Billy Porter, star of FX’s Pose, says despite the “vitriol” he will live his truth by wearing a dress.
Speaking exclusively to PinkNews, Porter revealed why he feels fashion is a “political act.”
“I want to be a walking piece of political art when I show up,” he told PinkNews.
The Pose actor spoke about the impact of being labelled “the cause of the emasculation of the black man” after wearing dresses.
He said: “I didn’t know I had that much power—but now that I know I do, you can expect me to be wielding it every f***ing chance I get.”
Porter, who spoke to PinkNews while in the capital to headline Pride in London, is known for his iconic looks on the red carpet
From wearing a tuxedo gown to the Oscars to being dressed from head to toe in gold at the Met Gala, Porter has shown he’s not afraid to break boundaries when it comes to fashion.
“If I’m over here wearing a dress, why does it matter?” he told PinkNews.
Breaking down the patriarchy
Any woman who puts on pants is considered strong because pants are associated with the patriarchy.
The Pose star said he is proud to wear dresses and stand out in an industry that is “generally reserved for women.”
Porter also spoke of his disappointment at the “vitriol” reaction to his gender-non-conforming outfits on the red carpet.
I didn’t know I had that much power. But now that I know that I do, you can expect me to be wielding it every f***ing chance I get.
He explained: “You know, the most disappointing was the backlash from black people.
“That was worse than all of it.”
The star also spoke out on the backlash to gay rapper Lil Nas X coming out: “We’re not going anywhere. We’re here. Respect me as a human being. You don’t have to like it.”
Porter, who recently starred in Taylor Swift’s music video for “You Need to Calm Down”, added that one his favorite looks on the red carpet have been his “uterus dress” at the Tony Award’s made out of the Kinky Boots curtains—the Broadway show that saw him win Tony’s Best Actor for in 2013.