For six seasons, the Fab Five of Queer Eye have fluttered into the lives of people around the country (and briefly Japan!), bringing with them a joy that spreads beyond the heroes being made over. Season 6 brought the hosts (Bobby Berk, Karamo Brown, Tan France, Antoni Porowski, and Jonathan Van Ness) to Texas where they enhanced the lives of small business owners, high school students, and community activists. 

One standout hero this season is Angel Flores, a young powerlifter learning to bring her confidence in the gym into her life outside of athletics after transitioning. “My life has been a whirlwind since meeting the Fab Five, and I’m slowly adjusting,” says Flores. “The most lasting effect is the self confidence I have. I see the world a little differently now, and it’s filled with possibility. My goals have shifted, my ideals have changed, and the fire in me is very much still burning.”

Flores has used her visibility from the series to amplify the trans rights conversation, inside and outside of the sports world. She says her own heroes are the trans youth who refuse to be silenced. “There’s nobody stronger than a trans person who embraces visibility. There’s nobody braver than a trans person who looks to educate and improve the lives of everyone around them. And every single day, I see another name, another face, embracing visibility and embracing change. We are our own future.” 

The inspiring body builder hopes her episode lifts the spirits of viewers. “Gender euphoria is a beautiful thing, and so many wonderful people have told me that seeing my happiness made them completely rethink their views. Because ultimately, we’re all just looking to be as happy as possible, and if someone unlike me sees that similarity, well, they’re not quite unlike me.”