<i>Queer Eye</i> Opens the Miraculous Gay Wallet
Who was shocked when a study last year found that gay men on average earn about 10 percent more than straight ones? TV and movies insist that the typical gay guy is a fashionably equipped, mimosa-swilling city dweller. But the truth is that the study was a milestone: The comparable research before it had shown a gay wealth gap, with homosexual men lagging behind heterosexuals in wages, more likely to be on food stamps, and less likely to find a job. If gay men are, in general, richer now, it’s a new thing—and for many, “gay affluence” is still a myth.
When it debuted in 2003, capitalized on the image of the outwardly prosperous gay man—and insisted high-quality handbags should match high-quality inner lives, offering up an inspirational, aspirational symbol for Americans gay and straight. The, continues the mission with impressive finesse. For this edition, the “Fab Five” gurus descend on Atlanta, from where they launch interventions into the lifestyles of the dumpy and normal. They teach firefighters and basement-dwellers how to make eye contact and julienne carrots. They also buy them new wardrobes, smart haircuts, and—for the surest wows—drastic home renovations.
