Billy Porter Critiques Harry Styles’ Vogue Cover: ‘He Just Has to be White and Straight’

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In a candid interview with The Sunday Times, Billy Porter voiced his frustration over the disparities in opportunities presented to him as a Black, gay man compared to those available to Harry Styles. Porter expressed that while he feels the fashion industry has reluctantly embraced him, he questions why Vogue chose to feature Styles—who identifies as a straight white man—on its cover wearing a dress for the first time.

Porter noted, “I feel like the fashion industry has accepted me because they have to,” referencing the pivotal role he played in initiating discussions around non-binary fashion. Styles, who made headlines for being the first man to grace the cover of Vogue solo while wearing a dress nearly a year ago, has been praised for contributing to a more innovative approach to men’s fashion. However, Porter believes that Styles is not the right figure to lead this progressive movement.

Reflecting on his own career, Porter shared the challenges he faced in securing acting roles after his Broadway debut in 1991. By 2007, a lack of opportunities led him to declare bankruptcy. His breakthrough came with the Emmy-winning role of MC Pray Tell in the hit Netflix series Pose, which subsequently propelled him into the limelight of red carpet fashion, including a stunning black and white dress at the premiere of Amazon Prime’s Cinderella.

Despite his rising fame, Porter lamented the lack of recognition for Black artists who have pioneered trends in fashion, stating, “I changed the whole game.” He emphasized that while many are now embracing styles traditionally associated with femininity, his journey has been fraught with struggle. “I was the first one doing it, and now everybody is doing it,” he remarked. “This is politics for me. This is my life.”

Porter concluded, “I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars. All Styles has to do is be white and straight.”

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Summary

Billy Porter has openly criticized the fashion industry’s preference for Harry Styles as a representative of non-binary fashion, emphasizing the significant challenges he has faced as a Black, gay man in the same industry. Porter believes that while he has paved the way for gender-fluid fashion, Styles’ privilege as a straight white man simplifies his journey in a way that undermines the struggles of people like Porter.