Jonathan Van Ness Breaks Silence on Emotional Abuse Allegations, has spoken up three months after a Rolling Stone report claimed issues on the Queer Eye set. This included claims that Van Ness has anger problems and can be harsh towards crew members.
In a recent podcast, Van Ness said the Queer Eye cast first learned about the article in December. Netflix warned them it could show them negatively, even though it was not fully based on reality. Van Ness felt uneasy in the months before the article came out in March.
The reality star, who married Mark Peacock in 2020, noted the article came out around the same time they sold their hair care line JVN Hair. This made it an uncertain time for their career.
Van Ness acknowledged that while they believed the article was mostly untrue and done in bad faith, there were times they could have better-handled stress on set.
Despite the claims, Van Ness has learned to slow down, disengage, and practice self-love during this tough period. They realized how much they had been put on a pedestal as an expert or perfect person, despite promoting self-acceptance. Van Ness will return for Queer Eye season nine alongside Antoni Porowski, Karamo Brown, Tan France, and newcomer Jeremiah Brent.
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Jonathan Van Ness Bravely Shares Childhood Struggles with Bullying and Gender Expression
In a touching, new interview given to The Trevor Project, the legendary figure of Netflix’s “Queer Eye,” Jonathan Van Ness bravely confronted the topic of being bullied and shamed for his gender expression and sexual orientation while being a kid.
Non-binary Van Ness, who uses he/him pronouns, elaborated that since his early years, he has been a fan of feminine dress and looks, e.g. tights, off-the-shoulder sweatshirts, thigh-high boots, and velvet evening gowns. However, he was not able to obtain the freedom he needed in showing his true colors because the people around him responded with “an intense visceral reaction,” he said that his father, in particular, was the greatest antagonist.
“It gave me the sensation that my gender expression was something that I ought to hide from the very early days of my life,”
Van Ness reminisced in his statement. This torment was underscored so much more when he finally accepted that he was attracted to boys at the age of his middle and high school years.
The verbal and physical bullying Van Ness suffered from was very invasive and did not leave out anything.
“It was a feeling of having your safety stolen, constantly feeling like you have to look over your shoulder for your safety, for your space, and that is something that is kind of second nature to me. Even as an adult, that has never really left me,” was his confession.
Even these horrifying experiences, as part of the healing process and overcoming depression and anxiety, Van Ness could still love gymnastics and other hobbies. However, he reminds that “joy is not enough” – the inner critic can still have a strong impact by blaming him the missing “joy” and “a way out.”
Van Ness attributes his mother as a significant help. She was someone who was not only his defender but also the first person he could confide in about his predicaments.
“When we feel safe sharing our experiences with some special person that we fully feel, we come to the understanding that these are only things happening to us that do not allow us to be loved, do not keep us calm and shining, and do not scare our future.” he said. “The actual truth is we are going to be absolutely fine really soon and the person we have the right to and want to love will be our next beau.”
Van Ness’s transparent account of his brokenness and weakness demonstrates the strength that people have to survive even the worst situations. It is impressive that he is not afraid to speak out his story, and thus, his story will, without a doubt, help those people who are entangled in the same challenges to accept and be true to themselves as well as the support that they require to find their life purpose successfully.
