~~ wanking informatics 101 (heh)

[reenka]

So I kind of randomly stumbled upon a Q&A page about boys masturbating together (all informative-like), and this reminded me of my continuous problem with the sort of uninformed way sexuality issues get treated in slash-fic. I mean, even the ones that aren't about "coming out" in any way, shape or form (certainly most of mine have nothing to do with it), aren't really realistic as far as sexual behavior of teenage males goes.

The reason I bring this up isn't because I'm feeling self-righteous or anything, but because I find "normal" teenage boy behavior to be kind of... well... sexy in its obliviousness. I mean, they wank alone and they think it's okay to wank together and to me, that's just beautiful. Because it really seems (speaking as someone who's made a small hobby of reading autobiographical sexual-history stories) that a rather large number of self-identified "heterosexual" boys ages 12-19 experiment an awful lot with each other. I don't base this on any one website or book-- I've just come across personal stories of this nature over and over and over again.

And oh, there's even a diagram involved :>


My observation would generally be that most of these boys "like" girls, but they have a -lot- of sexual energy and they still generally hang out with other guys, and a sort of "you do me, I do you" masturbatory philosophy isn't that uncommon between friends or even siblings. Clearly, this isn't a scientific observation by any means, but I think that it's interesting to note that the word "gay" is very very far from all these discussions. Generally it seems like all activity stops once things become "too gay" and some boundary gets crossed-- even if both the boys -want- that boundary crossed. Like, a handjob might be a casual friendly thing while a blowjob is more easily seen as crossing that line. I just think this ambiguity is fascinating, and worth working into adolescent male/male romance fics.

I've read accounts of a lot of boys who fantasize about masturbating with their friends, who specifically -want- to and would go out of their way to do it, without any romance or generalized notion of attraction registering (though of course whether they'd admit to it is another question). I think in a way, teenage romance between boys who self-identify as "normal" is unlikely to be... straightforward. Like, they may hang out together and "experiment" and take care of each other's "problem" but possibly it'd take awhile before they're willing to admit this is outside of the realm of socially acceptable for straight males (given that the relationship survives past the blowjob obstacle or whatever).

I think "acting like a boy" (in a fic) goes beyond whether or not that particular fic addresses the actual "issue" of coming out to themselves or others. I think one's sexual identity and behavior patterns are something that develop across time, and the point of realization and acceptance is only that-- a point on a broad plane that comprises a boy's growing up.

To me, it's fascinating to consider the age-old practice of sex initiation as a coming of age ritual, as it applies to slash fic, as well. There you have the slightly older boy show the younger boy the ropes-- or, if no older boy is available, you could easily have two friends lend each other a hand, so to speak.

A lot of slash fics written about teenage boys have it be either some sort of gradually building (romantic) love relationship after some series of events that draw the boys closer, or some Big Bang Theory where the POV character suddenly realizes some strong new attraction (either lust or love). In either case, it's a Big Deal and it plunges the boys down the road which has to end either in Doom (break-up) or the Bedroom (yeay, penetrative sex!). If one considers it, it seems more likely to be a casual by-product of either friendship (which is actually what results from prolonged exposure, generally) or wide-ranging hormones.

I mean, when one is 15-16 and a boy, it's not exactly a momentous revelation to get turned on by any hint of sex in any sort of package. And sometimes all one really has to do is -look- for that hint of sex (see Xander and that oft-quoted bit about the linoleum). It would seem that a new attraction doesn't necessitate (and in fact, is rather unlikely to necessitate) a bout of soul-searching, so l think that most fics have the boys take their wandering eyes too seriously. While admittedly this experimentation is something that goes on between friends rather than enemies, it's also not that much of a stretch to imagine it being a part of wrestling (ie, fighting) or some sort of struggle. I don't think the kissing is likely to occur before the humping, let's just put it that way.

The site that had the Q&A page also has a page addressing the boys' apparent confusion and concern over their possible homosexuality, so clearly angst of this nature exists (and, I'm sure, in large quantities). However, it seems to be like any other sort of nagging guilt and paranoia-- one does what feels good anyway and tries not to think about it as much as one possibly can. Certainly, I don't imagine most teenage boys would -brood- on it unless they're just depressive for other reasons or are in a very homophobic environment, which a boarding school both is and isn't. I mean, it isn't because it seems so much homosexual behavior goes -on-, but the trick is-- it's not seen as "homosexual". Conversely, actual "homosexuality" gets bashed left and right, I'd guess. So yeah.

