Billy Porter has spent four decades speaking out. But doing so now, in today's cultural climate, he says, can come at a cost.
"It's easy when it's easy. What are you going to do when it is not easy? What are you going to do when you have to sacrifice something?" Porter told USA TODAY on Sept. 17 at the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation's Night of Compassion gala in Beverly Hills.
Porter said that Taylor's example as an HIV/AIDS advocate at a time when it was taboo remains relevant when taking a stand can jeopardize career opportunities, brand partnerships and livelihoods.
"There will always be fear [when] standing up for what is right. There will always be backlash," Porter said. "That's my point. It's easy when it's easy."
Porter has been living
with HIV since June 2007, which he revealed in a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The "Pose" star, who received the Elizabeth Taylor Legacy Award during the event, reflected on coming out at 16 in 1985 as the AIDS crisis devastated the LGBTQ+ community.
"We went straight to the front lines to fight for our lives during the AIDS crisis," Porter said. "Fighting for equality is all that I know. Fighting for justice, fighting for what's right, is embedded in my DNA."
The Broadway star acknowledged that continuing to speak out can feel isolating.
"Sometimes that feels lonely," he shared. "And sometimes that feels, like, you know, you're screaming into the void, or you're fighting into the void." But nights like the gala, he added, remind him "that we're still all in this together."
Later, while accepting the honor, Porter said he realized while hospitalized with a case of urosepsis last year that he had "unintentionally silenced" himself.
"I told myself I was just going to take a break for my mental health. I silenced myself. And it almost killed me, y'all," he said. Invoking Elton John's 1974 song, Porter declared, "The bitch is back!"
The experience also shaped how Porter views those who have used their voices to stand up for others.
"[Elizabeth Taylor] taught us all how to show up and show out," he said during his acceptance speech. "As a baby gay, I was a beneficiary of her example, and I'm grateful for the lessons. I am who I am because she showed me how."
Taylor was a leading celebrity voice as an HIV/AIDS advocate during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s and founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991. The organization supports direct care and advocates for people affected by HIV and AIDS.
Billy Porter teases 'Hunger Games' prequel role
Porter will next appear as stylist Magno Stift in the franchise's upcoming prequel film, "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," in theaters Nov. 20.
But don't expect him to reveal much about what Magno will look like.
"They were very, very aware of who I am and why I was hired, and they really, they did me good," Porter told USA TODAY of his character's look. "I'm not telling you about the look."
Porter jokingly blamed the secrecy on the project's nondisclosure agreements, before offering one small hint: "I wear a fedora. You can know that much."
Porter also spoke glowingly about Glenn Close, who is part of the film's cast.
"She's a real artist. She's a real human being. She cares about the world and humanity. And she shows up," Porter said. "I really love her."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Billy Porter gets candid on cancel culture, teases 'Hunger Games' role
