Billy Porter reveals why he apologized to Harry Styles

[Teletubby 150,095]

Billy Porter was asked what's the larger critique that  he's making about Vogue cover
'The larger critique that I'm making is this there are systems of oppression and erasure in our culture and around the world that have permeated and poisoned everything when people of color contribute and are leaders of something.
I personally am a leader, not the only one let's be clear and I never said that I'm not the only leader of this revolution but I am one of them.
The part of the story that people don't know  that earlier in 2019 I sat on a stage with Anna Wintour [...].
We had a wonderful conversation at the end of the conversation she asked how can we do better.
It was the first time in my life that I was speechless and I didn't answer her in the way that.
I should have because i was too scared.
What I should have said to her was put me on the cover and let's have this conversation or put somebody else who's a leader on the cover and use your power as Vogue to elevate these voices and this conversation.
5 months later Harry Styles is on the cover of Vogue, first man in a dress. The reason why I apologize to Harry Styles was because the gaslighting and the distraction of his name takes us away from the real conversation. It's not about him. It's about the systems of oppression [...] They're putting in him in a position of leadership for this movement. He's not a leader in this movement.'

full interview:

 

[papergangster 2,753]

Does anyone feel like this whole incident is dragging on? 

[Chuckles 2,549]

10 minutes ago, papergangster said:

Does anyone feel like this whole incident is dragging on? 

It is, but what he says in that shorter clip is true.

[Coop 15,354]

Billy Porter needs to move on

[Oyster 2,458]

He needs to learn that sometimes it’s better to just go move on, I think he’s just digging himself more of a hole. 

[GAMS 1,845]

4 minutes ago, papergangster said:

Does anyone feel like this whole incident is dragging on? 

No, it's extremely relevant. The hating on Billy is ridiculous, especially on this forum. He's said numerous times that it wasn't an attack on Harry. Harry is not a leader in the LGBTQ+ movement. It's as simple as that. For others in the community to go out and STILL get criticized for the way they dress or express themselves and then have people fawn over Harry Styles for doing it? Please.

[COOOK 76,406]

The way he's talking is like he's reading and dragging me while I serve, mama yaass I'll take it

[Fanta 5,019]

I am so tempted to drag some of y'all but for the sake of kindness I'm keeping it cute and on mute. I stand with Billy and what he is saying. As a queer, POC myself the points he is making are not only extremely valid but also in his situation understandable. H*rry St*les has contributed little to nothing to the androgynous, gender-bending movement that has been spearheaded by feminine gay men and drag queens, a lot of which were black individuals and POC.

For a seemingly straight, white and masc individual to hop onto the trend and get the most coveted and desirable cover in fashion it is a slap in the face of all those that have actually contributed sweat, blood and tears to the community so people like me and even St*les can have fun experimenting with fashion and makeup - and this is coming from me, a queer POC.

If you are too immature to process the larger part of this conversation then please do not contribute with ignorance and dismissal, you are not in any way helping.

[NichuuB 43,788]

Billy has been always right in this discussion tho. It's obvious that this recent approach Harry is taking is just queer baiting and gay pandering. I mean, get this pink money if you want, but dont see or state yourself as someone innovative that represents the struggles of the LGBTQ+ community. 

[Hyperobject 66,771]

7 minutes ago, GAMS said:

No, it's extremely relevant. The hating on Billy is ridiculous, especially on this forum. He's said numerous times that it wasn't an attack on Harry. Harry is not a leader in the LGBTQ+ movement. It's as simple as that. For others in the community to go out and STILL get criticized for the way they dress or express themselves and then have people fawn over Harry Styles for doing it? Please.

thank you! i can't believe people here are making Billy look a villain. 

[alsemanche 93,926]

And he is absolutely right. 

I'm all for Harry to dress up however tf he wants to dress up, but the way he's being treated as a god when so many people (and black people in particular) have paved the way for him and others like him and who still get dragged and discriminated against and ignored is not acceptable and Harry himself should acknowledge and insist on making that point (idk if he has but I don't think he has?). 

[REALITY 76,907]

The thing about this conversation that I find annoying is, why go after Harry Styles? At this point, I'm not even talking about Billy Porter, but more so about other people who are coming after Harry now. Like, he's just doing his own this, minding his own business, and people are over here screaming that he "doesn't deserve" to be "leading" the movement. He never called himself a leader. No one is putting that label on him other than the people who want to be offended.

Harry may or may not be queer himself, he hasn't confirmed nor denied it, so how could someone judge him for "queerbaiting" when we don't even know if he's queer?? Like, if Ed Sheeran or Justin Bieber tried to what Harry was doing, I think it'd be very clear that they were just doing it for shock value and not because they actually identify with or care about the community. But that's not the case here.

Obviously, it is important to lift up LGBTQ POC's voices. As a gay POC myself, clearly that is something I believe in. I think that there is a bigger conversation that needs to be had about LGBTQ POC not getting as much representation and credit as they should, and that is something Billy points out that I 1000% agree with. But also, let's get real here. I see so many people talk about lifting up LGBTQ POC's voices, but then I walk into a Lil Nas X thread (who, whether you like him or not, is doing a sh*t ton of work for the LGBTQ community, especially in the rap community), and half the comments there are saying he's "trying too hard" or that he's "inauthentic" or whatever. Like, practice what y'all wanna preach and instead of trying to drag him, how about you be appreciative of the fact that we have a major gay POC in the rap community?

[MelbHawker 6,583]

His initial response to it was a joke (in my opinion), & was more a ‘look at me’ plea than anything of substance/depth re: this issue. How about he checks himself too instead of just back tracking on his dragging of Harry. His reasoning for apologizing being ‘it steered the conversation to Harry & not the issue’.. what did he expect to happen by dragging Harry Styles of all people for something like this? He claims to be a leader.. act & speak like it. You’ve got the platform. So do it properly.

[SHALLOW 16,427]

I agree.

At the end of the day Harry Styles is just another straight man using female fashion for shock.

[REALITY 76,907]

3 minutes ago, SHALLOW said:

I agree.

At the end of the day Harry Styles is just another straight man using female fashion for shock.

We don't know if he's straight. He hasn't confirmed nor denied that he's queer.