Earlier this month, Netflix released the third season of Queer Eye and one particular episode made LGBTQ fans everywhere crawl into the fetal position with their boxes of tissues - including Grammy nominee Janelle Monae.
At last Thursday's GLAAD Media Awards (where Queer Eye won Outstanding Reality Program), PRIDE spoke to The Fab 5 about the heart-wrenching episode and the power of the show's fans.
In episode five of season three, we meet Jess, a black lesbian living in Kansas City who was kicked out of her adopted parents home for her sexuality. Because of the following financial hardships, Jess was forced to dropped out of college to support herself. Over the course of the episode, Jess unearths her confidence and beauty and blossoms before our eyes.
Her story touched so many people's hearts that Queer Eye fans launched a GoFundMe to send Jess back to school. It has currently raised over $90,000.
The Fab 5 was overjoyed to hear how well the GoFundMe has done.
"[Jess] shared parts of her that she never shared with anybody else," Antoni explained to PRIDE on the red carpet. "She opened herself up and when you do that, how can you not fall in love with somebody who's so vulnerable and honest about everything that they've gone through. You learn that you're not alone in your cause, just like the time she had with you, Bobby, where she got to learn that somebody else had a similar experience and that millions of others have as well."
Bobby credited the viewers for carrying on the show's goodwill into real life.
"I think our fans are carrying the torch that we lit," Bobby points out. "We went in and we showed [Jess], 'you matter. You're worth it. You can do it.' She never really thought that about herself, so for us to tell her that, and then for thousands of people to donate $80,000 to be like, 'we believe in you so much, we're taking money out of our own pockets to give to a stranger to put you through schooling...' It's amazing!"
Antoni added, "And she needs even more because university in this country is expensive!"
Donate to the GoFundMe here.
