Queer Eye’s Jess pays off college debts after $90,000 fundraiser
Jess from Queer Eye. (Netflix)
Queer Eye‘s lesbian hero Jess Guilbeaux has paid off her college debts and is ready to start her education afresh, thanks to fans fundraising more than $90,000 dollars for her.
Guilbeaux, whose story was told in in episode five of the new season of Queer Eye, was disowned by her adoptive Christian parents when she came out aged 16.
She later had to drop out of the University of Kansas, where she was taking computing classes, because of debt.
a Queer Eye fan called Vanessa Gamet, from Lawrence in Kansa, set up a GoFundMe page in March to raise money to help Guilbeaux go back to college, which has so far raised $92,065 at the time of publication.
In an update on Saturday (April 6), Guilbeaux said she had paid off her college debts with money from the crowdfunder.
“I wanted to update everyone on what your wonderful gifts have helped me do and my process to getting back to school: I have paid off all my student loans!!,” she posted.
“I’m so excited and ready to continue my education with a fresh new start. Thank you so so so much for everything!”
Queer Eye fan sets up crowdfunder for Jess
The GoFundMe, which has received donations from over 2,400 people, page reads: “Let’s send this smart and strong woman back to college to complete what she began and give her the future she deserves.
“While I do not personally know Jess, I felt compelled to initiate this campaign and have handed over ownership of this account to her. The funds go directly to her.”
Jess shares a hug with Karamo at the end of the emotional week with the Queer Eye Fab Five. (Netflix)
The fundraiser has a target of $100,000.
“This is so sweet. I have no words.”
—Jess Guilbeaux
Guilbeaux posted about the crowdfunder on March 16.
“This is so sweet,” she wrote.
“I have no words.”
In a later tweet, she added: “The person running this and I have been in contact and it’s safe and will come to me.”
Jess: Queer Eye gave me confidence in myself
Guilbeaux recently spoke to PinkNews about appearing on the show.
“The thing that Queer Eye has changed for me the most would have to be my own self-confidence, like, I believe firmly that I can do anything that I could,” she said.
“Part of it is spending time with guys like Jonathan and Karamo and Bobby and Antoni and Tan, but part of it is just allowing myself to be vulnerable in front of cameras.
“Part of it is just putting myself out there and speaking my truth and not being afraid about it.”
