This, of course, is just another way of saying that straight masculinity remains one of the most policed parts of our culture, and so it’s no surprise that transgressing those boundaries will translate to page views. Traditionally, straight guys have existed in the dead center, and so there’s something brilliant about turning the camera back on them and placing stress on the very quality-male heterosexuality-that defines that centeredness. Being on the margins of society in one way or another means that you will be looked at, noted, and examined for your difference. Their motivations often seem opaque, their fears-especially around homosocial intimacy-outsized, and their actions inexplicable. Straight guys, despite being the so-called “norm,” can feel, paradoxically, like the most mysterious kind of person, especially to those of us who are not straight or not guys.
But beyond that heady mix, I think there’s another layer worth noting.
