Unprotected: A Memoir

By Billy Porter

Tags: Memoir, Nonfiction, Black and Queer, Gay

From Billy Porter, the incomparable Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award winner, Unprotected is a powerful and revealing autobiography about race, sexuality, art, and healing.
 
“Bold, hilarious, honest, and singular. . . . Unprotected is a record of survival, commitment to authenticity, and healing; a road map out of hell.” —Leslie Odom Jr.
 
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 amid 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.

"I have had the honor of knowing Billy since I was eighteen and just arriving at our mutual alma mater, CMU, where he walked into our classroom and showed enough strength and charisma to fill ten Radio City Music Halls. Unprotected is an opportunity for everyone to feel the same inspiration, love, awe, and explosiveness that I felt." — Josh Gad

"Angels show us the way through even the darkest tunnels. In this heartbreaking and hilarious tell-ALL, Billy lights a torch so bright he can save us all!" — Renée Elise Goldsberry

"Collaborating with Billy has been one of the greatest joys of my career. Billy embodies everything a true artist really is. His passion for being his authentic self is something most should aspire to. Just to experience his presence is an absolute honor. He is a real class act, and I’m lucky to be able to create for such an iconic and empowering person." — Christian Siriano

"An unfiltered look at many of Porter’s highest and lowest moments… Much of Porter’s story has been out there for years, but never presented in such a raw and concentrated manner… Porter did what he does best with Unprotected: Slay." — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"There is only one Billy Porter. He is blazing a trail where none existed. Whether you noticed the brilliant blaze early (for me, it was his brilliant 2005 live album, At the Corner of Broadway and Soul) or his transcendent portrayal of Lola in Kinky Boots or the unforgettable Pray Tell on Pose, once you see the light, there’s no going back. And it turns out his voice rings just as true on the page as it does on the stage. How lucky we are to witness it in our time." — Lin-Manuel Miranda

"Stirring… not just a show business tell-all… though there’s a full helping of that… Porter delivers a searing indictment of how America treats race, sexuality and anyone outside the norm. Clear and piercing, his justified indignation is as defined as his singular singing voice and flashy fashion." — The Washington Post

"At once harrowing and triumphant, relevant and necessary, Unprotected takes us on a journey of using art to heal trauma. What a magical journey to behold, and one that cracks open the space for others to heal too." — Ryan Murphy