This kind of grey area you have in places where a lot of boys spend a lot of time together while they're growing up applies to slash much more than "gay fiction" or any sort of portrayal of actual gay males. I mean, if one's "really gay", often enough one knows one's gay from the get-go, and this whole exploration thing would probably just scare them off (I can definitely see cautiousness based on fear of being found out) rather than make them horny and willing. While some people do lean more one way or another after puberty, it is still a different process, it seems. In slash, we're dealing with fuzzy boundaries and with boys who have had at least some signs of heterosexual behavior, so it's safe enough to play with them like they're within the majority range. Okay, I shouldn't say "safe". What I mean is, it's fun to mess with their horny little minds. :D

Comments

[glitterdemon.livejournal.com]

Those links are fascinating. Thank you for sharing, and for the thoughts on how it applies to slash. I think I'll wander off and ponder for a little while...

[spare-change.livejournal.com]

Yeah, see, this is why Screwed rox the house. >:D

*pleased, for once*

thanks for the link!

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

heeeee! Well, -I- always told you so, didn't I. :D :D
*smug!*

[weatherby.livejournal.com]

Interesting post, though I don't think I have much to add.

My observation would generally be that most of these boys "like" girls, but they have a -lot- of sexual energy and they still generally hang out with other guys, and a sort of "you do me, I do you" masturbatory philosophy isn't that uncommon between friends or even siblings.

Definitely, and often even fooling around with girls at that age means very little stimulation for the boys, since girls aren't as likely to be so free with their hands.

I used to know a few boys when I was in high school, and this was getting past that boundary of when it's acceptable and when it starts heading into "What are you doing?" if anyone finds out about it. They were very, very tough punks, eighteen or nineteen years old, and they talked all the time about their masturbation projects. Sometimes they made bets to see who could go the longest and just gave up and masturbated together. Sometimes they exchanged blowjobs. It was very strange, the fact that they were so free about discussing it in mixed crowds.

I really like that kind of story too, though, and a lot of times I am disappointed when a PWP always has to end in penetration sex.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

I love the idea that there's some sort of gay-free bubble in their minds where they're so macho it's okay to act a little gay~:)) It's like, there are these loopholes in the "normal" adolescent male psychology.

Every time I think about this whole behavior I get inspired. The only thing stopping me is that I don't want to write yet -another- Harry/Ron pornfest just to exercise my need to write about this sort of thing. Like, no one writes it in HP, really, not just kind of casual and angst-free experimentation possibly with "really actually gay" understones. Ahahahah slash with subtext, omg.

I think it's the unlikeliest thing ever that 16-17 year olds would have penetration sex with another boy all that soon at all. Like... though most people write sex-as-fantasy, so I guess it makes sense. Heee. Thinking of these wanking rituals makes me feel all happy 'cause they say slash makes sexuality boundaries more fuzzy than they are in real life, but this isn't true. I love thinking that people really -are- always skirting the edge of their own self-definitions if the motivation arises. And the incentive being deprivation coupled with pleasure of some sort. Okay now I'm just babbling.

I also think that rivals would have a different boundary between "harassment" and "the gay" rather than comraderie, I suppose. Like, I think in some boys' minds it could definitely be "fine" to use sex as a weapon, so it becomes less tied to gender-identity. Though this delves into rape & stuff like that so it's not very happy, really :/

[ex-milkthist86.livejournal.com]

I just think this ambiguity is fascinating, and worth working into adolescent male/male romance fics.

I agree completely. I actually went through a similar thought process a few weeks ago after reading a whole bunch of original British schoolboy experimenting-type stories of which the author was male. Even though it was technically "slash" I was surprised at how utterly different these were from the slash fanfic I normally read. It came across as much more genuine, you could tell this was written by a guy.

I think that the big difference is that slash fanfic tends to immediately equate sex and lust with romance and relationships. Even PWP-type fanfic usually has either an established relationship or a bout of angsty soul-searching attached. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that most fics have the boys take their wandering eyes too seriously. I'd kill to read a HP fic that keeps its adolescent boys acting like boys. I mean, we've already got the British boarding school, what more can you ask for.

