Billy Porter Calls Out Anna Wintour For ‘Vogue’ Magazine Feature of Harry Styles

More than two years after Harry Styles became the first man to appear solo on the cover of Vogue, the Billy Porter is reflecting on the publication’s choice claiming the former One Direction star only got it because he’s “white and straight.”

In a conversation with the Telegraph, Porter told the magazine that Vogue’s choice to have Harry Styles be the first solo man on the cover didn’t sit right with him.

In a conversation with The Telegraph, Porter stated “It doesn’t feel good to me. You’re using my community – or your people are using my community – to elevate you. You haven’t had to sacrifice anything.”

The Kinky Boots star, known for many of his gender fluid fashion statements and so much more, went on to reveal that he had a conversation with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour months prior to the magazine’s cover reveal.

Porter went on to admit, “That b—- said to me at the end, ‘How can we do better?’ And I was so taken off guard that I didn’t say what I should have said.”

The 53-year-old star went on to explain that he should have urged Wintour and her staff to use Vogue’s power ‘uplift the voices of the leaders of this de-gendering of fashion movement. 

And then six months later, Porter noted that Harry Styles was the first man on the cover.

However, even after the cover and the situation, the Emmy winning star claimed he does not place any blame with the One Direction star for landing the cover. 

Porter went on to say, “It’s not Harry Styles’ fault that he happens to be white and cute and straight and fit into the infrastructure that way. I call out the gatekeepers.”

In response to the situation, the publication issued a statement to E! News.

The publication noted, “We of course regret that Billy feels as he does, and Vogue completely recognizes the tremendous amount of work he has done driving the conversation forward around genderless fashion.” 

The actor previously spoke out about Vogue in the past claiming that there seems to be an erasure when it comes to people of color. 

Back in 2021, Porter told The Sunday Times “I’m not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one you’re going to try and use to represent this new conversation? 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.”