“Getting Curious” Host JVN on the Importance of Network Visibility Backed Up by Legislative Support

Jonathan Van Ness is again on Netflix — this time solo. Their new collection, “Getting Curious,” is a video extension of their long-running podcast of the identical title. The present explores subjects from the fantastic thing about bugs, to the complicated origins and impacts of the gender binary, to the historical past of hair (sure, “Queer Eye” followers). With the assistance of educators, scientists, activists, and some well-known buddies, Van Ness sheds mild on questions revolving round what they’re obsessed with. POPSUGAR caught up with the TV character about bringing the collection to tv, producing their first solo collection, and the way Hollywood can dismantle the “othering” of marginalized communities.

Van Ness expresses being “conflicted” at the concept that Hollywood illustration is a place to begin for trans and nonbinary advocacy. However, in the event that they needed to handle the subject of allyship in leisure, they stated: “Hollywood may be very intertwined with corporations, and what are a variety of corporations doing proper now? They’re supporting a variety of candidates who’re doing what? Passing horrific anti-trans payments on state ranges. They’re additionally giving some huge cash to Republicans who’ve been systematically blocking the Equality Act, [and] systematically blocking [the] Voting Rights Act laws. I believe voting rights is disproportionately have an effect on[ing] individuals of coloration [and] LGBTQIA+ individuals.” Whereas they agree award exhibits ought to push away from the binary, laws is the place trans and nonbinary individuals want allyship probably the most: particularly throughout this midterm election 12 months, “to ensure that we are able to proceed to make progress on these hard-fought points that we have made some [movement on], however we’ve got not made as a lot as we have to.”

They proceed that their present, “Getting Curious,” is a main instance of how Hollywood may lengthen its allyship. “I’m a nonbinary, gender nonconforming, HIV-positive one who has been given an opportunity to inform tales and to create their very own collection on a platform that’s in 190 nations, into what number of tons of of hundreds of thousands . . . it is lots of people.”

Van Ness provides that main networks like Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and NBC ought to practive “giving gender numerous, giving numerous individuals, giving BIPOC individuals extra alternatives to shine, extra alternatives to create their tales, [and] extra alternatives to inform their very own tales.”

The “Queer Eye” star was given extra alternative than solely visibility when it got here to their present “Getting Curious”: Van Ness is the manager producer and creator. “For my first solo challenge of attending to be an govt producer and being a creator of a present, I felt slightly bit extra positive of my voice and positive of my fashion as a bunch and as an entertainer, enjoying on this world of ‘Getting Curious’, however altering it, making [it] slightly bit faster paced, making it slightly bit extra appropriate for TV,” they clarify of the selection to carry the podcast to tv. Van Ness added: “I felt like I may push myself and problem myself as a producer and as a author and as a creator and as a bunch, however not do one thing so new to me that it would not translate and would not be partaking. I simply felt assured that I may create an enticing collection out of this podcast.”

“Getting Curious” may have you desirous to ask “why” and “how” much more in relation to the issues that curiosity you, which is in the end the aim. “I hope that [viewers] take away extra information, extra of a way of curiosity, [and] possibly extra confidence to go discover what they’re inquisitive about in life,” Van Ness says, “Curiosity is de facto enjoyable and also you truly might be curious and do it safely.” “Getting Curious” premieres on Netflix on Jan. 28.

Picture Supply: Netflix (2)