“I’m not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one you’re going to try and use to represent this new conversation? He doesn’t care, he’s just doing it because it’s the thing to do.
This is politics for me. This is my life. I had to fight my entire life to get to the place where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned [down]. All he has to do is be white and straight
I changed the whole game. I. Personally. Changed. The. Whole. Game. And that is not ego, that is just fact. I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it.
I feel like the fashion industry has accepted me because they have to. I’m not necessarily convinced and here is why. I created the conversation [about gender-fluid fashion] and yet Vogue still put Harry Styles, a straight white man, in a dress on their cover for the first time.”— Billy Porter speaking with The Times about Vogue featuring Harry Styles in a dress on the cover of its December 2020 issue.
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jayceecook
It’s not fact, it’s ego. If he thinks he’s the first man to wear a dress in public he’s more delusional than I thought. Men have been cross dressing (aka wearing gender fluid fashion) for decades. Some have been attacked verbally and physically for it. The only thing with him is that he’s used it to boost his clout. But because the fashion industry isn’t bowing to his every whim and desire he’s got to attack somebody.
Kenny C
Your trying to be angry because he is discussing race. That always makes some of you blush and lash out instinctively. Billy Porter CLEALRY did not claim he was the first man to put on dress. He is the first one to do it as a fashion statement on the Academy Award’s red carpet.
Now, I can admit this comment is off putting and seems bitter. I see noreason to separate good intentions and good people, like Harry Styles, from other good people with good intentions. So I find his comment counter productive.
I also can’t help but notice how attacks are more personal and more vicious against POC. And can also be observed in most discussions about race in these comment sections on Queerty.
rray63
I’m still trying to figure out what in Jaycee’s paragraph was showing anger or race? Or does he know Jaycee’s race or just assumes he’s white? Or perhaps Kenny is the one with the issue? Either way I love how folks on here read into things what they want to, it’s always so fascinating.
LumpyPillows
Hey, Kenny: “I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it.” Try again.
eleni4
Hi Kenny,
Trey Parker and Matt Stone were the first to wear dresses to the Academy Awards.in 2000, but I get your point.
lord.krath
You’ve missed the point entirely.
He said he isn’t dragging Harry. He is making an observation. Billy isn’t wrong.
You could argue Star Trek TNG did [men with dresses] with formal uniforms. Also, sarongs and kilts aren’t dresses. But again, beyond the point being made by Billy.
jayceecook
@KennyC I’m not the one that’s angry. Billy P is. I’m annoyed and that has nothing to do with the amount of melanin in his skin. It’s about his arrogance, ignorance, and ego. And he is most definitely saying he is the first man to wear a dress and be “gender fashion fluid”. His words, “I changed the whole game. I. Personally. Changed. The. Whole. Game. And that is not ego, that is just fact. I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it.”
That is ignoring or erasing A LOT of history there.
Even if he were just speaking about the Oscars he’s still wrong. He’s not the first. He’s not the first we’ve seen and haven’t seen on the red carpet during the event.
At the end of the day I don’t really care that some overrated, egotistical, one note actor is whining (which he does often) about not getting enough attention.
jayceecook
@lord.krath I didn’t miss his point. I simply don’t believe it to be true. Especially when it can be debunked. Men, celebrities and non-celebs, have been cross dressing all throughout history. A gay man wearing a dress is not fashion forward or even subversive. You could argue that it plays into the stereotype that queer men are inherently feminine and/or wish to be women.
Harry Styles wearing a dress or other women’s clothing isn’t either. However it still is somewhat transgressive because he’s as Billy P points out, “a white, cis, straight, man.” A white, cis, straight, man is considered the default in society. The best of the best. Anything, no matter how small, that tries to push the boundaries or even break them is considered heresy to those who worship that ideal.
