#20. Show It Off, That's The Body You've Got!
Tan is the fashion expert, he knows everything about style but he also proves to know about believing in yourself and having some self-confidence. Jones Bar-B-Q is one of the episodes on season three which includes this common topic in society. We watch Tan dress Mary and Deborah, two sisters who are reluctant to try on new colors, patterns and fabrics.
Tan has deep understanding of both trends and feelings, so he gets to sympathize with the insecurities posed by the sisters by allowing them to work on it and solve it. What's great about Tan is that he gives the heroes many suggestions to encourage them to dress in a way they feel comfortable, reminding them that they are already pretty and charming. Lesson learned: we should be proud of ourselves and show what we’ve got to the world!
#19. Dress As You Please And Be Yourself
Wanda, one of the season four heroes, showed us that it's possible to change things in a community. On the other side, the Fab Five taught her that it's absolutely possible to change your own life. The episode How Wanda Got Her Groove Back shows that Wanda finds it difficult to live independently without The Pythons, her drill team. She literally wears, thinks and sleeps drill team.
In one of the many conversations that Wanda had with Tan, she was able to recognize that her life should not be only about her team, and that she should act upon it. We believe that everybody should dress as they are pleased, whether it is with female or male clothes, to have fun, to be modest, etc. Here's another lesson: we shouldn't live every day the same way. We have to show all of our sides so that all of us can shine bright like a diamond!
#18. Not Spending Too Much Time On Make Up Doesn't Mean You're Not A Diva
On season two, we are introduced with a great hero. God Bless Gay is the episode where we meet Mama Tammye, a woman with a pure and generous heart. She works really hard on making the greatest local community center that could ever exist in Gay, Georgia. But that's not the only thing she does. Mama is a teacher, a mother, helper in a church and the list goes on. The problem is that she doesn't devote any time to glam.
One of the Fab Five, Jonathan, explains Mama that not having time for make up is ok. Wearing no make up doesn't imply that one is dull and insignificant. Instead, we should feel like wild and splendid divas. Jonathan teaches us that a good diva is built upon character. This Queer Eye lesson will make you remember that attitude will always make you glamorous.
#17. Be Someone Who Both Serves And Is Served
On one of the episodes of season four we are introduced with Kenny, a man who is stuck in the past. Kenny is a nice old man who hasn’t made any changes in his home since the death of his parents. To help him cope with his problem, the Fab Five make the necessary arrangements to get Kenny a dog and convince him of shaving off his mustache.
These actions are a constant reminder to Kenny that life is giving him the opportunity to serve in church and also to serve himself, by allowing others to serve him. Karamo's lesson taught us that we are worthy of love, because love is everywhere. What's fundamental is to learn to put ourselves first and try to avoid prioritizing others all the time.
#16. We Have Something To Say About Casual Elegance
While watching episode Make Ted Great Again of season two, anyone could affirm that it was a Parks & Recreation rerun. Well, there are some young city managers who don't look like fools when running a town. On this episode, we are introduced to Ted, Clarkston's mayor in Georgia. Ted is full of plans for the future.
Our beloved Fab Five discuss with Ted about some hippie habits of him, and help him build his political relationships. For instance, Ted has never thought about hosting a dinner party, which is natural in the world of politics. In this episode, both the young mayor and we learn, thanks to Enter Antoni, that the best option will always be the one thoroughly analyzed and carried on. In other words, less is more. Not everything has to be full, but rather minimalist. Lesson learned, Antoni.
#15. Find People Who Care Enough To Fight With You
Another great episode from Queer Eye is Black Girl Magic. In this chapter, we meet Jess, a girl whose real struggle finds its roots in her own family, who are unwilling to accept her sexual orientation. The Fab Five have already dealt with this painful topic many times, and succeeded in all. Now, it's Tan's turn to teach us something.
Tan explains to Jess that we don't have to always depend on our blood relatives, but on the family we get to choose. Tan reminds Jess that she has a friend who has helped her go through rough and difficult times, someone who has helped her far more than her own blood relatives. We've learned that our family is comprised of the people we love and care for, but most importantly, the people who are always there and prove to be loyal and caring.
