Netflix's 'Queer Eye' Explores Mexican-American Culture Through The First Latina Makeover
If you are not on a serious binge-watch of feel-good ‘Queer Eye’ – you should be! The Netflix original series is now streaming Season 4 of the popular ‘Queer Eye’. Not familiar? ‘Queer Eye’ is a total life and look redo makeover reality show where the ‘Fab Five’ get personal with individuals who were nominated by friends or family for a ‘life reboot’. The ‘Fab Five’ are gay men who are ‘fabulous’ style and culture experts.
Queer Eye is a tear-jerker, but of the feel-good variety show where you walk away having learned something about humanity and being a better human being in this changing world today AND picking up an on-point style tip or three!
She’s One Million Percent Chicana
For nearly three seasons, we had been waiting for a Latina to be a recipient of the ‘Fab Five’ makeover. Finally, ‘Queer Eye’ takes us to Kansas City, Missouri to meet Deanna Munoz, a proud Chicana-Latina mother who is employed at Hallmark Corporation and serves as a community-oriented, mission-based founder of the Latino Arts Foundation which holds the Latino Arts Festival in Kansas City, Missouri.
As most U.S. American-born Latinas experience daily – living between two cultures as bi-cultural women can be a challenging dynamic. Having to balance the upbringing around American ideologies and expectations along with the Latino cultural traditions and expectations that our families have for us — can leave any Latina feeling overwhelmed and lost. For Munoz, that was the case – – assimilation to white suburbia as a young age, caused what Munoz had felt for a long time – a disconnect with her Mexican heritage. Munoz became hard on herself for not knowing traditions especially when it came to cooking signature Mexican dishes.
‘A Tale of Two Cultures’ episode, in this time of Trump, explores discrimination and racism of Latinos, that continue to be vilified and under attack at local and national levels. Sadly, Munoz’s family had experienced discrimination in their mainly ‘white suburbia’ neighborhood by a neighbor who texted Munoz’s husband ‘the Mexicans are building their own wall’ because the Munoz’s had built a small wall in their yard and on another occasion told to ‘get out of the country’. On a positive note, we are delighted to learn one of the ‘Fab Five’ Karamo is Jamaican and Cuban!
Traditional gender roles of Mexican women are explored, where Munoz had been raised to be ‘calladita’, humble and respectful. A beautiful soul and smile to go with, Munoz had stayed in the background and struggled to have a confident voice to run her Latino arts non-profit. In addition, Munoz did not feel her ‘aesthetics’ as a proud tattooed lowrider Chicanx – was a suitable look to be holding board meetings with local government stakeholders and decision-makers.
Enter the ‘Fab Five’ who elevate Munoz up from the inside and out. Nothing wrong with combining who you are with workplace appropriateness. Munoz is given a pair of David Yurman big hoops to compliment her updated wardrobe of chic tops, sleek jeans and pointy-toed heels for the office. Her ‘chola-fied’ hair that took up cans of hairspray application on a weekly basis was blown down (but still big like she likes it) Last but not least, her fierce winged eyeliner was kept. Deanna is taught to highlight the best parts of herself. Above all, her elevated look changed her confidence to run a legitimate non-profit arts festival for her community – towards the end of the show, a ‘next-level’ surprise is revealed for Deanna. You’ll have to watch ‘Queer Eye’ Episode 6 on Netflix to find out!