Billy Porter

gertrudecloset · ‎02-13-2021

Has announced to the world that he is HIV Positive. He said he has been keeping this secret for fourteen years.

Actor Billy Porter revealed on Wednesday that he is HIV positive. The 51-year-old opened up about his diagnoses in the Hollywood Reporter, sharing his personal story publicly for the first time.

Porter said he was diagnosed with HIV in June 2007. Over the next 14 years, he won Emmy, Grammy and Tony Awards and now stars on the FX series "Pose," where he portrays Pray Tell, an HIV-positive character.

The drama about drag ball culture in the 1980s and 1990s follows African American and Latino LGBTQ characters at the height of the AIDS epidemic. He said in portraying the character, he was able to say everything he wanted to say "through a surrogate." No one involved with "Pose" knew Porter was drawing from his own life.

Billy Porter reveals he's HIV positive - CBS News

A Negative Mind ~ Will give you a Negative Life

Katcat1 · ‎07-21-2011

Obviously, medicine has come a long way for HIV if he is living with it since 2007. i lost a few friends to HIV back in the day and they died with a year. He is fortunate to have the new mediciine to fight this horrible disease.

kindness is strength

chessylady · ‎05-01-2010

I have enjoyed watching "Pose." Most of the characters in the series are transsexual not people in drag. In the period in which it is set, few people came out as transsexual. Billy Porter's performance last week, resolving old issues with people in his home town, was very affecting.

gertrudecloset · ‎02-13-2021

Being HIV Positive does not mean you have AIDS. I don't think Billy expounded on that. Kind of like Magic Johnson. HIV Positive but never developed the disease.

I too am glad for the new treatments (thought there have been some setbacks) for the many who need it and it helps them. Progress.

A Negative Mind ~ Will give you a Negative Life

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

@chessylady wrote:
I have enjoyed watching "Pose." Most of the characters in the series are transsexual not people in drag. In the period in which it is set, few people came out as transsexual. Billy Porter's performance last week, resolving old issues with people in his home town, was very affecting.

I thought Mr. Porter's acting in this episode was Emmy-nomination worthy. Little did I realize that he was portraying parts of his real-life. I admit that by the end I was wiping away tears.