*is off to look at links*

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

well, one obvious answer could be that we are girls and since we are producers and consumers of slash, we don't want the 'real' thing! *shudders at the mere thought of nifty* ...but i'm much too tired to do the slash definition thing... *g*

I just wanted to seriously squee at your icon!!! I sat and watched it go through several times, b/c it is just so very neat!!! PSA indeed!

reenka, fascinating links! interesting thoughts about this gay-free temporal zone... and i just read your comments to julad's fic and was blown away...very insightful indeed!!!

[ex-milkthist86.livejournal.com]

one obvious answer could be that we are girls

Well, yes, that is where the discrepancy lies. Maybe some of us don't want the real thing (although I most certainly do, at least sometimes), and in either case, as women, I don't think we really *know* what the real thing is. I mean, we're not now, nor have we ever been, teenage boys, and it's not easy to try and see the world through their perspective. There's irony in the fact that slash fanfic is largely made up of women who write about love between men. It'd be like men writing epic tales about lesbian lovers, with slumber parties and sexy pillow fights that inevitably end in steamy girl-on-girl action.

I'm not dissing slash as it is now. Hell, I write the sappy, relationship slash. All I'm saying is that it'd be nice to read some Harry/Draco that does not involve a great all-consuming love or messed up power-play relationship, but just has some good old schoolboy experimentation. Maybe because it feels more real, more true to life, or maybe because I just need some variety in my fic. *sigh* I've been reading too much fluff, can you tell? ;)

Anyway, I know you didn't want to start a whole discussion, so you can just disregard all of that and continue squeeing over the icon. Gotta love the canon!Draco. It's by the lovely ficbymarks, I think she made a Harry one as well.

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

Wow, you're really polite considering my fairly bitchy overtired self last night :-) Thanks!

No, I totally agree...I do think it'd be nice to have some simple anonymous encounter or just pure experimentation. It's nice to have them sound like real guys rather than fluffy romance cliches (b/c to call these misrepresentations we so often read feminized is an insult to women as far a I'm concerned :-) At the same time, what I do value in slash (which is, in a way, a genre, isn't it...even as it encompasses all genres on the planet) is the fact that we do get the guys' thoughts...and they simply could be about getting off, but we still get them. Otherwise it's bad gay porn (see nifty :-)

The reason I was so not wanting to get into this is not that it isn't a very worthy topic, but that I've spent all my time discussing just that (for my very first post on this, see here (http://www.livejournal.com/users/cathexys/3101.html) and then there's 8 months more of that :-). So, I think, personally, I'd go with the "realism good, but we're still writing by and for women" route. And I know you were probably mostly kneejerking against a lot of bad fic...I just read your draco versions (very, very amusing btw) and gotta admit...I may simply avoid most of the stories you responded to :-)

Finally, as I'm writing this, I'm wondering...can we stay in canon, get our guys together and *not* do the slashy psychology thing? B/c let's face it: they hate each other. And not even in a Mulder/Krycek, constantly grabbing and holding and touching way :-) So to make a story "realistic" wouldn't we need to have some underlying motivation that explains to us (if not to the characters) why they do it?

Frankly, I doubt we'd get much more than Harry and Ron...but even then I want it to mean something...even if all it means is that they're using each other's bodies, that one thinks too much while the other doesn't...it needs to be contextualized for me to work as slash (otherwise, see nifty :-) The two fics that come to my mind right now (just b/c i just (re)read them yesterday and have a mind like a sieve), are Slytherlynx's Screwed (http://slytherlynx.jteers.net/screwed.html) where we do get the experiment and the it not meaning anything...but then it does...things need to go somewhere...otherwise why tell us the story?

An H/D fic I just read yesterday that addresses similar issues is here (http://www.nightroadsassoc.com/Snog.htm). This might be more along your lines (though Draco angst a little bit) but the problem for me then is...who are these guys? why are they at that point psychologically? And once you fill in these questions, we're back to what you were criticizing.

Not sure I'm making any sense here...*walks off muttering to herself*

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I dunno if I made this clear but... I'm talking about subverting this narrative. I wasn't meaning-- kill the angst or whatever. I was talking about beginnings-- how these things start, not where they go. Eh. I should've talked more about this set-up in relationship to slash, shouldn't I... I take things for granted too much. But. I wasn't just talking about PWPs, you know. Clearly a slash fic is going to want to cross into the gay-zone, so to speak, with the angst and the consequences. But! I'm just saying that it doesn't have to be a dive-right-in sort of deal. It can sneak up on you.

