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Billy Porter shares the important conversation that he still wants to have on ‘Pose’

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Pari Dukovic/FX

Ahead of the third and final season of FX’s groundbreaking drama series Pose, its Emmy-Award winning star, Billy Porter, tells ABC Audio that there’s still many more important “conversations” he’d love to have before the series officially bows out. 

“I, as a Black gay man who came out in the ’80s and grew up in the Pentecostal church, it’s time we have that conversation,” Porter says. “It’s time we pull out our Bibles, both sides, and have that conversation.”

“The homophobia in the Black church is killing us,” he declares. “And it’s not about acceptance. It’s not about tolerance. It’s about respect for my humanity.”

Porter says the type of dialogue he’s seeking to have allows for disagreements, while respecting him as a human being.

“Just because I don’t practice the same way you do, doesn’t mean I’m invalid,” he says, before adding that both sides can “coexist” and “love each other through [their] differences.”

The Tony award winner also shares his frustration with the hypocrisy he encounters within his own community.

“We want our children to stop being shot in the back by police. We as Black people want to be treated and respected. And we want all of those things, but have no problem turning our backs on the LGBTQ community,” Porter says. “That must end — right now.”

Noting that religion is sometimes used “to justify… hate,” Porter says it’s time for his people to “stop doing that.”

“And that’s the conversation that I want to have with Pray Tell on Pose,” he adds.

The final season of Pose, also starring Mj Rodriguez, Dominique Jackson, and Indya Moore, premieres Sunday, May 2 at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

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