOF THAT THE HOSTS, AND THE SHOW SELF, REACH A WHOLE NEW PLANE OF EXCELLENCE WHEN QUEER EYE’S SUBJECTS ARE, WELL… QUEER.YOU N HEAR THE EXCEMENT THE FAB FIVE’S VOIC DURG THE CTOMARY OPENG, WHICH FDS THE GROUP DISCSG WHICH “HERO” THEY’RE GOG TO TRANSFORM THIS WEEK. WHEN BOBBY BREAKS THE NEWS THAT STEPH HAS A FEMALE PARTNER, TAN SCREAMS LIKE HE’S JT WON THE LOTTERY: “SHE’S A LBIAN?” THE OPENG OF EVERY EPISO IS ALWAYS OVER THE TOP, BUT THERE’S A PARTICULARLY FEVERISH EXCEMENT WHEN THE MEN DISVER THEY’LL BE WORKG WH A FELLOW MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY—AND 'S THE ONLY TIME THEY GET THE PLEASURE TO DO SO SEASON 7. ILANA PANICH-LSMAN/NETFLIX MUCH HAS BEEN MA OVER WHAT EXACTLY EACH OF THE FAB FIVE BRGS TO THE TABLE. JONATHAN’S GROOMG AND TAN’S STYLG SKILLS ARE ALWAYS THE MOST OBV, AS WE N SEE THE IMPACT THE PHYSIL TRANSFORMATN HAS ON EVERYONE. MEANWHILE, BOBBY NEVER SEEMS TO GET ENOUGH CRED AS THE MAN WHO BASILLY DO HIS OWN VERSN OF EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDN ON EVERY HOE, TRANSFORMG SPAC WH REMARKABLE STYLE AND EFFICIENCY.THE BALANCE OFTEN FEELS OFF TERMS OF THE TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE GROUP'S NTRIBUTNS—PARTICULARLY FOR ANTNI (FOOD) AND KARAMO (CULTURE). HAVG A HEART-TO-HEART CHAT OR TEACHG SOMEONE TO CUT ONNS DON’T HAVE QUE THE SAME IMPACT AS FIXG AN ENTIRE HOE OR CHANGG SOMEONE’S PHYSIL APPEARANCE ON SCREEN. BUT “SUPERFAN STEPH” FDS EACH OF THE FAB FIVE MAKG AN EQUALLY POWERFUL IMPACT, AS THEY N ALL SEE THEMSELV STEPH’S QUEER JOURNEY. EVEN ANTONI, WHOSE SEQUENC ARE OFTEN THE LIGHTT, HAS A BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT, WHERE HE TALKS ABOUT HOW TOTALLY EXHSTG HIDG WHO YOU REALLY ARE IS. HE ASKS STEPH: “DO YOU REALLY WANT TO GO THROUGH LIFE GIVG PEOPLE EXACTLY WHAT’S EXPECTED OF YOU?”WHILE EACH OF THE NTRIBUTNS IS MEANGFUL, THE NVERSATN BETWEEN STEPH AND KARAMO IS ASTONISHG. KARAMO PH STEPH TO GO EPER TO HER DISFORT OVER BEG QUEER. DIVG PAST HER ONE HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE, WHERE SHE ALT WH EXPLIC HOMOPHOBIA, KARAMO ASKS STEPH IF SHE’S EVER HEARD OF TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA.AS KARAMO EXPLAS , “INTERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA IS WHEN YOU HAVE FEELGS, THOUGHTS, IAS, THAT HAVE BEEN TGHT TO YOU OM THE OUTSI WORLD THAT ARE NEGATIVE, THAT YOU THEN START TO TAKE ON AS YOUR OWN.” IN A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW POWERFUL TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA IS, STEPH RPONDS THAT SHE’S ALWAYS “JT TRIED TO PLEASE PEOPLE, OR I JT WORKED TO MAKE OTHERS FORTABLE.” AS KARAMO POTS OUT THAT THIS IS EXACTLY HOW TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA MANIFTS SELF, I THOUGHT BACK TO MY HIGH SCHOOL DAYS. WHILE MY PASSN FOR FOOTBALL WAS UNWAVERG, MY CISN TO WEAR VIKGS STUFF AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE STEMMED OM A SIRE TO NY WHO I KNEW I WAS SI. WEARG SPORTS APPAREL ALLOWED ME TO BE SEEN AS A DU WHO LIK SPORTS FIRST AND A DU WHO LIK DUS SEND. MD YOU, I WASN’T OUT AT THE TIME, BUT EVERYONE HAD ALREADY FORMED THEIR OPNS OF ME. TRIED AS I MIGHT, SPORTS JERSEYS ARE NOT POWERFUL ARMOR ENOUGH TO FLECT WORDS LIKE “FAGGOT.”THE HARASSMENT ABSOLUTELY LED ME TO BE CREASGLY UNFORTABLE WH WHO I WAS. LUCKILY, I WAS BLSED WH AN EASY G-OUT PROCS—CREDIBLE PARENTS HELP WH THAT—BUT WHILE SAYG I WAS GAY WAS EASY, ACTUALLY BEG HAPPY