Unprotected : a memoir / by Billy Porter.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

It's easy to be yourself when who and what you are is in vogue. But growing up Black and gay in America has never been easy. Before Billy Porter was slaying red carpets and giving an iconic Emmy-winning performance in the celebrated TV show Pose ; before he was the groundbreaking Tony and Grammy Award-winning star of Broadway's Kinky Boots ; and before he was an acclaimed recording artist, actor, playwright, director, and all-around legend, Porter was a young boy in Pittsburgh who was seen as different, who didn't fit in. At five years old, Porter was sent to therapy to "fix" his effeminacy. He was endlessly bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, and criticized at his church. Porter came of age in a world where simply being himself was a constant struggle.

Billy Porter's Unprotected is the life story of a singular artist and survivor in his own words. It is the story of a boy whose talent and courage opened doors for him, but only a crack. It is the story of a teenager discovering himself, learning his voice and his craft amidst deep trauma. And it is the story of a young man whose unbreakable determination led him through countless hard times to where he is now; a proud icon who refuses to back down or hide. Porter is a multitalented, multifaceted treasure at the top of his game, and Unprotected is a resonant, inspirational story of trauma and healing, shot through with his singular voice.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Porter is an actor and singer who has won Tony, Grammy, and Emmy awards. To the public, his talent propelled him to the top, but Porter's memoir is about the rough road that he travelled to get there, in a world stacked against him as a gay Black man. As a young child, his voice was celebrated by the church his family attended, but that same church shunned him for his differences. Porter was bullied and beaten, and his stepfather sexually abused him, leaving him no refuge. Despite this, a powerful voice and a talent for auditioning helped him gain admission to the prestigious Carnegie Mellon Drama program. Porter's relentless work ethic kept him going through the vicissitudes of his career: a dream role in Kinky Boots, bankruptcy, HIV, and an award-winning turn in the television series Pose. Porter is the perfect narrator for the audiobook, telling his amazing story in his singular and magnetic voice. VERDICT Recommended for fans of Porter or the arts, and those who appreciate stories of overcoming obstacles.--Cynthia Jensen

Publishers Weekly Review

Broadway and television star Porter lays bare his traumatic upbringing and path toward healing in his revelatory debut. He writes in an intimate, conversational style, leaping from past to present and pairing his reflections on growing up gay in the 1970s with living through the AIDS epidemic and the deep pain and fear of the Trump presidency and Covid-19 pandemic. Those who know Porter from his Grammy and Emmy award--winning roles in Kinky Boots and the TV show Pose will relish the insider look at those productions and marvel at the tribulations Porter overcame to get there--from his sexual abuse by his stepfather to the racism and homophobia he encountered in the entertainment world. Just as captivating are the ways in which Porter advocated for himself--"I will be singing everything up the octave until this issue is resolved," he told directors in response to being asked to sing in a key below his register--earning him a "difficult" reputation among white gatekeepers in the industry and leading him to fight harder for space on the stage. Haunting and inspirational, this is both a powerful indictment of the lasting harms of bigotry and an immensely moving account of moving forward. Agent: Jim McCarthy, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Oct.)

Kirkus Book Review

Debut memoir from the celebrated actor and singer, who has won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Awards. Growing up in the 1970s in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, which had "been a center of Black life in Pittsburgh for more than a century," Porter felt like "an outcast" and was mercilessly bullied. Although recognized for his "clear and open-throated gospel boy soprano" in the Friendship Baptist Church Choir, "every time I showed up at church, the sermon would turn to the abomination of homosexual activity, of men lying with men. There was no apparent reason for this topic to surface so relentlessly. I couldn't help feeling that somehow they knew about me." He also suffered sexual abuse by his stepfather twice a week for five years. However, blessed with a powerful voice, flair for auditioning, and relentless work ethic, Porter worked his way to the very pinnacles of his profession. He won Best Actor in a Musical for his role in Kinky Boots in addition to an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his work on the TV show Pose. Porter doesn't conceal his many struggles along the way, including bankruptcy and living with diabetes and HIV. He focuses more on his triumphs, such as his sensational appearance as red carpet co-host at the 2019 Academy Awards or his entrance to the 2019 Met Gala, when he arrived on a litter carried by six shirtless men in a "Sun God" ensemble that included "a bejeweled catsuit outfitted with 10-foot wings [and] a 24-karat gold headpiece." Throughout, the author intersperses italicized passages that explore present-day issues, including the pandemic, but these attempts at timeliness are upstaged by his remarkable life story. Porter's passionate support for music and art programs in public schools, as well as gay rights activism, are clear, but his first duty has always been to his work. "Your service is leaning into your truth," he advises, "your queerness, your authenticity." Overcoming racism, homophobia, bullying, and abuse, a theatrical star is born. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.