I mean, there you are, fooling around, but really you're fooling yourself. I suppose I didn't make that clear-- I think those boys -are- fooling themselves-- they aren't as straight as they like to think. I guess I thought that was obvious. It's not about meaningless sex and experimentation-- it's just about how boys approach their relationships with each other and their sexuality, that's all.

As far as the hate-- well, I can see it being a fighting thing, a power-struggle thing-- maybe things could get messy later but not as a motivation for the sexual contact.

I wasn't criticizing in-depth introspective stories by any means. I mean... all I said was that maybe boys took their wandering eyes too seriously. It's a psychological fact that boys act this way, not just a sexual one. It -doesn't matter- what sort of story you're telling, a PWP or an epic-- boys are still boys. They're in denial man. They're clueless. They think with their dicks. They're afraid of thinking of themselves/each other as gay and would go to great lengths to avoid it, even while they suck each other off. I mean, I -think- this applies to more than just buddy-slash PWPs but I could be wrong :>

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

I think we may have been talking completely at odds here :-) B/c I think we both agree both on the value of psychological insight *and* on the reality of teenage boys...

Just for clarification: subverting *what* narrative? (i'm worst offender of unclear referents:-)

And yes on the "thinking all they're doing is sex when it's really already more" or "thinking they're straight when really their actions put them somewhere not quite zero on Kinsey :-)

[Though I do believe I might have sth there with the countering of the 'they're not real' claim (and I'm not talking about you here but about countless debates I've had and seen) with a reflection on canonicity...]

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Well, subverting the boys' own narrative, as per the reports I've seen, I guess. Their conception of themselves and each other as this one static thing that doesn't change even if they cross some boundaries (though there are till boundaries they don't cross-- like, I think kissing might just be rather gay to nearly all boys). One could/should use this in fics-- meaning, I think most fics have boys kiss too easily. There's just a lot of kissing and that doesn't make sense to me.

But whereas in real life most of this queerness gets swept under the carpet at some point and these boys grow up to be good heterosexual members of society (or something), in fic you could sort of tweak at them and force them to face these issues. So while in real life a friendship would break up when one of the boys wants a blowjob and the other is too scared-- in fic you'd just keep pushing it and pushing is and seeing where their -real- breaking point is and what would happen when their image of their sexuality breaks, really breaks.

I think most fics just kind of... forget that these are "normal" boys, even if they like cock, I guess. And then there's the idea that "liking cock" as actually a -part- of being a normal boy, which is like "whoah". But at the same time a slash fic subverts these boys "normative" narratives, which means a slash fic should sort of be a medium between these those agendas, two worlds almost. It's like MTV's `Real World'-- slash just pushes the envelope and tries to see what happens when boys stop being polite and start being `real'. Even though that's a really stupid slogan :>

[sileas.livejournal.com]

Very interesting link. I've visited before but only looked at the techniques page and hadn't come across the mutual masturbation page.

It strikes me that some of the older boys wanted to initiate their younger friends/brothers. That's be and interesting concept for chanslash. Most chanslash is about older man/younger boy and almost straight for the penetrative sex and eventual love. This experimenting with each other isn't featured very often.

I hope you don't mind me friending you. I came across your journal through a comment you made on one of my friend's posts. I followed the link to your journal and found your posts to the point and interesting. You kind of notice what I notice but put it in words, while I don't put things in words all that much but let it shimmer in the back of my head.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thanks~:) It's always okay to friend -most- people, isn't it?~:) And I'm glad I make sense to you, anyway, 'cause I constantly feel that I don't put what I think into words well enough, 'cause people constantly misunderstand me (even if it's on small points, I get discouraged). Also I tend to skirt around the point a lot and forget to include things 'cause I take them for granted, but still-- I'm glad it works for you :>

Also, yeah. I was thinking this was definitely a good excuse to write some sibling incest, heh, though I don't know about anything with more than a 4-year age-gap or so. Though as for myself, I'm more interested in the romance angle (ie, how this casual fumbling could be concealing deeper currents) rather than the experimentation and the discovery of (perhaps unwanted) sexuality, which I -have- written. But then, writing about m/m penetrative sex has never been natural for me, so I guess this makes me relieved for that reason as well~:)

[sileas.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thanks~:) It's always okay to friend -most- people, isn't it?~:)

*giggle* I hope so. Most times I just like giving people a heads-up to warn them that I friended them. A sort of introduction. :-) I thought this post was a good entry point.