Billy P misses that point. He also misses the much bigger one. Harry Styles wasn’t put on the cover of Vogue because he wore a dress. He was put on the cover because he is an international super star with a legion of girls and women who are obsessed with everything he does. Some are even pathological about it. There are females in countries you’ve never heard of that know who HS is. Ask them who Billy P is and watch the Mariah Carey “I don’t know her” meme come to life. And when Vogue is in the business of selling magazines, something of a dying institution, you bet your *** they are going to pick a celeb who can bring in the cash. That is not Billy P.
Matthewnow
Porter is a narcissistic sociopath. F*UCK him. He’s a little piss ant racist pig. It’s NOT about you bababilly. Death is too good for him.
LumpyPillows
I love Billy Porter, but he is a bit full of himself, and wrong. Boy George comes to mind. Divine of course. I mean, has he not been paying attention? I do have to admit he has always been a bit of a whiner, which is disappointing for someone so blessed with money and fame.
Ricky Rocky
“I created..”.
Reading your own publicity much? Jealousy ain’t pretty.
barkomatic
Billy Porter has gotten plenty of coverage for his fashions. It’s reflects poorly on him that for some reason he feels all attention should be on him.
Donston
There’s no defending how bitchy and arrogant Billy comes off here. While he’s hardy the first male celebrity to talk about gender fluidity/dimensions/expressions and definitely not the first to wear dresses or heels on the red carpet. He should also avoid giving people “labels” or determining their motivations. You would think he had learned his lesson from indirectly deeming Richard Madden a “straight’ dude playing ‘gay”.
However, I do kinda understand where he’s trying to come from. There is no doubt that if Harry weren’t white, young, conventionally good-looking and seemingly “straight-presenting”/with hetero leanings and ambitions, then him wearing a basic blouse and an ill-fitting skirt a couple of times wouldn’t have been seen as nearly a big of a deal as it was. And he definitely seemed mostly driven by trying to imitate artists he admires. The media and Harry’s fan base were definitely doing too much by trying to deem him “groundbreaking” or some type of fashionista. It was silly and condescending. Billy’s comment though is kinda flat and nuance-less and just comes off bitter.
LumpyPillows
Yes, we must trash all white, young, conventionally good-looking and seemingly “straight-presenting”/with hetero leanings and ambitions. Seriously, no. Harry Styles has a much greater appeal to a much larger audience than Billy, who is talented by a niche talent. Sad for Billy and Dot. Best I can tell Harry is as Queer as one can get.
Donston
Where did I say “trash” anyone? I said Harry being white, conventionally good-looking, and having a “mostly straight-ish” image contributed greatly to why the media and his fans made such a big deal about him wearing a blouse and a dress. It’s all sensationalism though, even Billy is driven by sensationalism and attention.
DarkZephyr
Well, they are definitely paying attention to him over Billy because he’s supposedly straight. Who is shocked over a gay man wearing a dress? Who regards that as revolutionary? Straight people not conforming to gender norms is actually a bit more cutting edge, in my opinion. And as an aside, folks like RuPaul and Boy George were playing with gender expression long before Porter was.
Chrisk
In short…..pay attention to meeeeeeee…..!!! I could think of a few celebrities like Dame Edna to RuPaul that did it decades before you.
You can tell this shit has really gone to his head. I couldn’t imagine being around this smug narcissist for more then 5 minutes. Yikes.
ARTmark
Brad Pitt wore a dress on the cover of Vanity Fair years ago….Billy just needs the constant spotlight and ALWAYS dresses for attention….Harry is amazingly cool and unapologetic (and I like his fashion sense better!!)
TheRedLine
Wow, I totally forgot about that. I had that issue in my possession for the longest time. I remember thinking how good he looked in that dress.
OhPlease
What a bitch! Harry Styles has been ambiguous in all directions since he was a young boy, he if anything better embodies the spirit of whatever he is trying to be than someone who is making financially motivated “political statements.” Styles may not overdress for the occasion, but he actually seems to have fun doing it. Porter just comes off as a black Madonna-in-training.
