Actor Billy Porter made his HIV infection public

He was awarded awards for his portrayal of an AIDS patient, but now Billy Porter revealed to the world: he himself has the HIV virus. The actor was diagnosed 14 years ago.

Two years ago, Billy Porter made history when he became the first openly gay African American to receive an Emmy. He received TV awards and many other awards for his portrayal. HIV Prayer Tale fell ill on the US show “Pose”.

Which nobody suspects: Actors themselves are infected with this virus. Porter was diagnosed 14 years ago, as he made public for the first time in an interview with the “Hollywood Reporter”. The 51-year-old said, “I was trying to make a life and career and I wasn’t sure if the wrong people knew I could.”

“Shame silenced me”

He even kept his illness hidden from his mother. “I have come up with a very religious family and church, God’s punishment for being HIV-positive,” Porter describes his reasons and insists: “The shame that has been in my life since then as well She was already silenced, I was. And I remained silent with that shame for 14 years. “

But American stars no longer want to be silent. He shared the article on Instagram with nearly two million of his followers. “It’s time for you to say something very personal,” he writes about a picture of the magazine’s cover and asks everyone to read his story.

“There is no more stigma”

Porter has now confessed to his mother as well – but he did not expect her reaction. The 51-year-old said, “He couldn’t believe I was hiding from him and said: ‘I love you, no matter what.” Looking back, he could not make a better decision by going public. “It felt like a hand had been holding my heart for years – and now it’s all gone,” Porter explains.

He now feels “healthy” as before and is looking positively into the future. “It’s time to put it all behind you and tell a different story,” he said. “Now there is no stigma – let’s deal with it. The time has come. I have lived it long enough and I feel ashamed of it.”