Since the rebooted Queer Eye premiered on Netflix in 2018, we have all fallen in love with Jonathan van Ness. The quirky hairstylist, comedian, and television personality has managed to make us laugh, cry, and jump for joy throughout his tenure on Queer Eye. While van Ness is a very funny individual who never fails to make us laugh, he is also a very well-spoken, thoughtful, and politically astute individual (which is partly why many fans of the show refer to him as gay Jesus). As a consequence of this, he has quotes that range from the political and social commentary, to moral views and self-improvement advice.
This article will list the 10 best quotes from Queer Eye's Jonathan van Ness.
"You Gotta Floss"
While this may not be his most philosophical or 'deep' quote, it is certainly one of his most helpful. Great oral hygiene is not only good for your teeth, but also good for your all-round health. Bad dental hygiene can notably lead to heart disease as well as gum disease and other dental concerns, so you gotta floss!
"How You Take Care Of Yourself Is How The World Sees You."
This quote is incredibly clever from van Ness. It shows that if you treat yourself well, you will be given the respect that you deserve. In other words, this quote is about the importance of self-worth. You must find worth in yourself before you expect others to see it.
This quote helps introduce us to van Ness' life philosophy. This philosophy focuses on the importance of the individual, that is, you must increase your own self worth as an end in itself, rather than outside pressure from others.
"People Who Fundamentally Disagree With You Politically Or Socially Are Not Bad People. I Can't Expect That Other Side To Have Compassion For Me If I Can't Put Myself In Their Shoes, Too."
While, naturally, this doesn't apply to people on the extremes of politics or society, such as Nazis for instance (whose ideology is inherently evil), it does apply to those with everyday political opinions; such as Republicans and Democrats in the US, or the average Conservative Party or Labour Party voter in the UK.
If you're arguing with someone about politics, it is important to attempt to see their own side of the story. This will help facilitate a more constructive conversation and, potentially, open your own mind too.
"Be Able To See People's Humanity. I Think The Way That You Do That And See People For More Than Their Surface Value Is, Say, You're Reading Something In The News: The Gender Pay Gap, Or Gay Adoption, Anything That Involves A Group Of People Being Marginalized."
This is a very important quote from van Ness. It expresses the idea that you should always remember the humanity in people. Even if you may disagree with certain complaints they may have, you should keep in mind that those complaints originate from another human who has concerns and needs that are clearly not being met.
This is a quote that argues against bigotry and it was beautifully spoken by van Ness. People are more than just the labels society gives them, and it is important to remember that.
"Confidence Is Sexy"
This quote ties into the idea that you won't be considered sexy unless you believe you're sexy. This requires confidence and self-belief in yourself. The quote ties into van Ness' wider philosophy as well. That is, you should focus on your self, after you are happy with your own identity, personality, and your own place in life, then others will also be more likely to see you in the same light.
"I Want People To Fall In Love With Themselves And To Be Really Proud And Full Of Joy For The Space They Take Up. If Someone Else Appreciates The Space You Take Up, Then That's The Icing On The Cake."
The ideas from the prior quote can also be seen in the above quote. The idea here is that you should not try to change to make others happy. You should, instead, focus on your self. You should try and make yourself as good as you can be and if others like you for that then that is great, but you shouldn't change because of others.
Rather, you should be fully content and happy in the person you are. If you aren't, then work on this for your own sake, not the sake of others.
"I Think That The Ideal Of Men's Physiques In General, Gay Or Straight, Is One Of The Most Under-Talked-About Things Ever. Ninety-Five Percent Of These Bodies That We're Seeing, That We're Striving So Hard To Look Like, Are Genetically Engineered - Like, Let's Be Very Clear."
This is a very pertinent point from van Ness. It highlights the rising issue in society with male body image. Male eating disorders are on the rise and this is partly due to the unrealistic expectation of the male body, facilitated via the film, TV, and the music industry.
Most people do not have time to work out as much as the models and actors we see on TV, this means that men are chasing an ideal they cannot reach and failing to reach this ideal only impacts their mental state.
"I Was The First Male Cheerleader Of My High School; It's Very Hard To Embarrass Me - You Have To Do A Lot."
This quote shows just how much of a strong person Jonathan van Ness is. He does things because he enjoys them, not because he feels pressured to do them. This ties into van Ness' general advice for life, that is, you should work on your own happiness for yourself rather than for others. After you are happy with yourself, anything more than this will simply be a bonus.
While others may not do something they want to do because they would be embarrassed, van Ness has cultivated a mental state that is able to rise above this psychological roadblock.
"Loneliness Is, Like, When You Wish Someone Else Was There, And Solitude Is When You Enjoy Being Alone. I Don't Always Wanna Be Alone, But I Definitely Like Pockets Of Solitude To Recharge And Come Back To Myself. I Think That's So Important For Everyone."
This quote highlights the difference between solitude and loneliness. While it is a bad thing to feel lonely, it is not a bad thing to crave solitude. This is particularly true for introverts, who often find themselves worn out by extensive social gatherings.
This requires, as van Ness says, a period of solitude in order to recharge. It also ties into van Ness' emphasis on the self, that is, you need to be comfortable with yourself in order for others to be comfortable with you.
"I Had To Fight, A Lot Of Years, To Be Really Proud Of The Person I See In The Mirror And Really Love This Person."
This quote shows the struggle that van Ness had in accepting himself. This could be tied to a variety of issues, such as his homosexuality, his non-binary gender identity, or even his HIV status. Not only does it show how strong a person van Ness is, but it also shows that anyone of us can also overcome any issues that we may be currently battling with, whether it be our body image, our sexuality, or our gender.
This quote also highlights that achieving this goal will not be an overnight occurrence, instead it will take years of development.