Out actor-singer Billy Porter has taken
a swipe at One Million Moms, the conservative group calling for a
boycott of Sesame Street over his appearance on the children's
show.
One Million Moms decried Porter's
appearance on the show wearing the custom Christian Siriano-designed
velvet tuxedo gown he wore to the 2019 Oscars.
In a blog post, the group chided PBS
for “pushing an agenda” and referred to Porter as a “drag queen
activist.”
“One of the highlights of my life has
been the opportunity to sing on the set of @sesamestreet with my new
pal, Penelope the penguin,” Porter wrote on Instagram. “Together,
we sang about the possibilities of new friendships with those who may
not be exactly like us.”
“I know people are all up in arms
about me wearing the gorgeous custom @csiriano tuxedo dress that I
wore at @theacademy awards in 2019 for the upcoming season. If you
follow me, however, you know the impact it had. The emails, DMs, and
messages of goodwill I received that day (and continue to receive)
from parents and their children who have been bullied all over the
world and desperately need to see someone like me, being their
authentic selves on mainstream media, is far more important than
anything #onemillionmoms could ever say.”
“Friendship, kindness, and
inclusivity shall triumph. And often, it simply starts by saying hi,”
he added.
The episode of Sesame Street
with Porter will air in the fall.