--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I always said if I played a drag queen…" description: "\"I always said if I played a drag queen, I'd want to create a template with the realness they talk about in 'Paris Is Burning.'\" — Billy Porter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg" --- # I always said if I played a drag queen, I'd want to create… ![“I always said if I played a drag queen, I'd want to create a template with the realness they talk about in 'Paris Is Burning.'” quote by Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg) > “I always said if I played a drag queen, I'd want to create a template with the realness they talk about in 'Paris Is Burning.'” [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Authentic representation in media should reflect true experiences, not stereotypes, to honor community narratives. **In simple terms:** Media should portray real experiences authentically. Key Takeaway Seek authentic storytelling. Themes authenticity representation media Mood thoughtful reflective Type artistic social When to use this quote - film - theatre - documentary - social media Key Concepts cultural studies identity politics Questions to Reflect On - Whose voice defines authenticity? - How can creators balance truth and artistic license? A Different Perspective Authenticity can be contested within diverse communities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Burning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning/) [Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/create/) [Drag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drag/) [Drag queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drag-queen/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Paris Burning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris-burning-1524770/) [Paris Is Burning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris-is-burning-217765/) [Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played/) [Played Drag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-drag-2983417/) [Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/queen/) [Realness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realness/) [Realness Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/realness-talk-2983419/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk/) [Talk Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-paris-2983418/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) ## Related quotes > [“In the great tradition of Paris Is Burning, bring out your library cards! Because reading is what? Fundamental!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupaul/in-the-great-tradition-of-paris-is-burning-bring-out-your-library/) [RuPaul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupaul/) > ['Paris Is Burning' was only just a glimpse into what was happening within the ballroom scene. The difference is that 'Pose' is opening the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mj-rodriguez/paris-is-burning-was-only-just-a-glimpse-into-what-was-happening/) [Mj Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mj-rodriguez/) > [I like 'Paris is Burning' by Jennie Livington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dee-rees/i-like-paris-is-burning-by-jennie-livington/) [Dee Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dee-rees/) > [“Watching Paris is Burning, I began to think that the many yuppie-looking, straight -acting, pushy, predominantly white folks in the audience were there because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/watching-paris-is-burning-i-began-to-think-that-the-many-yuppie/) [bell hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [Like most kids, my dad played. He would drag us out to the course and make us shag balls for him and caddy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehman/like-most-kids-my-dad-played-he-would-drag-us-out-to-the-course-and/) [Tom Lehman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehman/) > [The first time I came to New York - and the first time I saw the movie 'Paris Is Burning' - I learned about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andreja-pejic/the-first-time-i-came-to-new-york-and-the-first-time-i-saw-the-movie/) [Andreja Pejic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andreja-pejic/) > [“The whiteness celebrated in Paris is Burning is not just any old brand of whiteness but rather that brutal imperial ruling-class capitalist patriarchal whiteness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/the-whiteness-celebrated-in-paris-is-burning-is-not-just-any-old/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [When you dream you wonder when you are awake you ponder, but when you sleep its like thunder when you wake up its raining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-anthony/when-you-dream-you-wonder-when-you-are-awake-you-ponder-but-when-you/) [Sir Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-anthony/) > [“For a moment, I felt like myself again. Not the new me, not the old me, just the real me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslea-tash/for-a-moment-i-felt-like-myself-again-not-the-new-me-not-the-old-me/) [Leslea Tash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslea-tash/) > [I don't have to change anything. I think that's the secret to comedy. You want to be universal and appeal to everyone. You want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hart/i-don-t-have-to-change-anything-i-think-that-s-the-secret-to-comedy/) [Kevin Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hart/) > [Janet Mock's honest and sometimes searing journey is a rare and important look into la vida liminal, one that she manages to negotiate remarkably…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raquel-cepeda/janet-mock-s-honest-and-sometimes-searing-journey-is-a-rare-and/) [Raquel Cepeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raquel-cepeda/) > [“When you don’t trust life and so you start testing it and looking for signs, then you’re not really testing life (because the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/when-you-don-t-trust-life-and-so-you-start-testing-it-and-looking-for/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) > [If you get into a fight and somebody punches you, you get two feelings. One: That really hurts. Two: That