Donston
Kenny C, of course, there is indeed more vitriol from the comment section when it’s a non-white person. And course, the majority of comments are not gonna even gonna bother trying to understand where Billy is coming. But I’ve learned to expect it. While a lot of male queers are Harry stans or at least lust after him. So, they’re not gonna admit his white and “straight presenting” privilege and how that gives him an extra boost. If not for that no one would have have about a blouse he wore once or an ill-fitting dress on the cover of Vogue. It all is what it is. No doubt Billy went about it incorrectly.
jonasalden
I absolutely agree. They instinctively piled on, but why? And why so virulently? I don’t any of them and what their politics and “preferences” are, but the knee-jerk hostility is easy to sense. I’m not even going to bother speculating why, but what we’re not going to do is pretend that the reaction was pointed when Kenny focused on the Harry Styles part.
When Kenny said, “I also can’t help but notice how attacks are more personal and more vicious against POC. And can also be observed in most discussions about race in these comment sections on Queerty”, I agreed whole-heartedly, although I personally take an objective rather than an emotional approach to it. I HAVE STILL NOTICED IT, and this is yet another example. Kenny’s mentioning it started a whole sub-thread!
The original issue was Billy Porter being territorial about the lane HE thinks he carved out on the red carpet and how easily someone else (for suspected reasons) so easily commandeered it, as Billy sees it.
rray63 and LumpyPillows piled on (rather than simply disagreed) until Donston came to support Kenny’s point. It is what it is.
LumpyPillows
No, I love how you cherry pick your own comments. This is reverse racism at its best. Pathetic. Billy Porter is a minor celebrity. Harry is a huge star. Billy is pissed he is not in Harry’s league and is playing the race card and clinging to his one claim to fame – cross dressing well. Pathetic, just like the reverse racists who can’t wait to jump on a white person. Reverse racism does not help the problem with racism..it actually makes it worse.
ScottOnEarth
I don’t blame Billy for being annoyed. He’s right. Harry Stiles wears dresses for attention and he absolutely has straight, white privilege, which is why he was on Vogue in a dress. Billy would have been the better choice because what he does is authentic, game-changing and takes genuine courage. Not to mention the fact that he is far more gorgeous than Harry.
Donston
It was apparent what Vogue and Harry were trying to do, and it worked. While I get some being resentful of a seemingly “straight-ish” white guy getting the majority of attention for wearing a dress and blouse on a couple of occasions. Still, Billy’s comments were basic and bitter. And y’all really need to stop handing out identities. Unless someone embraces an identity, try to avoid referring to them as such. Harry’s persona is semi-queer-ish, kinda “straight presenting”. Let’s leave it at that. Handing out identities is just flat-out rude and always does more harm than good.
All the comments centered on how this guy or that guy wore a dress or how dudes have been wearing dresses forever are purposely missing the core of where Billy is coming from. But, as I said, I expected that here.
KyleMichelSullivan
Um…didn’t Trey Parker and Matt Stone wear dresses on the Red Carpet more than 20 years ago? Granted, they were doing it as a joke on Jennifer Lopez and Gwenyth Paltrow, but there they were. Mean in green and pretty in pink.
ScottOnEarth
You’re kidding, right? They clearly did it as a mockery, in-line with the age-old “man-in-a-dress” gag. There was zero queer representation and they just added to the narrative that a man in a dress is a joke. So, no, they didn’t do “it” first.
KyleMichelSullivan
Oh, Scott, aren’t able to read for comprehension, huh? Did you mist the part where I said they did it as a joke? Or were you so lost in your sense of moral superiority you felt it okay to dismiss the fact that Porter said he was the FIRST man to wear a dress on the Red Carpet when he wasn’t?
No question Porter’s decision was a political in-your-face one instead of a South Park prank, but this had echoes of Sam Smith claiming to be the first Out gay man to win an Oscar when Dustin Lance Black had beaten him by 7 years.
Gadfeal
Why does any commenter assume that they are culturally the center of humanity?
He’s from a much older, more complex society where they march to their own tuneS. Harry is English, and not the RP Downton Abbey 1% to the manor born, but one of the 86% of Britons who speak vernaculars that non-Brits don’t always fully get.
