Queer Eye

How many of my readers have watched the show, "Queer Eye (for the Straight Guy)"? I have come to absolutely adore that show.

The show's premise is that four gay men who are experts in their particular fields--mostly style, but also personal growth and relationships and even culinary skills--accept requests from people who have somebody in their lives that could use help with those things to effect a big change in their lives.

First off, I just enjoy the premise, and it's real, not faked. But, I have come to really appreciate the men who are the show's personalities. They embody the understanding of acceptance and of raising your voice against the cacophony of voices that would overwhelm your own.

It is completely apolitical. You won't hear anything about partisan opinions or militantly extreme ideas or points of view. That is not the point of the show, and they adhere to a relatively middle ground. They don't always meet with straight men; or, even always with men, for that matter. But what they do always do is coach their "nominees" to accept themselves; to embrace the love that they have around them; and to understand how to recognize and reveal their true selves.

What I really love, over all of it, is how wisely these guys recognize the struggles we all face. I love their apparent acceptance of people in general; but I also see that every now and then, even their own fears are revealed, and I see how they have struggled in their own lives (though, again, that is not the point of the show).

My personal heartaches these days include how desperately our country needs more humanity, and less anger. Perhaps that is why this show makes me smile. This show puts itself on a person-to-person level, and centers on humanity. I often find myself just wanting to hug those guys. Yes, that might seem squishy and sappy, and I just don't care. They make me happy!

If I step back a bit, and consider the men as a part of the gay community, which is how the show classifies them, I also realize that my friends who identify in that community are some of the most accepting people I have ever known. I was thinking about that the yesterday. Perhaps because of their struggles they are also aware that hasty judgement can lead to a great deal of heartache and unfair practice.

I was reminded the other day that it was "National Coming Out Day" and I wondered that we needed a day when somebody had to announce to the world that they did or didn't love a certain person. A friend shared a question posed for those who would consider it. Could each person, someday, just say, "I am in love" and have that be all that matters?

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