#14. Walls Keep People Out, But Also Keep You Inside
The one thing that Karamo is really good at is making bonds between people. As a result, we enjoy a strong connection with the show just by watching it from our homes. In episode two of the first season, we get to know Neal. He is working on lauching an app on the outside, but on the inside he is disturbed.
Neal is the kind of person that believes arming oneself is the solution. In this episode, Karamo helps him find a way to begin to let people in. The lesson that we learn here is that keeping people away will only result in hurting ourselves. It's totally OK to build walls, but what's also true is that we need to recognize that those walls aren't meant to keep people out. A great lesson, with no doubt, but wait until you see more great lessons coming up!
#13. Life Is About Pressing The Reset Button
It's worth remembering that Queer Eye doesn't only deal with makeovers and renovations. The heroes introduced in each of the episodes go through complete changes on a mental and physical level, thanks to the Fab Five. On season four, Bobby helps John Stoner with some home arrangements to perfectly fit the needs of him and his daughter. This is what they call a reset.
There's nothing wrong with going back to square one, because making mistakes and learning from the past is part of life. Redecorating a room, going to the hairdresser or having new objectives for the future is what keeps us alive, and it's great! Life is about pressing the reset button every time we need it, but we shouldn't feel bad about doing it. Instead, the reset button should be used to benefit from it. Bobby has given us some food for thought.
#12. It's OK To Ask For Help
Jonathan Van Ness always delights us with his piece of advice. On the episode A Tale of Two Cultures, we meet Deanna, a girl raised by Mexican and American parents. She explains that her father taught her many things, among them, that she should never ask for more but just for what she needs.
Jonathan gets to sympathize with Deanna, as he is part of the LGBTQ+ community. JVN tells Deanna, and us, that whether you are gay or straight, or no matter who you are, you will always need to have someone backing you up, and seeking help is not wrong. Now, if someone judges you, that judgment is not your problem, but the problem of those who judge.
#11. Treat Yourself With Love And Care
Sean is one of the season two heroes. He was home-schooled and plays the piano, and when he meets the Fab Five, he soon realizes that he has still got a lot to learn. Bobby tries to help Sean with home decorations, style and tips for his new college life. It's a good lesson to learn, since it applies to every moment in life.
Bobby teaches us that when you place yourself in good moments, put love and caring on everything you do, then you can easily understand what you really value. Of course, not everybody can afford the same clothing or pleasures. What's important is to treat yourself with love and care. By thinking your actions carefully, your life will be much more organized.
#10. Explore The World Around You
Well, we have to admit that this lesson is taught by Antoni, who was actually referring to food. However, it’s important to analyze this notion and go deep down about the meaning. There is an episode called The Handyman Can in which we are introduced to Jason, a Burning Man fan who gets help to get to Reno.
Jason is full of creativity and passion, and in this episode, they come up with this great phrase because it’s fun to think about foods to prepare. However, this lesson is about everything but food. Rather, it deals with taking chances, learning from your mistakes and doing things that give us joy. Nothing in life is effortless or ideal, everything will depend on how much fun we add to each and every moment.
#9. Understanding Other Perspectives Helps Us Grow
On the episode Dega Don't, Karamo meets another hero, Cory. He is a police officer, so they chat about how violent the police is and how it reacts to racism. They enjoyed a peaceful and open conversation since both could explain their viewpoints and exchange thoughts on how society should act and think.
Queer Eye allows us to learn something new from every episode. There's always a story to tell, a life experience to share, and it is from those stories that we learn valuable lessons. This episode reminds us that we can both learn and teach new things, despite not having the same point of view. The Fab Five keep on teaching us great things. Wait until you see the next lesson!
#8. Simple Acts Can Make A Relationship Better
On the episode Soldier Returns Home on season four, we meet Brandonn, a veteran who works together with Bobby to build an island in the family’s kitchen. We know that Bobby excels at design, and we always watch him do all the manual labor on his own, but there’s more to it. Bobby is very good at saying the right words for the right time.
This kitchen work tends to prove that Brandonn really cares about his family and that he’s willing to make the necessary contributions to improve their relationship. What Bobby is showing us is that a single piece can make up for everything, just one act can make things right again. Don’t judge people by their cover, these pieces can be little but they can put everything back on track again.