Lower body garments with separate enclosures for each thigh were first designed for horseback riding to prevent slippage of the rider without saddle i.e. they were “breeches” and have been found in 13th Century BC in China. The Roman era had not only “horsemen wear”, but the upper classes had lighter version as undergarments – covering the thighs. But the tunic (dress), a single piece clothing was the norm for most people.
It wasn’t until the 18th Century that undergarments became affordable through industrialization. In Revolutionary France, the “masses” of poor were the “sans culottes” (no underwear people), and children of both genders wore dresses/tunics until the males reached adolescence. The 19th Century was when the ankle length trousers or pantaloons (future “pants”) became widespread in all segments of European society, famously first popularized by the classical Commedia dell’Arte figure of Pantalone who had such skinny legs that he made his breeches not half or 3/4 length, but full length down to the ankle. The “Pantaloons” became synonymous with the full leg lower male garment, reduced to “pants” in English.
Nonetheless, a single piece male garment aka tunic or dress was normative around the world. Even in China in the 20th Century, small children went without underwear and their pants were split at the crotch so that they could squat for “outdoor toileting”. It is now, I suspect, a practice that has been dissuaded by the govenrment as China grew in industrialization, wealth and adopted modern Western clothing fashions.
From the toga, to the kilt, to the jalaba, to the kimono, “dresses” or skirts for male wear makes eminent sense in warm climates.
Max
what Porter said about dressing up in women’s garb was soooooo unattractive due to him having to stipulate it was not ego when it was really ego.
dkimbra
I love and admire Billy…Harry is just another white rocker dude in a skirt..like Layne Staley before him,and Anthony Kiedis, and Axl Rose and Mick Fleetwood…its a different thing, Harry’s hardly the first, and I don’t think even he would claim that, although I could be wrong. Billy did own the Oscar’s, I was there and saw it, he was flawlessly fantastic…but I don’t view it as the exact same thing.
RosemarysBaby
Mr. Porter seems to be a bit full of himself. Men have been wearing skirts/dresses since at least 4,000 BC. I’ve been wearing them myself for the past three decades. They’re insanely comfortable.
Fahd
I think Billy´s issue is more with Vogue than Styles and that Vogue would rather put a picture of Styles in a woman´s dress than a picture of Porter in a woman´s dress on it´s cover can´t/shouldn´t surprise anyone including Porter.
Vogue is part of the establishment, and I think its good for Porter to call it out for its (structural) racism. His criticism might be self-centered and lack tact, but you can´t change anything through silence.
Rugby8
“All he has to do is be white and straight”???
Billy – be quiet, you are embarrassing yourself.
There are gay white , and straight white people who struggle.
It’s not all about you.
thiccdad
He has a point about Vogue, but the rest just overexaggerates his importance. It’s laughable for him to claim he is the “first one to do it.” Billy, I think Sylvester, Divine, Boy George and countless other brave pioneers would like you to hold their beers. Sit down, girl.
SDR94103
“I changed the whole game. I. Personally. Changed. The. Whole. Game. And that is not ego, that is just fact. I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it.”
I sometimes don’t like Billy Porter.
Den
Vogue put its first black person on the cover almost 50 years ago, so we can assume with a fair level or surety that it was not a decision made based on the fact that Porter is black and Styles white. I suspect that the decision was based more on Porters average looks, and looking far worse in makeup versus Styles who has boy band/popstar good looks.
If Porter looked like Usher, Stephen Boss (Twitch) or Frank Ocean, than the racial argument might have more traction. But as it is it sounds kinda like sour grapes.
IWantAFullBeard
Come on man – do they have to say it to your face? You are cross eyed. It’s poor aesthetics for a fashion magazine. You are also a terrible actor.
dhmonarch89
Every time Billy appears in gowns- the style people go on and on about how brave he is, but I never hear them talk about if he looks good in these gowns… that black hoop skirt he wore to the Oscars made him look 4 feet tall. I never thought- ‘wow, he looks great’… just- ‘wow, that’s a brave statement…’
dhmonarch89
Joan Rivers would have ripped him to shreds… god I miss her!
