Jason Holliday was a black, gay man in 1960s New York who was the subject of Shirley Clarke's documentary film Portrait of Jason. Jason openly embraced his sexuality and gender identity despite social norms of the time that placed expectations on gender. Living at the intersection of being black, queer, and poor, Jason faced oppression but chose to live openly as himself rather than conform to stereotypes. He saw gender as performance and rejected prescribed roles and norms.

1. BENEATH THE SURFACE OF
PORTRAIT OF JASON,
SHIRLEY CLARK
By: Caitlin Marshall
19 April 2018

2. The Argument
◦ Society places gender norms on any and every one.
Those who conform to these norms despite knowing
they don't fit the type, are preforming a persona they
don't fully embrace. Sexuality and gender is a
performance that we all take place in. Some people,
like Jason Holiday, choose the embrace their truth and
break out of their assigned gender roles.

3. The following slides will
focus on:
◦The significance of Jason and
his identity
◦Performing sexuality and
gender and its effects

4. Who is Jason? Why him?
◦ Jason Holliday was an openly sexual black, gay
man
◦ Shirley Clarke and Jason knew each other and in
1967, she released a film she shot of him
◦ Jason is the only person ever seen on screen while
Clarke and her boyfriend asked him questions off
screen, prompting his direction of conversation
◦ Jason often played off racist remarks that were
thrown his way by his white employers
◦ He was a performer and always gave a show

5. Gender Expectations and Norms
◦ The definition of a Gender role/norm: A gender role, also known as
a sex role, is a social role encompassing a range of behaviors and
attitudes that are generally considered acceptable, appropriate, or
desirable for people based on their actual or perceived sex or sexuality.
◦ So what does this mean?
◦ It means as a society, certain "roles have been assigned to a gender.
◦ A man is to be strong and world and show no emotion, while for a woman, it is
expected for you to be a doting wife, polite, and quiet.
◦ At least that was what was especially expected in the 1960s.

6. Gender Norms and Roles◦ Men:
◦ Young boys are
taught not to
cry, not to wear
pink, don't play
with dolls,
◦ Males aren't
supposed to
wear dresses or
feminine
apparel or make
up
◦ Play sports
rather than the
arts and dance
• Women
• Young girls aren't supposed
to play with little boy, not
allowed to wear blue, and
shouldn't play with "boy
toys"
• Girls shouldn't get dirty and
play outside or play rough
sports
• They're supposed to be
sweet and dress in form
fitting clothes that show
case their bodies
• Not to wear masculine
clothes or have short hair

8. Stereo – A Film About Reversed Gender
Stereotypes
◦ This video was directed and edited by Ella Fields, a 13 year old in 2017.
◦ Ella depicted what reality would be like if boys and girls switched stereotypes. It is
kind of uncomfortable to watch, isn't it?
◦ This type of realty is so far-fetched to most people because of the way our brains
have been conditioned.
◦ But, this video also makes clear just how ridiculous it is to force these types of
stereotypes on children and tell this, that for their rest of their lives, this is how
they should act and shouldn't act. This is what you're allowed to do and what you
can't do. Just because of the way you were born.

9. What're the effects of forcing stereotypes?
◦ Well, first off, it can be extremely
psychologically damaging and cause
extreme inner turmoil for the one that
is being force to conform and deny
themselves the chance to express and
embrace themselves.
◦ It is important to allow one to express
and represent themselves as they wish.
◦ Luckily for Jason, he never gave a
damn what those around him thought
and lived his life as he wanted.

10. Racial Impact and Opressions
◦Jason was a black and openly queer man who dressed
as a Mae West
"I think as a house boy I really suffered. But this hasn't
all been a waste. They think you're just a dumb, stupid
little colored boy." - Jason, A Portrait of Jason

11. His opression came from several different
character traits ◦ Jason was black, he was queer, and he
was poor.
◦ This intersecting of oppressions put
him in a place where he was continually
performing some level of a façade and
his true character is unknown to many
of those around him.
◦ These three traits made living life in the
60s very difficult given his restricted
options; he turned to hustling.

13. ◦ KT says it best; it is easier to live life
complicit and hide the real you away
in the closet while preforming the
way society wants and expects you
too.
◦ "We're all born naked and the rest is
drag."
◦ This quote, to me, reminds me of
something Jason might say. See, Jason
often referred to himself as a female
in the documentary. Jason appears to
the naked eye a man. But he holds
himself in a way that says otherwise.

14. ◦ I feel like Jason was only one of many men and other queer people in
New York during the 60s who had to live their life this way. By
preforming a certain way to certain people in order to get by, Jason
made his true self such an enigma that it could be argued that even he
no longer knew who is truly way. That being said, the issue of being
complicit and giving in to forced societal norms takes the same effect
on the queer community now as it did then.