Queer
Eye's grooming guy Jonathan Van Ness says in a new
interview that LGBT Pride is about remembering those who came before
us.
Speaking with TIME, Van Ness was
asked how he got into hair and styling.
“My family was really big on college
and it was hard for them to stomach that I was going to be a
hairdresser,” Van
Ness answered. “But I knew I wanted to do hair from the age of
three, when I saw these cabana girls with fierce hats at the
concession stand at the pool where I grew up. Once I learned how to
do finger waves I was like, 'I’m obsessed, Mommy loves this, I just
want to learn more.'”
“June is Pride month. What does
pride mean to you?”
“I think it is really a celebration
of all those who have come before us and made it possible to
celebrate our brothers and sisters who lost their lives to HIV/AIDS
and fought so hard for us to be visible. It’s a time for us to
celebrate the people who literally laid down their lives for us to be
safe. Do we get to make out topless and go on parades? Yes, but pride
is so much more than that,” Van Ness said.
The second season of Queer Eye
arrived today on Netflix.
(Related: Queer
Eye
season 2 trailer reveals show's first female, transgender subjects.)