I would not have seen “Bang My Box: The Robin Byrd Show,” at the Provincetown International Film Festival had a gay male filmmaker friend not urged me to do so. I owe him a debt of gratitude, as I urge you to do the same when it screens on HBO Max on June 30.

I heard about Robin Byrd when I lived in New York City but didn’t watch her show. When cable TV came to Manhattan in 1971, the city struck a deal with providers requiring them to dedicate channels entirely for public access. From 1977 to 1998, Robin seized the opportunity to host a sex positive show on “anything goes” Channel J, and invited adult film stars, exotic dancers, and guests of all genders and preferences to join her.

The current documentary shows Byrd’s life as it is now, approaching 70, as well as footage from her show over the years. It reveals that all this time, she has had a loving husband who supported everything she did, including acting on her attractions to both men and women. Sadly, he is older than she is and showing signs of dementia. Their New York apartment is crowded with VHS tapes of her shows and memorabilia, as is the couple’s storage unit. Unable to throw it away, she reaches out to archivists in the hope of interest. An archivist’s visit affirms that her collection is of great value as a study in sexuality, from “free love” to AIDS and beyond.

Byrd considered herself a sex-positive feminist. She handled all aspects of the show, both behind the camera and in front of it. She also originated the call-in format for TV, which viewers loved. She began to include gay men on camera, and they became her most loyal fans. When the AIDS epidemic hit New York, she counseled them on safe sex practices. She also gave them the love that they were often not receiving from their families.

Towards the end of the film, she revisits Fire Island, where she and her husband first met. What she does in this scene is so affirming that I’m going to tease you with it and let you see for yourself!  (HBO Max, June 30).