LumpyPillows
I like his Oscar look, but it was definitely camp and over the top. It was a look at me dress, and it worked. Can’t say I blame him. Not sure what Joan would have said…but it would have been funny.
CNY1983
theres something very….”whistlers Mother” about Harry Styles in a dress.
LumpyPillows
I’m not a fan of Harry’s look either, but the more times I see it, it seems to be growing on me.
cuteguy
Billy Porter is getting too full of himself. He should be thanking Harry Styles, who’s dreamy af
jonasalden
Billy Porter is definitely feeling himself, but somehow I don’t think Harry’s “dreaminess” is his point. Clearly his complaint is deeper than that. So I don’t think that a muffin basket from Billy Porter will be arriving on Harry’s doorstep anytime soon. But maybe you could send him one, since clearly he has enriched your life, now matter how shallowly. See boys? That’s how shade is done.
Kevan1
Not convinced Harry Styles is not at least Bi… or gender fluid.
southernway
Porter should just worry about his own panties and leave others alone. One note style actor and truly dead behind the eyes to quote LaPone
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ThinkPIease
It’s fun watching the liberals attack each other, welcome to cancel culture. Remember no matter who you are it’s a sin to be born white and you must be “CANCELED.”
Den
Take your name to heart, little boy. And maybe learn to think.
The right are the first to cancel and whine. They are the first to boycott and malign those who express a different opinion, or base opinions on fact not imagination. Out of one side of their mouths they praise unregulated business, but when businesses regulate themselves in intelligent manner (like trying to protect the health of workers and customer) they throw tantrums like children.
While it may be true that the right does not have quite as much infighting, it is because they are mostly too dull to have opinions different from those they are told to have. You guys have already forced all the conservative intellectuals out of your supposedly big, and definitely ratty tent.
Donston
You mean politics doesn’t get rid of independent thought? Who would have known? Also, the “it’s a sin to be white in 2021” is cornball.
MISTERJETT
it’s not a sin to be born white, but it’s just so damn boring.
Hank31
lol. He is claiming effeminacy and cross-dressing for himself. This is kind of like staking out your ownership to a toxic landfill.
What really needs to happen is for the conversation to move forward to the question of how men like Porter – hyper-effeminate cross-dressers — come to exist. Is it a psychological disorder, a failure of brain development in utero, or something else?
Den
Ah!
The outdated intellect of the 40’s and 50’s rears its ugly head.
This is the 21st century. Nobody with an active mind is interested in your regressive and pointless ideas. And it takes a really, really, really small man to think somebody’s gender presentation is a;ll that important as opposed to his nature, actions and contribution (which in the case of both men in question here is debatable, but that is beside your backwards point).
Kangol2
Your regressive comments yet again reveal your effemmephobia, misogyny, toxic masculinity, and extreme insecurity. You also love to cite psychology but seem to miss your own very evident gender panic. You seem to forget that effeminate gay men, tranvestites and trans people have all fought for decades (50+ years) for your right to live as an out (are you?) gay, fem-fearing man. You’re dancing on the graves of many!
EddieB
Me,me,me,me,me,me,me,me,me,me,me,me,me. I’ll turn in my gay card but I’m surprised Billy Porter is still alive considering all the scenery he must choke on every time he acts.
moretruth
So true. Interesting character, but he’s a horrible actor. And the wearing a dress thing is irritating. The G in LGBT is either vilified or erased these days. It’s even worse in the media as the G is over represented by the bitchy queen in a dress.
Toofie
It’s like he’s oblivious to the fact Harry Styles on Vogue will sell a ton more issues than if Billy Porter was on the cover.
MsLillegs
Oh, I reckon he’s far from oblivious that Harry would sell more copies than he would; if anything, that’s part of his complaint. Wasn’t he (BP) known to have said that all HS had to do was be ‘straight and white’, whereas he had struggled his whole life to get to where he was? For that, I can understand his bitterness.
