Some personalities are so big that it seems they were destined for stardom. This is definitely the case with hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness. While a vast majority of people recognize him from being a part of the “Fab 5” on Netflix’s reboot of “Queer Eye,” Van Ness has also accomplished a number of impressive achievements during his career. He is even an ordained minister of the Universal Life Church and has used this status to officiate weddings for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Explore these details of his life and learn more about the magnetic and entertaining Jonathan Van Ness.
Finding Himself at an Early Age
Countless individuals who identify as gay experience great challenges while growing up. Though Van Ness has stated he has been openly queer throughout his life, he also endured a number of struggles. Born and raised in Quincy, Illinois, Van Ness was drawn to traditionally feminine clothing from a very young age. He would express himself by painting his nails, wearing heels, and fashioning his mother’s designer scarves into skirts. Unfortunately, he would often be met with ridicule from others in his hometown. This would cause Van Ness to develop a strong sense of humor as a coping mechanism.
Van Ness has also been open about the abuse he experienced as a child at the hand of a member of his church. This abuse coupled with the bullying from his peers would push him to turn to dangerous behaviors in his teens, including meeting with older men he’d met on the internet for sex and casually using dangerous drugs. In college, he would become a sex worker in order to pay for his drug habits.
Discovering a Better Path
In 2012, Van Ness was living in Los Angeles and working as a hairstylist. During a shift, he fainted while with a client and was rushed to the hospital. This was when he learned he had HIV, and it dramatically changed his life. Van Ness got clean from hard drugs during this time and began to share his story with others as a way of helping those struggling with addiction and other harmful behaviors. He would publicly announce his HIV status in 2019 in order to help destigmatize the condition and has become an advocate for others who are HIV-positive.
While he was not aiming to become a television personality, Van Ness was a stylist for a number of prominent individuals in Hollywood. One such person was Erin Gibson, who worked for the comedy website “Funny or Die.” While styling her hair one day in 2013, Van Ness began a long and humorous rant about the most recent episode of “Game of Thrones.” Gibson found the monologue hilarious and worked with Van Ness to create a small series called “Gay of Thrones,” where he would recap episodes of the show while styling hair.
Encouraging Others Through His Career
After “Gay of Thrones” proved a hit, Van Ness became a person of interest to Hollywood execs. He was recruited to join the cast of “Queer Eye” in 2018, immediately endearing himself to audiences around the world. He became a minister for the ULC in 2019 in order to ordain the marriage of a queer couple who won a contest sponsored by Elysian Brewing in Seattle. In addition to his noteworthy work on “Queer Eye,” Van Ness created and continues to host the informative podcast “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness.”
Though he might be known for spouting encouraging buzzwords like “yaasss, queen” and “slay” on “Queer Eye,” Jonathan Van Ness is a celebrity who has gone through a lot to get where he is today. Through his personal struggles, he has become a person who is willing to go above and beyond to help those find the beauty and strength hidden within.