Tim Gunn
Early life
Gunn was born in Washington, D.C. His father worked in the FBI where he started as an agent but transitioned into becoming a ghostwriter and speechwriter for J. Edgar Hoover. He attended Corcoran College of Art and Design at George Washington University in Washington D.C. receiving a BFA degree in sculpture.
Early life
Gunn, who had identified as gay, was raised in an intensely homophobic household where homosexuals were viewed as predators. According to a video Gunn made for the It Gets Better Project, he attempted suicide at the age of 17 by swallowing over 100 pills. He denied his sexual orientation until his early 20s, and did not share it with his family until he came out to his sister when he was 29.
Career
After serving as director of admissions for Corcoran, Gunn started working at Parsons in 1982, served as associate dean from 1989 to 2000, and then became the Fashion Design Department chair in August 2000. He was credited with "retooling and invigorating the curriculum for the 21st century."
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