Pose star, Billy Porter has revealed he is HIV positive but kept his diagnosis secret for 14 years because he was ‘ashamed’.
In an emotional interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the American actor known for breaking gender rules on red carpets, opened up about his diagnosis 14 years ago, and why he decided to share his story.
Porter learned he was HIV-positive in 2007, “the worst year of my life,” he told the publication, adding that the diagnosis came soon after he was also diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and filed for bankruptcy.
According to him, he never spoke of the diagnosis because he was ashamed and feared that it would harm his career.
‘For a long time, everybody who needed to know, knew – except for my mother. I was trying to have a life and a career and I wasn’t certain I could if the wrong people knew. It would just be another way for people to discriminate against me in an already discriminatory profession,’ he said.
‘So I tried to think about it as little as I could. I tried to block it out.’
‘It wasn’t a fear that (my status) was going to come out or that somebody was going to expose me; it was just the shame that it had happened in the first place,’ he said.
Porter said he kept his secret from his mother for so many years because she had already faced so much ‘persecution’ from her Pentecostal church after he came out as gay when he was 16.
‘I didn’t want to put her through that. I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I was the statistic that everybody said I would be. So I’d made a pact with myself that I would let her die before I told her. That’s what I was waiting for, if I’m being honest,’ he said.
He decided to rip ‘the Band-Aid off’ by calling her as soon as his FX series Pose finished filming.
‘She said, ‘You’ve been carrying this around for 14 years? Don’t ever do this again. I’m your mother, I love you no matter what. And I know I didn’t understand how to do that early on, but it’s been decades now’,’ he said.
‘And it’s all true. It’s my own shame. Years of trauma makes a human being skittish. But the truth shall set you free. I feel my heart releasing.’
Until now, Porter said he has been using his Pose character Pray Tell – who is also HIV-positive – as his proxy, saying that it helped him ‘work through the shame’.
‘The brilliance of Pray Tell and this opportunity was that I was able to say everything that I wanted to say through a surrogate,’ Porter said.
The star added that nobody involved in the show knew about it until one day he got up in front of the cast and crew and told them truth because ‘at a certain point the truth is the responsible road’.
Porter, who has been married to eyewear designer, Adam Smith, since 2017 after the pair first met back in 2009, said he decided to go public after dealing with his trauma during the COVID-19 lockdown last year.
‘Now I’m trying to have a family; now it’s not just me. It’s time to grow up and move on because shame is destructive – and if not dealt with, it can destroy everything in its path,’ he said.
Porter said he now no longer believes in the stigma that was once attached to a HIV-positive diagnosis and that he is the healthiest.
‘Yes, I am the statistic, but I’ve transcended it. This is what HIV-positive looks like now. I’m going to die from something else before I die from that. My T-cell levels are twice yours because of this medication.
‘I’m the healthiest I’ve been in my entire life. So it’s time to let all that go and tell a different story. There’s no more stigma – let’s be done with that. It’s time. I’ve been living it and being in the shame of it for long enough.’
He said he hoped that by speaking out, he would healed.
‘I hope this frees me so that I can experience real, unadulterated joy, so that I can experience peace, so that I can experience intimacy, so that I can have sex without shame,’ he said.
‘This is for me. I’m doing this for me. I have too much s**t to do, and I don’t have any fear about it anymore. I told my mother – that was the hurdle for me. I don’t care what anyone has to say. You’re either with me or simply move out of the way.’
RUAN-Badkid.96 is a Nigerian recording artist whose music refuses to live inside a single genre. Blending Afrobeat, Afrofusion, trap, hip-hop, melodic rap, R&B, and global influences, he creates records that move effortlessly between raw street energy, soulful storytelling, and infectious melodies. Whether delivering hard-hitting bars, emotional love songs, or rhythm-driven African records, his sound is defined by authenticity rather than limitation.
Inspired by both African culture and international music, RUAN-Badkid.96 embraces the confidence and ambition of global hip-hop while staying deeply connected to his roots. His lyrics explore love, heartbreak, betrayal, friendship, social injustice, hope, and the everyday realities of life. He doesn’t create music to follow trends, he creates music to reflect truth, emotion, and human experience.
