Some Modern Day Heroines from the New Series of Queer Eye

Today I wanted to do a series that’s a little different – because they’re not based on celebrities, and they’re not based on history (well, living history maybe), and the subjects are very much alive (which is risky and terrifying)  I’m gonna share some personal stuff here which I try not to do too often,  And I wanna give a shoutout to 4 men and one non-binary queen which is not the usual topic of this women’s history page. But this week, these are the people who have inspired me, empowered me, and made me feel a lot better: Queer Eye and the heroes on it! And I’m sure that someday, historians WILL be writing about them and how they changed the world for the better.  

I’m gonna talk about just three but honestly watch the whole series because every single hero has something to teach us about loving ourselves and our families and our world. The Navarro High and the Chris ones are especially touching. (PSA, all the photos used are either from the Queer Eye insta or the gals’ instagrams themselves, but I’ve tagged to give credit where possible).  

Angel Flores is just an all round superwoman. She can lift weights that hurt my back just from looking at them. From just one episode, you can see that she is brave, she is strong (in more ways than one), she is STUNNING, she is lovely, she is radiant, she is loving, she is humble, she is funny, she is AMAZING, she is one of the most inspiring women ever. Oh, and she’s trans. Seeing her journey into accepting her true identity, in helping others to accept her true identity, and in learning to live unapologetically in the world was genuinely beautiful to watch. That she has achieved so much aged just 22 is mind-blowing, and I can only dream of what she will go on to achieve in the future. I can’t help thinking of how important it is for young kids to have role models like her. My PhD looks at trans women of colour, albeit in a different context, but I’ve learnt from them how important it is to be validated through representation and I’m so happy for future generations that they can see women like Angel smashing all the expectations and labels that are enforced upon them and carving a way for themselves in and out of their careers. I was so happy to see her reconnect with her dad in the episode, but I think what felt most important is that, as Karamo said, she was inviting him into her life – which is a privilege – rather than asking to be let back into his. I felt like it was a privilege just to watch her life from the outside, and I’m so happy that the Fab Five helped her to see that her just being her is enough and that if people can’t accept that then it’s genuinely their loss.  

Dr. Jereka Thomas-Hockaday, the co-founder of Central Texas Allied Health Institute (CTAHI) which provides affordable education to underserved and underrepresented communities in the health field. When her Queer Eye episode was filmed, the clinic had also given almost 13,000 free COVID tests, vaccinated 3,000 people, and enrolled 125 students.I sobbed my way through her episode (though I sobbed my way through all of them let’s be honest). Here are some things that I loved about her: 

1)I didn’t know that only 1% of black women in the US have doctorates, so she’s already exceptional right off the bat – especially as I struggle my way through my own PhD I’m thankful that at least my race was not a barrier to getting here and it was a much needed reminder of my white privilege and how it benefits me without me even knowing it. I’m glad that she was addressed as Dr Jereka throughout because she damn well earnt that respect.  

2) the amazing work that she’s been doing during Covid while the governments (led largely by white men) fail consistently at the expense of millions of lives across the world. Especially in America where anti-vax sentiment is strong, where conspiracy theories thrive more than ever, and where healthcare remains so inaccessible for so many. To establish a clinic that can vaccinate thousands of people, to train the amazing people that she has behind her to make it happen, and to work so hard every day to make people as safe as they can be in the midst of a global pandemic is truly inspiring. 

 

3) the pride and awareness of her influence as an educated, successful, beautiful black woman. One of my favourite scenes of her episode was when she showed Jonathon her natural hair for the first time, and spoke about how generations of black women have been shamed into hiding it by Euro-centric notions of beauty that still exist today. Her bravery in rejecting that and honouring her identity were beautiful to watch, and I honestly thought she looked SO radiant in her natural hair by the end of the episode. It was also important to see the respect that Jonathon showed – asking before touching her hair, before removing her wig, not presuming to know more about how a black woman would style her hair than a black woman would and standing aside – that is such an important message to be sending to the white community that still thinks its okay to touch a woman’s hair without asking. I have a book on my shelf called Don’t Touch My Hair by Emma Dabiri and this ep inspired me to put it to the top of my TBR pile to understand better the way that hair is tidied to identity and how our attitudes to it have been shaped by colonialism and racism.  

4) I just loved her for the clear dedication to her family, old and new. In almost every aspect of the show, she evoked her family constantly – how her dad inspired her to hustle, how her mum taught her to cook, how her gran sent her out to deliver peaches, how she wanted to spend more time with her husband and son. That’s something that I strongly relate to, and it was just lovely to see.  And it’s a reminder that charity begins at home, and that by teaching your children to persevere, to love, to grind, to educate themselves, you are changing the lives of more than just your child, you are changing the lives of everyone they will go on to help and love. 

5) she founded her own school!! Which is so amazing given the disadvantages that so many face in accessing education, especially in people of colour, who are devastatingly underrepresented in all fields including the medical profession as Dr Jereka highlighted.  The clip where they interviewed her students really hammered home what a lasting and wide-reaching impact this has, and I know that I would not be where I am without my female professors and mentors and it is just so magical to see amazing women empowering new generations of amazing women. 

