Billy Porter slams Vogue cover of 'White straight' Harry Styles: 'I was the first'

Billy Porter slams Vogue cover of 'White straight' Harry Styles: 'I was the first'
Billy Porter (L) has lashed out at Harry Styles' famous photo in a gown for Vogue cover (Instagram/Billy Porter, Harry Styles)

In December 2020, Harry Styles changed the course of history overnight by becoming the first man to grace the cover of Vogue IN A DRESS. The 27-year-old singer was showered with accolades and praise for his gender-neutral choice of clothing as he donned a lavender Gucci gown with a blazer. Styles has now emerged as a prominent icon and inspiration for men wearing dresses as he has attended the red carpet time and again in dresses and gowns. 

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However, actor Billy Porter, often considered the pioneer of the men wearing dresses, has now expressed his disappointment with Styles receiving overwhelming attention for his 2020 Vogue cover. During a recent interview with Sunday Times, Porter slammed Vogue for choosing Styles as the man on their historic cover. "I’m not necessarily convinced, and here is why: I created the conversation, and yet Vogue still put Harry Styles, a straight white man, in a dress on their cover for the first time,” Porter said. He further clarified, "I’m not dragging Harry Styles, but he is the one you’re going to try and use to represent this new conversation?”