The common argument among quite a few gay men is that Queer Eye propagates the stereotype that gay men are all fashion experts, hair stylists, interior designers and effeminate/feminine. To a certain extend, it does.

However, the "stereotypical gay male" as portrayed by the Fab 5 of Queer Eye (and perceived by a lot of people) is a significant percentage of the gay male population. Queer Eye is doing something unique for those people. Why? Think about it: The "stereotypical gay male" is usually featured as a secondary character in TV/movies. For example, he is the broken hearted woman's best friend, or the hair stylist, or the interior designer, or trusty waiter or co-worker and on and on. In other cases, the "stereotypical gay male' is the victim of hate crimes or discrimination or abuse and on and on. What Queer Eye does is give people who identify with that stereotype a new, successful, and positive role model: The gay men in Queer Eye are not only the heroes of the show, they are also in control of the action. They are the ones who storm into people's lives and judge them. [A classic role reversal?].

That is why Queer Eye is important!