Billy Porter Criticizes Anna Wintour and Harry Styles Over Vogue Cover
In a recent interview, Billy Porter expressed his disappointment with Anna Wintour and Harry Styles following the controversial Vogue magazine cover featuring the “Watermelon Sugar” singer in a dress. The actor, known for his role in “Pose,” revealed that he had spoken to Wintour months before the cover was released, but was surprised by the editor’s response.
Porter shared that he had a conversation with Wintour, during which she asked him, “How can we do better?” However, the actor was taken aback and failed to respond with what he now believes he should have said. Porter later expressed regret, stating, “Use your power as Vogue to uplift the voices of the leaders of this de-gendering of fashion movement… Six months later, Harry Styles is the first man on the cover.”
While Porter does not blame Styles for being featured on the Vogue cover, he criticized the gatekeepers of the fashion industry. Porter acknowledges Styles’ privilege as a white, straight man, saying, “It’s not Harry Styles’s fault that he happens to be white and cute and straight and fit into the infrastructure that way… I call out the gatekeepers.”
Furthermore, Porter explained that Styles was selected because he fits the traditional norms of beauty and acceptance. Porter feels that this decision exploits his community to elevate Styles without any sacrifice on his part. The actor stated, “You’re using my community – or your people are using my community – to elevate you. You haven’t had to sacrifice anything.”
This is not the first time Porter has brought up the Vogue cover featuring Styles. In 2021, he spoke out, feeling that his contributions to the nonbinary fashion conversation were overshadowed. However, he later apologized to Styles, emphasizing that his remarks were aimed at the systems of oppression and erasure of people of color within the industry.
“I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t mean no harm,” Porter said during an interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” adding, “I’m a gay man. We like Harry. He’s cute.”
The conversation surrounding the Vogue cover continues, highlighting the ongoing debates within the fashion industry about inclusivity, representation, and the responsibility of influential figures like Anna Wintour and Harry Styles.