And I'm glad I make sense to you, anyway, 'cause I constantly feel that I don't put what I think into words well enough, 'cause people constantly misunderstand me (even if it's on small points, I get discouraged). Also I tend to skirt around the point a lot and forget to include things 'cause I take them for granted, but still-- I'm glad it works for you :>

*nods* I do that too : forgetting things that I take for granted. I take a lot of things for granted, so I don't write all that much. :-)
It's not only the point that counts, but the little stories beside it too.

Though as for myself, I'm more interested in the romance angle (ie, how this casual fumbling could be concealing deeper currents) rather than the experimentation and the discovery of (perhaps unwanted) sexuality, which I -have- written.

Sounds interesting and angsty, especially if one of the pair starts with the idea of experimentation and the other is more or less already in love. :-) For me, the experimentation!fic is new. My previous fandom (TPM) didn't have that kind of story, at least not to my knowledge.

[starlitefaerie.livejournal.com]

that's really interesting and wow, i had no idea. i really don't know anything about boys.

nothing deep to add, just saying.

[thallos.livejournal.com]

yes male friends of mine said me this sort of stuff too.
i have found this and this link very interesting as a slasher (that screams plot-bunnies ^^;;) and in general ^^
i absolutely agree with you on the fanfics' part.

I hope you don't mind me friending you ^^;, i have been lurking in the dark and reading your rants for a while but have just a code today.

(please forgive my maybe strange English : that's not my native language -_-)

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Heee! Yeah, it does scream plot-bunnies, doesn't it. It's hard for me to imagine H/D in this sort of vein, but oh man oh man, can I see non-enemy-slash vastly energized by all this. >:D
And um, thanks~:) I never mind being friended, though it is a bit strange that I actually manage to make sense enough to have people coming back ^^;

[rhoddlet.livejournal.com]

*bookmarks post not only for all the lovely links but also for all the wonderful writing*

Thanks for putting all this time and thought into it, man.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

!! Oh man! :">
So impossibly flattered! Eek! *beams* Thankyou >:D
Not so much with the thought as with the improvised rambling, but hey, if it works :D
I didn't think you read fandomy rambles these days. Hee. I actually thought I didn't go far enough with the applications to fic I saw (well, beyond just wanking fic), so I'm all eeeeeeehappy you dig it anyway ~:))

[aretina.livejournal.com]

I have to question the JackinWorld site, though (and not just because I tend to question everything.) They at one point underline the fact that to a 13 yr old a 17 yr old brother would be, comparatively speaking, in a position of power, yet they say it would probably be ok for a 15 yr old to let his 10 yr old cousin watch him masturbate, if he asked. What they're not counting on is that the 10 year old might not have a really great appreciation of what he's asking for, and, once in the experience, there might be too great a differential between him and the 15 yr old cousin for him to voice his opinions. The points they bring to light are mainly valid, but that one hiccup in (it seems to me) logic kind of makes me question their other information as well.

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Well, the thing is? It doesn't matter to me what the site is saying. They could be right or they could be wrong in whatever their accessment is-- I barely even paid attention to the answer portion of the Q&A page. You could question the ethics of the differing age-groups having sexual encounters without really affecting the actual point, which is that straight-identifying boys can and do fool around and desire other boys.

Whether that's advisable for certain age-groups seems irrelevant as far as it applies to writing slash, anyway, since the 15-10 year-old scenario would almost never come up as far as I can imagine.

I mean... maybe it's just me, but the sites' points don't really concern me here. I'm mostly just interested in the actual homosocial behavior this describes-- and this is only one instance. I've come across these sort of accounts time and time again. It doesn't even occur to me to argue with the advice part of it since that doesn't apply to slash in any way, shape or form. But then, admittedly I'm just being rather single-minded here :>

o...k...

