Billy Porter has resurfaced his grievances about Harry Styles being the first man to appear in a dress on the cover of Vogue. Porter, who is openly gay, spoke to the Telegraph about his problem with Styles being chosen as the poster boy for gender fluidity and non-binary fashion back in 2020. At the time, Porter had expressed his opinion, sparking controversy and heated discussions.
Porter, who claims to have been the catalyst for the men-in-dresses trend in Hollywood, lamented the fact that Styles was chosen over him. He stated, “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 palace where I could wear a dress to the Oscars and not be gunned down. All he has to do is be white and straight.”
However, Porter later apologized on the Late Show, clarifying that his intention was not to disparage Styles personally but to highlight the larger conversation surrounding gender fluidity and representation.
Now, after more than two years, Porter is once again voicing his grievances and asserting that Styles is straight, despite the fact that Styles has never explicitly labeled himself or his sexuality. Porter argues that Styles was chosen for the cover because he fits into the establishment’s idea of attractiveness and conforms to traditional gender norms.
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Porter accuses Styles of using the LGBTQ+ community to elevate himself without having to make any sacrifices. This echoes longstanding queerbaiting claims that Styles has faced throughout his career. Some argue that Styles plays coy about his sexuality, particularly when it comes to his fashion choices, to appeal to the LGBTQ+ community. While Styles has been linked to several women in the past, it remains uncertain if he identifies strictly as heterosexual.
Adding fuel to the fire, Porter makes another claim against Anna Wintour, the editor-in-chief of Vogue. According to Porter, prior to Styles’ cover issue, Wintour approached him asking for advice on amplifying style pioneers within the LGBTQ+ community. Porter claims he was taken off guard by Wintour’s question and didn’t respond as he would have liked. He criticizes Wintour for not using her platform to uplift the voices of leaders in the de-gendering of fashion movement, only to then choose Styles for the cover.
This ongoing controversy sheds light on the intersection of fashion, identity, and representation. It raises questions about who gets to define and lead conversations around gender fluidity and non-binary fashion. The fact that Porter feels overlooked and overshadowed by Styles’ Vogue cover illustrates the complexities and tensions within the LGBTQ+ community regarding visibility and recognition.
Ultimately, this debate serves as a reminder of the work that still needs to be done to ensure diverse voices are heard and celebrated within the fashion industry. It highlights the importance of using platforms like Vogue to uplift and empower marginalized communities. The conversation around gender fluidity in fashion should not be reduced to superficial trends or tokenistic representations but should genuinely challenge societal norms and celebrate the multitude of identities that exist.