WH WAS FAR MORE CHALLENGG. I BLOSSOMED OVER TIME, BUT TOOK NEARLY A TO RELEASE MYSELF OM TERNALIZED HOMOPHOBIA.WATCHG STEPH TAKE ACTN TO UNRAVEL THIS HERSELF WAS CREDIBLE TO WATCH. SHE’S A PERSON PABLE OF GREAT THGS, AND A BSH WH THE QUEER MUNY THE FORM OF THIS FAB FIVE HELPED MAKE HAPPEN. EACH OF THEM FEELS PLETELY AND TOTALLY ENGAGED WH STEPH, AND THEY ALL MAKE HER FEEL SEEN AND IMPORTANT. KARAMO'S WORDS FEEL PECIALLY POWERFUL. “WHAT’S BETIFUL ABOUT OUR MUNY IS THAT WE ARE TRIUMPHANT AND RILIENT,” HE SAYS TO HER. “AND EVEN THE SPAC THAT SEEM THE DARKT, WE BRG LIGHT.” ILANA PANICH-LSMAN/NETFLIX WATCHG “SUPERFAN STEPH,” I THOUGHT OF ALL THE YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY. THERE’S MORE QUEER VISIBILY THAN EVER BEFORE, BUT WH THAT AGGRSIVE, VOL PHBACK. THE TER N PROVI OPPORTUNI TO SEE AMAZG THGS NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE, BUT IF YOU FD YOURSELF THE WRONG PLACE (OR, REALISTILLY, ANY MENT THREAD), THE SELF-LOATHG ABOUT YOUR QUEERNS N E HARD AND FAST, UNRAVELG ALL THE GOOD AN STANT. IT’S HARD OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, BUT MOMENTS TELEVISN LIKE “SUPERFAN STEPH” SPEAK TO THE CREDIBLE RILIENCE OF QUEER PEOPLE. THEY OFFER VAL TEACHG MOMENTS THAT NEVER ONCE FEEL LIKE LSONS, STEAD G OFF AS VALUABLE STORI WE NEED TO HEAR.STEPH’S TRANSFORMATN IS ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE I’VE SEEN ON THE SHOW. I ULD FEEL THE SELF-NFINCE RADIATG OM HER, AS SHE STTS WH HER NEW HAIR AND NEW CLOTH, ENTIRELY VOID OF SPORTS LOGOS. SHE’LL NEVER LOSE THAT FOOTBALL-LOVG PART OF HER—NOR SHOULD SHE—BUT ’S A BIG STEP FORWARD THAT I’M ALL TOO FAIAR WH. BEG WILLG TO LET GO OF THAT ARMOR, EVEN BRIEFLY, IS A POIGNANT SIGN OF PROGRS. IT’S NECSARY FOR WORKG TOWARD LOVG WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE UNAPOLOGETILLY.THE REVEAL IS PUNCTUATED BY A SURPRISG AND THRILLG MOMENT: SURROUND BY HER LOVG FAY THEIR NEW HOME, STEPH PROPOS TO HER GIRLIEND. THE SCENE FEELS SO HONT AND REAL, AND ’S ALL BUT GUARANTEED TO LEAVE YOU A PUDDLE. AT THE END OF THE EPISO, THE GANG WATCH UTTER AMAZEMENT AS THEY SEE HOW FAR STEPHANIE HAS E. JONATHAN, WEEPG, BLURTS OUT, “NOBODY’S EVER MA ME CRY LIKE THIS ON THIS FUCKG TV SHOW BEFORE,” AND I ULDN’T AGREE MORE. IT N BE EASY TO DISMISS A SELF-HELP SHOW LIKE THIS AS HARMLS FLUFF—PECIALLY IF YOU’VE NEVER SEEN —BUT “SUPERFAN STEPH” IS A POWERFUL, TEAR-JERKG STORY OF QUEER RILIENCE AND ACCEPTANCE. IT REF TO SHY AWAY OM DIFFICULT NVERSATNS, AND 'S THE MOST RELEVANT AND POWERFUL QUEER EYE HAS FELT OVER S SEVEN BETIFUL SEASONS. BARRY LEVT

Fally we have Karamo whose duty was mostly to ach Myl, Tammye’s gay son who jt moved back home. Now he’s one of three gays the whole unty (the neart square on his Grdr is probably 20 away), is a total slob his room, and has grown his hair and goatee out so looks like the hedg at Grey Garns. My send favore part was when Karamo took Myl to the gay and lbian chos Geia and the director says, “We were gog to make you an honorary member, but you n be a real member now.

'QUEER EYE' SEASON 5: GAY PASTOR NOAH HEPLER AND BOBBY BERK BOND OVER THE CHURCH'S JUDGMENTAL ATTU

But I really lost when Tammye was speakg church, tellg the ngregatn what blsgs she’s received om a group of gay men, but pecially the blsgs she’s gotten om her gay son. Who knew the bt one we would fd would be a place lled Gay?

Queer Eye Season Two Premiere Rep: A Place Called Gay.