Billy Porter has come to redefine the industry and shatter every boundary and binary in his way. Though he’s been in the industry for over 30 years it’s only in the last few that this incredible star had been getting the recognition he deserves. A conscious choice made when Porter chose his authenticity over fame; a decision few would have had the tenacity to follow through on. But today his hard work, dedication, and unwavering moral stance have earned him the role of a lifetime. Starring as the enigmatic Pray Tell on the hit TV show Pose, Porter serves us Ballroom Culture realness as he emcee’s the nightly challenges. But before we get to that, let’s start back at Billy’s childhood. *And before we start. We do want to add a trigger warning as we will be discussing sexual abuse and trauma*. Billy Porter’s Childhood Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on September 21, 1969, Porter grew up in the East Liberty neighborhood. While Billy’s father was abusive and eventually abandoned the family, his mother inspired him with her strength. Cloerinda Porter had been disabled due to medical malpractice. Had she been white, it is most likely she would have been able to sue for compensation. However, as a young black woman in the 1940’s when the incident happened, Cloerinda instead lived the rest of her life with an undiagnosed neurological condition that caused her to walk with a gait. Still, she managed to support herself and her young son for several years. But her disability limited her mobility and made life extremely difficult, and her blackness made government support limited and at times nonexistent. In addition to her own limitations, Billy was also suspected of having a different type of disorder. This ‘mental illness’ was more nefarious and drenched in fear and stigma. His energetic and flamboyant personality caused people to pause and wonder about his so-called inclinations. He tells of how he was often bullied and of how a cousin threatened to kill him if he ever “turned gay”.  By age 6, Billy was forced to undergo weekly evaluations by a psychologist to determine if there was something wrong with him. He describes in his oped with Out Magazine how he understood that his desires for other boys and his enjoyment of things feminine were something his religious family frowned upon. Being very smart and quick to catch on, Billy was able to tailor his answers to eventually pass the evaluation. There was also a sincere desire to be good and do good in the eyes of his family. A natural inclination of any child is to please those they love and to seek validation. Still, it was suggested that a man in Billy’s life may help to toughen him up. So when Porter was seven his mother became Cloerinda Johnson and the two moved in with Billy’s new stepfather. Sadly, from ages 7 to 12 Billy was molested and sexually assaulted by his stepfather. Today Porter is very open about his story and has since become an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse. But at the time he felt alone, unable to find help and safety. He says of this time:  “At seven, at twelve, I could look around and see all of these adults with no capacity to do anything to help me. I knew there’s not an adult around me that knows what the fuck to do. I will do it myself.” [source – Esquire] Little Preacher Man What stung the most was the way Billy was both praised and yet rejected by his House of Faith. On the one hand, he was nicknamed ‘little preacher man’ and constantly told that one day he would fill a pulpit. His beautiful voice rang through the congregation and gospel hymns were the first songs he was allowed to listen to and sing. And as a young boy,