#7. Be There For Those Who Need Help
One of my favorite episodes of season two is Sky's the Limit. I guess you could tell by the name that it's a good one, right?. I'm telling you: it's emotional and definitely worth a watch*. Skyler is our hero, who is a transgender man who went under top surgery. Luckily, this episode takes us into the LGBTQ+ community, and Sky has some things to say.
Both Tan and Karamo talk with Sky about the community and the implications it carries being part of it. They concluded that people usually are so focused on their stuff and their own problems, that they tend to ignore everything around them. If they just paid a little bit of attention, they could realize that some others often need help.
#6. Don't Hide Your Feelings
Thankfully, this series is not only about fashion, glam and makeovers, but also about consideration and contemplation. On season three, we meet Elrod who, like most of the heroes, is going through hard times. He had recently lost his wife because of cancer. Jonathan shares his personal experience with him, and they both conclude that we don't have the time we need to grieve, and sometimes we tend to avoid grieving by pretending we don't need it.
JVN makes us remember that dodging feelings is not the solution. We should embrace our problems, accept that we are not feeling good and, if possible, share our thoughts with someone else. Having so much pain inside us doesn't make us any good. Instead, we could get caught by it. Without a doubt, the Fab Five are very good at helping people who undergo difficult moments. This episode teaches us another great lesson that everyone should learn.
#5. Accept Your Identity And Be Proud Of It
If you didn't believe in the powerful words of the Fab Five, this episode will make you change your mind. Hero AJ wearing a leather harness is proof of how strong their lessons are. On this chapter, AJ has problems with revealing his true identity to his family. Tan will teach us that if someone loves you, they shouldn't be offended by your personal decisions.
Most of the times, we don't open up to people, which means that we pretend to be someone we're not, by hiding our true personality. We do this unconsciously, just because we want people to like us and abide to society standards. Truth is, we don't have to care about what society thinks. Our loved ones and people that care about us will support us no matter what we choose. We love this amazing Fab Five lesson.
#4. Confidence Is Something You Have To Work On
Tom Jackson has a story to tell us. He is the first hero that appears on the show, which makes him kind of special. He once said you can't fix ugly, and we were all touched by his words. That's when Jonathan comes into action and shapes his beard while making him remember that appearances don't matter.
What matters most is who you are and what you think of yourself. JVN teaches us that we have to embrace and love ourselves, because self-love is something we can totally control, but we have to work on it. Nothing will come out of magic. However, working hard on it means that it may take time. But the results are great!
#3. Don't Forget About Your Own Well-Being
One of the top topics the Fab Five deal with is embracing yourself, having some self-care and loving yourself. Lost Boy is an episode of season three which has something more to teach us. Joey is the hero of this episode. He is a camp director who doesn't focus neither on him or his son. But as you must've learned by now, the Fab Five are always there to offer some spiritual guidance to those who need it the most.
What Joey enjoys most is helping people. Well, that's totally fine, but Jonathan will make him remember that he can have the same joy by helping himself. Even the smallest action can make the difference. Sometimes we just forget about us. Therefore, on this episode, we learn that helping ourselves is one of the best things we can do.
#2. Every Problem Has A Solution
On episode Camp Rules, we meet Bobby, a faithful Christian who believes religion is one of the most important things in family. Fab Five Bobby has an interesting conversation with him, since he had gone through negative experiences in church when his family and friends had learned about his sexual orientation. While doing some plant work, Fab Five Bobby remembered this awesome quote from his religious past.
The two Bobbys agree that difficult moments in life will always end up in growth, better understanding and more great days to come. We encounter many emotions in this episode, and we have to admit this lesson is a, excellent one. So, here's the lesson: all problems have a solution, they aren't as bad as they seem to be.
#1. Love And Acceptance Is What You Deserve
There are good and fantastic lessons in Queer Eye, and we left the best one for the end. The first episode of season three shows Jody, a woman who struggles with accepting herself. Jody acknowledges how lovely she is on the inside. Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same way on the outside.
Jody's experience is one that we all can relate to, but it's shocking to hear it from someone who's having a really bad time. Luckily, Karamo teaches Jody and us that love and acceptance is what we deserve. Not only from people, but also from ourselves! It's important to understand that we are worth of appreciation from others... and from ourselves too. This is the best Queer Eye lesson ever and we appreciate it as much as we learned to appreciate ourselves.