This 1950s workout video is absurdly homoerotic
Poor Hal Thomas. The twinky stud was a full-time student and worked at night filing papers — leaving him tense and irritable.
His life was stressful, boring, and sedentary. Hal needed a release!Thankfully, he met with a physical education instructor and learned a few… exercises.“Physical activity can provide excellence release from nervous tensions,” says the reassuring narrator.Finally, Hal was going to “blow off some steam” — at least according to the exercise textbook he was reading.This Coronet Instructional Film, which was released to public schools in 1949, is written in gay code.
Ostensibly, it’s about the importance of exercise. The 20-minute film follows three seemingly strapping young adults–Ernie Allen, Hal Thomas and Jean Taylor–who all need to incorporate more physical activity into their daily lives.Ernie was sick all the time; Jean struggled to make friends; Hal needed to decompress.
They all read that playing sports and “working out” was a solution for their ills.But in reality, this instructional video — that’s what it’s called! — is absurdly homoerotic.The film begins with one chiseled twink holding another chiseled twink upright on his thighs.