Jon in Canada
“I changed the whole game. I. Personally. Changed. The. Whole. Game. And that is not ego, that is just fact. I was the first one doing it and now everybody is doing it.”
As my amazing Blatino hubby would say, Negro Please! You didn’t change the whole game, not even close. The Hijra of India have been living that life for centuries, literally centuries. Australian The Flash/Love Simon actor Keiynan Lonsdale has been wearing dresses and gowns for years and yes Billy, even before you made your big debut. Don’t even get me started on Les Dames de Chaillot in France, who have worn dresses and Haute Couture for at least the last two centuries. There are many more examples of people, from all races and walks of life who have lived openly in dresses, kilts, Haute Couture, etc. I’m not saying you haven’t made a splash, because you are fabulous; but please, temper your ego with a healthy dose of humility, especially for those who came long before you.
So no, you’re most definitely NOT the ONE who “Changed the whole game”. The conceit of Americans to believe that nothing exists until they do it is a remarkable display of hubris to behold.
Kangol2
You clearly love using your “Blatino” husband as license to spout that “Negro please” comment but seriously, cut that sh!t out. We get that you feel enabled, but we’ve heard that comment before from you and it isn’t cute. Seriously, enough.
LumpyPillows
Lol. I found it funny and spot on. Kang, lighten up, brush the chips off your shoulder, get a massage…whatever it takes to not be such a drag.
Donston
The media definitely propped Harry up as some “gender nonconformity” icon. Billy didn’t start anything. But the media definitely treated Harry like he did start something. And they did so primarily because he’s popular, young, white, masculine (despite wearing a couple skirts), and at least a “straight-ish” image. If not for all that stuff, he wouldn’t have gotten the hype he did for simply wearing a blouse and dress a couple times. While I don’t think Billy was trying to attack Harry. He’s calling out the media’s biases. Did he go about it the wrong way? Yes. Does he come off arrogant as hell? Yes. But his core point stands.
Jim
Poor Billy. Not as relevant at he’d like to be. Nor or his fashion choices.
Harry, keep on rockin’ it!
Kangol2
I get the gist of what Billy Porter is trying to say (Donston spells it out clearly in several posts above) but he does come off as narcissistic and self-aggrandizing.
I’d be interested to know his thoughts about some of the “straight” Black men, like rappers Young Thug, Jaden Smith, ASAP Rocky, Kid Cudi, Two Chainz, Mos Def, and Li’l Yachty, who have publicly worn dresses and skirts (creating a sensation/uproar) going back 5+ years now, and yes, Ye and P. Diddy (who wore kilts), and whether he feels they were copying him or following him. Didn’t their public dress/skirt outfits precede Porter’s public high-profile tuxedo dress in 2019 at the Oscars? Back in 2016 on his mixtape cover Jeffery, Young Thug actually appeared in a very elegant pinafore dress and hat, and freaked some people out. Did Queerty cover this? I can’t remember.
I don’t think the mainstream media took much notice, since Young Thug is a Black hip hop artist (same with the others I mentioned), which sort of feeds into what Porter is saying about the focus on Styles vs. everyone else, but also challenges part of what Porter is arguing, since he clearly wasn’t the first. (And people have mentioned many other pioneers, like Bowie, Sylvester, Boy George, Leigh Bowery, etc.) At any rate, I do sometimes think fame is going to Porter’s head. (And I interacted with him personally years ago and didn’t find him particularly pleasant, but I also wish him every success.)
MISTERJETT
so now that he’s done it, no one else is supposed to? if that’s the case, he’s in for a big disappointment.
PhillipKerrySmith
I guess people forgot that Harry Styles hasn’t denied being bisexual when asked about who he sleeps with. So this whole thing is moot.
Dax45
I think people are more angry at these comments from Billy purely down to the face he is a man of color. This is very sad. What he said is true how was the first to do this as a fashion statement on an academy red carpet. And I don’t know nut my opinion is Harry love to do a bit of gay bating.