relief in the realness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/if-you-get-into-a-fight-and-somebody-punches-you-you-get-two-feelings/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [If reality shows are so popular, that means their viewers are screaming for more realness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/if-reality-shows-are-so-popular-that-means-their-viewers-are/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [“To engage in dialogue is to serve others via whatever is real inside you; to engage in debate is to ultimately serve the illusions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oli-anderson/to-engage-in-dialogue-is-to-serve-others-via-whatever-is-real-inside/) [Oli Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oli-anderson/) ## More by Billy Porter > [I'm not a person who believes that Broadway is the only place. I think there's lots of work that goes on outside of Broadway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-m-not-a-person-who-believes-that-broadway-is-the-only-place-i-think/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [I had something nobody else could do - I sang in a way that separated me - and, when you're trying to get noticed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-had-something-nobody-else-could-do-i-sang-in-a-way-that-separated/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [My truth is I am gay and out, and if I can't do that in my music, then I don't need it. Fortunately, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/my-truth-is-i-am-gay-and-out-and-if-i-can-t-do-that-in-my-music-then/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [I was fine being in the closet at the beginning of my career because that's what you were supposed to be - until I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-was-fine-being-in-the-closet-at-the-beginning-of-my-career-because/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [I'm in love with what a high heel does to a leg: how it makes a woman or a man feel. It's empowering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-m-in-love-with-what-a-high-heel-does-to-a-leg-how-it-makes-a-woman/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [I love the community of theater. There is something about the camaraderie: People who show up eight times a week to do a show.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-love-the-community-of-theater-there-is-something-about-the/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [For years I tried to put myself in a box, and it frustrated me, so I had to let go and let the universe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/for-years-i-tried-to-put-myself-in-a-box-and-it-frustrated-me-so-i/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [Just by the nature of making the choice to be true to who I am, I'm political. Sometimes that's all you need to do:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/just-by-the-nature-of-making-the-choice-to-be-true-to-who-i-am-i-m/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [People don't see me in traditional roles; I'm not getting cast in the revival of 'Company' as Bobby.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/people-don-t-see-me-in-traditional-roles-i-m-not-getting-cast-in-the/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [You can't ever put yourself in a position where someone is requiring you to inhabit somebody else's energy. You have to own your thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/you-can-t-ever-put-yourself-in-a-position-where-someone-is-requiring/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [I want to do work that means something to me so that when I go to work at the theater eight times a week,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-want-to-do-work-that-means-something-to-me-so-that-when-i-go-to/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [When you're at the beginning of your career, there are a lot of, "I don't care about this," jobs that you take because it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/when-you-re-at-the-beginning-of-your-career-there-are-a-lot-of-i-don/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [For me, life is about being positive and hopeful, choosing to be joyful, choosing to be encouraging, choosing to be empowering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/for-me-life-is-about-being-positive-and-hopeful-choosing-to-be-joyful/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [Broadway! Broad-way! I don't aspire to the middle. I aspire to the tip-tip-top of it all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/broadway-broad-way-i-don-t-aspire-to-the-middle-i-aspire-to-the-tip/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) > [When you grow up in the church, the only translation in that insular world that people understand is preaching. You're supposed to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/when-you-grow-up-in-the-church-the-only-translation-in-that-insular/) [Billy Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) [Explore all 45 Billy Porter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) [Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I always said if I played a drag queen, I'd want to create a template with the realness they talk about in 'Paris Is Burning.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Porter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i-d-want-to-create-a-template/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i-d-want-to-create-a-template/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa5/billy-porter-14763_about_i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i_315321.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I always said if I played a drag queen, I'd want to create a template with the realness they talk about in…” — Billy Porter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Billy Porter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-porter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I always said if I played...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i-d-want-to-create-a-template/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-porter/i-always-said-if-i-played-a-drag-queen-i-d-want-to-create-a-template/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```