Jonathan Van Ness- one of the fab five from Netflix original ‘Queer Eye’- has recently revealed that he is H.I.V positive. In his new memoir, “Over the Top”, Van Ness gives fans a deeper look into his past. The usual upbeat, sassy character gives a raw and transparent view into his life that he had yet to share with the public in his new memoir. Van Ness told the NY Times that “These are issues that need to be talked about.”
Van Ness was sexually abused as a child, and the trauma he endured from the abuse led him to participate in risky behaviors growing up. When he was 25, Van Ness visited a Planned Parenthood clinic because he was experiencing flu-like symptoms. It was at this clinic that he tested positive for H.I.V. In his memoir he opens up about how devastating this news was.
In his interview with the Times’ Van Ness revealed that after he blew up on Queer Eye, he was unsure if this was something he should share with the public. Ultimately, Van Ness decided that this was something he wanted to share because he felt that this was something he needed to talk about.
Van Ness describes himself as a healthy and proud “member of the beautiful H.I.V.-positive community.”
Read the full interview here: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/21/style/jonathan-van-ness-hiv-memoir.html