Personally, I’m much more interested in the subtler, but just as repressive and damaging, presentations of sex and sexuality. We’re always going to have illicit materials — it’s the stuff that purports to be “normal” and “acceptable” that’s scary.

And that’s why I found Brad’s comments, in particular, refreshing — in the way he focuses on the social aspects of a boy’s coming-of-age experience. We accept so much violent and objectifying behavior as “boys being boys” — and we make it mainstream through such outlets as the marketing of football (nothing against the game — just the way American culture makes it into a celebration of violence and sex).

That’s what I’m really worried about.