[(Anonymous)]

Ok, first off... If we are talking about the averadge so called 'straight' male...you are somewhat close. I believe I am fully justified in saying 'somewhat' due to the fact that my best friend (who happens to be a guy) has just given me a whole lot to talk about. One thing was that yes, 'straight' males do masturbate together and sometimes it goes too far...but who's right is it to study thier personal behaviour as if they were animals. If they speak about it to someone in particular, it's a different matter than if they shouted it out in a mall for example. Another thing was that most guys know that they can or cannot do certain tihngs within thier group of friends. If someone entered their group that had never met them before, they know that they need to tread carefully until the new person is comfortable with how they act. They are not animals or beast they know thier own boundaries...who's to tell them if they are wrong?

Now, Two...If the subject gets drawn to bisexual males...
They too know thier own limits with thier friends and how thier friends are comfortable with certain activities. Same as above aplies with the only execption of they aren't as close-minded and apt to shy-away from certain activities if it is a friend they particularily trust. Note: I know about this one first hand because it not only applies to males, but also females.

Now, the Third point.
If you are reffering to homosexuals...you are sadly mistaken on nearly all accounts.

Not only is it wrong to make these assumptions and place your own oppinion into it (because it is UNDOUBTABLY an opinionated piece), but it is also immoral an incorrect. You have no factual basis large enough to reflect the average about of teenage males, no matter what sexuality they are. They are humans and each have thier own personal views, feelings, nature , ect. I have to say, that when I was read into this, I was impressed by how much work went into this. However, I'm disapointed by the lack of humanism. You make it seem as though males masturabting is a) a bad thing{which it's NOT}, b) frowned upon{only by homophobes/niaeve/religious/other people}, or c)an act of homosexualism.

None of these are correct and it brought my opinion of this down several notches.

-Camikila

Re: o...k...

[yourpoison.livejournal.com]

Ummm... okay, you do realize this is like, a three year old post, right? *laughs* Just wondering. I had to go back & reread to remember what I was talking about, and even then I'm only vaguely in the mindspace I inhabited at the time. Though I'm not sure on what you're basing the assertion that I'm "wrong" to have opinions on this or any other subject. ^^;;; Or, what does 'placing my opinions into it' mean if not 'having' opinions? That's a bit unclear. Obviously people are all individuals & have unique perspectives-- that's a given and I don't think I ever contradicted it. Making generalizations about groups or thinking about social tendencies in no way contradicts but rather supplements individual psychology.

Also, you're quite wrong if you think much "work" went into this post; at most it was a half-hour's casual surfing & I do type fast-- generally I don't write lj entries as if they were college papers, y'know. I have absolutely no idea where you'd get the impression I thought masturbation was wrong (really, I was trying to celebrate/encourage writing about it-- and -have- written about it happily many many times). I'm not sure whether I even touched upon whether masturbation is frowned upon-- and well, it really depends by whom, I guess, but even if I said it was, it would still be pretty true (though I don't see how observing questionable social trends or traditions is offensive or implies anything about my own values or opinions). And I would say that any two boys masturbating together is -sexual-, whether or not it's -homosexual-, and therefore conducive to slash fanfic, which was my actual inspiration & subject. I'm not sure how aware you are of slash, but that's my main concern here-- fiction, though realistic fiction inspired by actual male tendencies. Slash blurs the line between 'straight', 'bi' & 'gay', regardless.

I wasn't trying to write some sort of academic treatise; I'm not sure how you found this old post, but I can only imagine the link you found was out of context-- unless you found this through google. I don't know. I do know this was written for a certain audience [my friends' list on livejournal, the site you're on] and people unfamiliar with slash aren't part of that intended audience, so.

but who's right is it to study thier personal behaviour as if they were animals
...I find this comment confusing, if overly provocative. People's behavior is studied routinely by social scientists these days-- well, in some sense it's always been a respected study, though called differently. Sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists-- that sort of thing. It's not a moral issue and I'd never mean to phrase it as relating to such. I'm not judging the actual practices of whatever group of boys in question-- people can do whatever they want, and I just have a particular interest in the ambiguously, 'borderline' sexual behavior between sexually confused teenage boys. Not everyone knows who they are at that age-- lines get smudged and blur, boundaries get crossed, etc. I personally find that interesting, yes, but it's not like I come to people's homes & watch them in their bedrooms, so I'm not sure what you're finding so problematic.

Also, calling it 'an act of homosexualism' seems a bit outdated.