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Homosexuality in Media

Chesley wrote the Helping Hand to end stigma, rejection, and discrimination against

homosexuals and AIDS victims. In 1986, being queer was considered an evil act that was

highly detested in society. Besides stigma, Chesley's Jerker intended to end the belief that

homosexuality was a risk factor for contracting AIDS, a medical condition that was highly

dreaded in the 1980s when Jerker was produced (Stadler 181). Not only did the controversial

Helping Hand advocate for safe homosexual sex, but it also set a foundation that transformed

FCC's broadcasting rules on questionable content.

After its release, Chesley's Helping Hand sparked controversial conversations. Some

people felt it was indecent to publicize homosexuality, while rational thinkers felt the Jerker

sparked healthy discussions about the provocative topic. John Stadler is one of the sensible

thinkers who felt that Chesley's film was necessary. According to Stadler, Chesley's film was

important because it broke the silence on safe sex in the gay community when the world had

kept silent about the high transmission rates of AIDS among homosexuals (183). While the

play was criticized for the indecent display of homosexual scenes, Stadler argued that the

issue was pantomimed since there were no visible erections or ejaculations (189).

Chesley's work became infamous when KPFK-FM broadcasted Jerker on the radio.

Larry Poland, a Los Angeles lawmaker, filed a complaint with FCC regarding the broadcast's

obscenity (Stadler 197). In response, FCC launched a probe that led to formulating a legal
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precedent for subsequent films. FCC sent a memorandum to all broadcasting channels asking

them to advance warming before airing possibly indecent content (Stadler 199). Also, FCC

demanded that broadcasters air possibly inappropriate content past 10 pm when kids are less

likely to be in the broadcasting audience. The FCC legal precedent applies to date. In the long

term, the rules limited the independence of broadcasting content that could be regarded as

indecent.
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Work Cited

Stadler, John P. "Vocalizing Queer Desire." Feminist Media Histories, vol. 5, no. 2, 2019,

pp. 181-210.