Billy Porter
Shownotes
Billy Porter joins Kerry Washington to talk about growing up gay in Pittsburgh, the women who raised him, and how music and theater helped him find his voice. He revisits the church that celebrated his singing but struggled to accept him, the performances of The Wiz and Dreamgirls that changed his life, and his mother’s journey toward embracing her gay son. Plus, chosen family, Sunday-best fashion, an elaborate senior portrait shoot, and the little boy who knew his voice could take him somewhere new.
Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse, physical punishment, and homophobia.
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00:00 Billy Porter’s Pittsburgh Childhood
06:27 Family’s Big House
17:25 Identity & Childhood Abuse
23:53 From Preacher to Performer
38:30 Church Fashion & Self-Expression
44:54 Activism, Pride & Chosen Family
59:25 Style, Advice & What’s Next
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