Porter knew at a young age that his sexuality was different from that of his peers. Growing up in a conservative household, singing only gospel music, he was ridiculed as an “abomination” by his own family. Porter left home in his teens.

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Running away was a huge risk, but it was the right move for Porter. Although he earned his freedom, he still faced homophobia and anti-gay beliefs throughout his career. He told W magazine: “You have to fix yourself or you won’t ever have success.”

When Porter tried to break into Hollywood in the 80s, the industry was just looking for just three types of African-American actors, he he told the audience at the 2019 New Yorker Festival: “James Earl Jones, the patriarch. Denzel Washington, the sex symbol. Eddie Murphy, the genius clown.”

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Deadline reports that Porter’s career went into a decline; he filed for bankruptcy and went without health insurance for 13 years. But the tide turned when the opportunity came to play Belize in the 2011 revival of Angels in America and his run as Lola in Kinky Boots.

Porter has a role in creating his character and he had to convince executive producer Ryan Murphy to do another concept

Pose sheds light on the African-American and Latino LGBTQ+ community and the nonconforming ball culture scene in 1980s New York. When Porter read the script and was cast as a dance teacher, he felt that another character was made for him.

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Ryan Murphy, the show’s creator and executive producer, originally wanted all the mothers to be transgender women, but Porter had another idea: he proposed himself as one of the mothers. Murphy responded by issuing a challenge to Porter. “If you can do an impersonation of the emcees at the balls, we’ll create something for you”. With Murphy won over by Porter’s suggestion, Pose became a big success.

He delivered his LGBTQ State of the Union address

Last February, Donald Trump wasn’t the only one who delivered a State of the Union address.

Porter gave his second LGBTQ State of the Union for Logo TV hours before Trump addressed Congress and the nation. He pointed out Trump’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies: the President’s ban on transgender people serving in the military, his support of the so-called conscience rule that would allow health professionals to refuse LGBTQ+ people on the basis of their belief, and the appointment of anti-LGBTQ+ judges. “Every act of love is a blow against hate,” he said. “We may have a tough fight against us, but I know we can win it.”

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His red carpet gowns and ensembles defy gender norms 

Porter knows how to stir a conversation when he’s on the red carpet. At the 2019 Academy Awards, he made waves when he wore a Christian Siriano custom tuxedo ball gown. Last year at the Tony’s, he confidently stood out in a pink and red tulle outfit, which featured 30,000 Swarovski crystals as well as recycled fabric from a curtain backdrop from Broadway’s Kinky Boots, reported Us Weekly magazine. He also made the most dazzling entrance at the Met Gala – on a bed, carried by six shirtless men, in a custom “sun god” ensemble created by design duo The Blonds.

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