"Billy Porter singing 'For What It's Worth' is the must-see moment from the DNC"

    I read an article from USA Today For the Win about Emmy award winning actor Billy Porter's performance at the Democratic National Convention. The article was written by Hemal Jhaveri, an editor and writer for For the Win, on August 18. The article describes the style of Porter's performance and how it was designed to draw the viewer in and hold attention. 

    With my thesis being on fashion, I know the controversies of fashion all too well, which is exactly why I picked this article. As soon as  Jhaveri focuses on Porter's outfit. Porter wore a floor length black vest with tails that, in my opinion, looked absolutely fabulous. Porter is no stranger to the style of camp, which Jhaveri defines as "an aesthetic that embraces stylization, using artifice and exaggeration to make the viewer question their own values and tastes." 

    In her last paragraph, Jhaveri states that:

Regardless of your political leanings —whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or Libertarian or plan to vote for Kanye —Porter’s total and absolute weirdness should be embraced. Political conventions are all about slick, pre-produced messages that don’t actually say anything.  Always wiling to go against the grain, Porter’s message was joyous, powerful and impossible to ignore.

I think this perfectly sums up why she wrote this article. Obviously there are going to be some who either watch Porter's performance or read the article that will not agree- Porter tends to dress in a way that expresses his femininity and this is no exception. I think that Jhaveri is seeking to bridge a political gap and encourage people to recognize the overall message as opposed to the political affiliation. This awareness of how politically charged our society is right now is a perfect reflection of the state of our nation in 2020. 

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