Behind his fearless image is an artist who believes in kindness, equality, justice, and genuine human connection. His appearance may be intimidating, but his message is rooted in compassion and authenticity. Every record carries a piece of his journey, proving that strength and vulnerability can exist in the same voice.
For RUAN-Badkid.96, music is more than entertainment, it’s a language, a testimony, and a lifelong mission to connect with people through honesty, versatility, and unforgettable sound.
Entertainment Gists
Meet the Man Who Turned Hype Into a Science: Emmy Blaq, Nigeria’s G.O.A.T. of Hype
If you have ever been at a Nigerian event and found yourself on your feet before the main act even stepped on stage, there is a good chance a hype man was responsible. But not just any hype man. Emmy Blaq, born Ikechukwu Emmanuel Chima and raised in Auchi, Edo State, has spent the last few years quietly becoming the most talked-about name in that profession, and the Nigerian press has taken notice. Punch, Vanguard, The Guardian Nigeria, The Nation, and Independent Newspaper have all sat down with him, and every conversation leads back to the same thing: this man does not just make noise; he makes moments.
What makes Emmy Blaq different is the journey behind the energy. Before the stages, the collaborations with Waje on her “Waje 2.0” album, DJ Consequence, and DJ Kaywise on the massively streamed “Joor Party Mix” series, he was repairing generators, cutting hair, and sewing clothes in Auchi. His first professional hype gig happened at a local fast food spot called Valchi, and the crowd response that night changed everything. He told The Nation directly: “My passion for entertainment and desire to make people happy led me into the craft.” Punch also captured his bigger mission when he said that hype men deserve more than what they currently earn, a statement that sparked a real conversation across Nigerian entertainment circles.
With over 1.7 million TikTok followers, 23.6 million TikTok likes, a viral “Wife Material” challenge that landed on Pulse Nigeria’s top ten social media moments of 2021, and an international performance at the Cameroon International Music Festival that Cameroonian media described as electrifying, Emmy Blaq is not building toward something. He is already there. The G.O.A.T. of Hype is not a title he gave himself and hoped would stick. It is one the rooms keep confirming every single time he grabs the mic.
MANAGER PROFILE
Uncle Wisdom is a Lagos-based music executive and visionary leader known for blending structure, strategy, and creativity in artist management. With a background in Mathematics and Statistics from UNICROSS formerly, Cross River University Of Technology. He brings analytical precision into talent development, positioning artists for both creative excellence and commercial success.
CAREER JOURNEY
Began his career in 2017 as an event coordinator for Eksu Olofofo, where he gained foundational experience in live events and audience engagement. By 2018, he transitioned into full-time artist management, driven by a clear goal to build a more structured and results-oriented system within the music industry.
In 2019, Started working as a road manager for Barry Jhay, gaining hands-on experience in touring, logistics, and artist operations, a refined career and mental awareness coach . He was also instrumental behind Barry Jhay’s 2025 sold-out homecoming concert, a key moment that fueled momentum for a successful UK tour, including sold-out shows in London and Birmingham.
PHLOX MGMT
Founded from the ground up, Phlox Mgmt is a forward-thinking management company focused on Career coaching, A&R, artist development, and strategic positioning. The company is built on a clear philosophy:
Develop the sound. Define the brand. Position the artist to win.
Phlox Mgmt has connections with @Roadgod_of Roadgod Agency and connects artists with top-tier producers, engineers, and creatives, ensuring a refined sound and strong market presence. The company continues to grow as a trusted platform for emerging and established talent.
INDUSTRY NETWORK & COLLABORATIONS
Uncle Wisdom has built valuable relationships across the industry, working with and alongside talents such as:
Barry Jhay • Asake • Ceeza Milli • Berri Tiga • Laime • Spellz • and many others
LEADERSHIP APPROACH
John Wisdom operates with a long-term vision, focusing on structure, consistency, and execution. His approach goes beyond traditional management he builds systems around artists that support sustainable growth, strong branding, and global competitiveness.
CONTACT & SOCIALS
Instagram & X: @Johnwisdm @phlox_mgmt
TikTok: @unclewisdom7
Email: phloxentertainment@gmail.com
Phone: 08038448478 | 09015668027
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