6) For the fight that she’s been fighting SINCE her QE episode. Quoting from Elle Magazine:  

“Sadly, Dr. Jereka has been faced with several difficult road blocks since filming for Queer Eye wrapped—the Austin Public Health contract, which provided funding to Jereka's health institute, (the CTAHI), was unable to be renewed, meaning they were unable to continue its free COVID testing and vaccination services. 

Speaking to local Austin outlet Spectrum News about the blow in September 2021, Jereka explained that the clinic had been relying solely on funding from Austin Public Health: "This has become a beacon for the entire East Austin community where they now can come and have access to safe information about vaccines and everything they need to get through COVID”. Jereka and her team will be moving the institute to a new location with the African American Youth Harvest Foundation this year. I truly hope that Dr Jereka continues her phenomenol work, and continues to remember what the Fab Five taught her: that she is just as worthy of care and love and time as everyone she has helped in her life thus far (including me, who felt so empowered and inspired after knowing her for just 45 minutes through a TV screen).  

If like me you are inspired by Dr Jereka’s story, you can donate to her project to help her keep up the amazing work here:  

The third heroine I wanted to celebrate was Jamie Wallace-Griner, founder of Safe in Austin.  Quoted from their website: “Safe in Austin rescues animals who suffer from abuse or neglect, because animals deserve to experience unconditional love. We rehabilitate and rehome the ones that are able and offer a forever home to those who have suffered enough already. Once our new rescues are healthy and trusting enough, they'll be introduced to people with similar backgrounds to provide healing and hope.”  

Jamie started this enterprise after seeing the bond between her autistic son and his dog Angel, and how they helped each other on a daily basis. Noting this healing bond between humans and animals, she devised a way to help both extra-support humans and extra-support animals and bring them together to give everyone a safe and joyful experience and sanctuary where they could embrace the warmth and connection that Jamie’s own family experienced. I’ve personally experienced this bond given to the support that my cats Suki and Bagheera have given me during difficult times in my own life, so I know how powerful that bond can be so to see it replicated in such a grand and special way at Safe in Austin truly warmed my heart.  

Jamie spoke about how there isn’t a minute of the day where she doesn’t feel sad about the suffering that animals and humans are enduring, and that hit really hard. “Ignorance is bliss” is such a statement of fact because once you’re away of all the evil in the world it is so hard to switch off from that. From my own work, research, and experiences I relate to that on such a personal level. However, seeing the work that Jamie and her team do really gave me hope for humanity, for animal kind, for the world in general. And I hope she knows that what’s she’s done and what’s she’s doing is incredible, and important, and changing so many lives that while it may feel like a drop in the ocean, for the animal and children in her care she has changed their whole world into a safer and better place, and I can’t think of anything more inspiring than that. I’m so glad that the Fab Five made her take a second to slow down and appreciate that, and I hope that she continues to give herself the compassion and time that she gives everyone else.  

You can donate to Safe in Austin (in various ways) here: https://www.safeinaustin.org/donations If you can, please consider doing so. 

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Finally, I just wanted to reflect on why Queer Eye and the Fab Five always resonate so deeply with me and have me crying for 10 hours straight during every series.  

Anyone else feeling guilty about already breaking their New Years resolutions? 
 
I am, more so because I know that come Monday I’m about to become busier than ever and if I couldn’t keep them now then I have no hope at all that I’m gonna keep them going forward. But I’m trying not to beat myself up and enjoy these last few days of calm. 
 
As of Monday, I’m going to be working 3 days a week, doing a PhD, tutoring one day a week, trying to run my blog, writing scripts for @remedialherstory, preparing for 2 conferences, running an actual adult home instead of a tiny studio, commuting between two cities, trying to spend time with everyone I love, learn Hindi properly, and I’m supposed to have a redraft of my PhD chapter done by the end of the month that I haven’t even started so I can’t even imagine where I’m gonna find time to workout, meditate, do a face mask, or read for 30 minutes a day in amongst all of that. 
 
And I’m so terrified, I’m petrified about most of it because it’s all so far out of my comfort zone that I’m pre-stressed and pre-nervous about it. 
 
BUT I’ve been binge watching Queer Eye has reminded me that self-care is not optional and that if I spend even a few minutes less on tiktok a day and spend them doing something that makes me feel calmer or healthier then I’ll feel and deal better with all the other stuff. I can’t do any of the amazing things I want to do if I’m too burnt out to function. And I needed the FF to remind me that it doesn’t matter that I’ve put on weight over Christmas, or that I haven’t ticked everything off my to do list, or that I messed up my first attempt at cooking dinner for my boyfriend – it doesn’t make me any less valuable or important. 
 
So today I’m gonna chill, watch Netflix, play with my kitten, catch up on some podcasts, prepare for training tomorrow, and remind myself that I’m blessed to have and be doing everything I ever wanted (writing, teaching, studying, volunteering, loving) and I need to take a second amongst all the stress to stop and appreciate that. 
 
Breaaaathe, bitch, breaaaaathe. 
 
Ps if @jvn @tanfrance @antoni @bobby @karamo are reading this then pls come and help a girl out and thank u for inspiring me and helping the heroes of @queereye who are also inspiring af and for reminding everyone that it’s okay to take a second for yourself ❤️Y’all are honestly the best of humanity and should all be sainted.