Harper Watters is an accomplished dancer, a soloist who dances with the Houston Ballet. His audience, however, isn’t limited to Texas—he’s also known for the viral videos in which he appears on a treadmill in pink platform heels, the first of which garnered over a million views. His YouTube series The Pre Show gives a glimpse into the lives of professional dancers. This year, Watters collaborated with YTTP to celebrate Pride.
Who are you and what do you stand for?
I am a soloist with the Houston Ballet and I stand for inclusivity, equal opportunity, and fearlessness.
What are your pronouns?
He/Him
Why do you feel it’s important to make your voice heard?
I really believe visibility is currency. Currency doesn’t necessarily mean monetary, although a little coin is always lovely. It’s whatever you feel passionate about. I want my dancing to be seen by as many people as possible so that I can empower by example. Dance deserves to be treated the same as other mainstream forms of entertainment and athletics, and you can be a dancer no matter your skin tone, sexuality, or gender.
What is your outlet?
Dance and the Real Housewives.
Is there a moment in your memory when your perspective or idea of what Pride is changed or evolved? What happened then?
Pride and activism are one and the same to me. Whether it’s protesting and marching in the streets or putting on makeup and a pair of pumps, when you take part in anything that goes against unpopular opinion, you are exemplifying pride and activism. So when I saw Miss J. Alexander strutting down the runway on America’s Next Top Model in a pair of heels and legs longer than a CVS receipt, I instantly knew what Pride was. His confidence was undeniable and his being on a major TV show gave me permission to start exploring and owning the sides of myself that I was suppressing and that Miss J wasn’t hiding.
If you could get the world to change its collective mind about one issue, or adopt one way of being, what would it be and why?
Gender is a social construct and homophobia isn’t pre-existing, it’s taught.
Shop our With Pride kit, with 100% of profits going to GLSEN (up to $75K) here.
