I think that IRL these guys would be dangerous. So that's why I'm not sure about the new era of male sexuality. But then again the guys who come to this site are not necessarily a true sample.
I think there certainly is more openness about sexuality in men now if we can use this board as an example. I don't think that necessarily changes some men's habit of communicating in an aggressive manner. It's unfortunate that you have been the object of some of this Jon.
I first joined a BBS (a gay one) in the early 90's. I noticed that when people first get a voice online they can be very strident and obnoxious, literally and figuratively SHOUTING because they don't understand the power of the medium to affect and influence people. [And because they don't know how to use the CAPS LOCK KEY!] This behaviour usually improves once their actions have been explained to them.
I think that in a similar manner, when self-identified straight men first stumble into a forum where they have an un-censored conversation/confrontation with people of other sexual orientations [a lot of straight people don't realise that they know any gay people IRL for example] they behave defensively or obnoxiously because they are unsophisticated and don't know the right way to talk about sex with people who don't share the same orientation/bias/prejudices. I'm hopeful that by having the conversation, if it lasts long enough, they might also learn, over time, to moderate their tone if not their POV.
So I agree that the growth of the forum [lots of newbies] would influence the tone of the discussions and introduce a lot of awkwardness or ignorance where the board might previously have been used by a smaller group of "cognoscenti", so to speak. If this kind of forum is doing it's job, and if the internet
can help bring about a new era of male sexuality, then I think it's a good thing.